Milwaukee - When Iowa State's new coach T.J. Otzelberger first assembled his team on 10 June, never placing specific numbers on further goals.
The numbers for the Cyclones in 2020–21 were bleak: just two wins, none after December 20, 2020, and straight defeats to close out the program's worst season since 1925.
"We didn't set out for a sure win or anything based on what had happened in the past," Oetzelberger said. "What we set out to do is restore pride to the program that I love so much."
Nine months later, the state of Iowa may celebrate a new number: Sweet 16. The 11th seed Cyclone continued its historic turnaround on Sunday, surprising No. 3 seed Wisconsin 54-49 at the Fisher Forum in front of a huge Wisconsin crowd. ISU went ahead in its first Sweet 16 appearance since 2016, when Oetzelberger served as an assistant, and it will play in Chicago on Friday.
Iowa State became the team with the lowest win percentage (.083) last season to win an NCAA Tournament game on Friday, as it edged out LSU 59-54. Prior to Sunday, the team with the lowest win percentage to reach the Sweet 16 the following year was Ohio State, 8–22 (.267) in 1997–98 before a Final Four run in 1998–99. (The Buckeyes later had to give up their winnings.)
"How we changed this program from [2-22] to Sweet 16 is crazy," said Cyclones guard Gabe Kalschuur, who scored a game-high 22 points. "Many people don't see it as big on the outside, but in this community in Ames, Iowa, it's a big change."
Kalaschuar winded up the offense, but Iowa State beat Wisconsin using their signature defense, giving the Badgers points (49), field goal rate (29.8%), 3-pointers (2) and 3-point shooting rate. (9.1%) placed at the bottom of the season. ) Iowa State allowed a total of 103 points in their first two tournament games.
A group led by Kalaschuur placed Johnny Davis, Big Ten player of the year and Wooden Award contender, on a 4-of-16 shooting with 17 points. Although the Badgers fought hard after losing point guard Chucky Hepburn with an ankle injury at the end of the first half, Iowa State's swarming perimeter guards upset Davis, senior guard Brad Davison and others.
Kalschuur, who began his college career in Minnesota and grew up in the state, said he "never liked Wisconsin" and went against familiar faces in a street-like setting about 80 miles from the Wisconsin campus. received energy.
"Johnny Davis and Brad are some really great players, but it inspires me to know that there is a lot of talk about them and not a lot of talk about us," Kalschuur said. "We're on a big stage here. We're all proud to know that just because he has a name, we have a heart, and we came out victorious."
Milwaukee native Otzelberger solicited "low-ego, high-productive people" to reshape the roster through a mass relocation portal. Iowa State's top three scorers from last season shifted out, and the coach added players such as Kalaschuar, Izaiya Brockington from Penn State and Aljaz "Jazz" Kunk from Washington State.
"A lot of people haven't been on the team since last year, so we all had kind of a clean slate," Kunk said. "As soon as we stepped into the campus, it started from June 10, as soon as we met each other and started practicing, getting up at 6 am, 6:30, practicing at 7, it doesn't really matter Keep it. It worked great. For us.
"We are being rewarded for all the work we do."
Otzelberger's infamous early-morning "soccer field workouts" last summer triggered the mental and physical toughness that went into the season. Players like Kalaschuar can be wildly inconsistent on offense – they had three pointless games and 11 with five points or less – but were always steady on defense.
"They knew what they were signing up for," said Oetzelberger, who built his defense-first style after seeing former Wisconsin coach Dick Bennett as a kid. "They knew what our identity would be. We believe that if you play hard defensively and you direct it, you can control the game.
"We won't apologize for how we've won, and we won't apologize for aesthetic what it can look like. They're winners."