Texas Basketball: 3 keys to upsetting Iowa State in Ames

Tyrese Hunter and No. 7 Texas basketball travel to Ames, Iowa, to take on the 12th-ranked Iowa State Cyclones on Tuesday night.  The game tips off at 7 p.m. CT and will be streaming on ESPN+/Big 12 Now.

This game has significant early implications in Big 12 play. Texas and Iowa State come into this game with 4-1 conference records, just one game behind the 5-0 Kansas Jayhawks.

The Cyclones are coming off a gut-wrenching 62-60 loss against the aforementioned Jayhawks in Phog Allen. Iowa State head coach T.J. Otzelberger has a very hard-nosed, disciplined team that can hang with anyone in the country.

Iowa State is 9-0 in Hilton Coliseum this season with an average margin of victory of 25.9 points. This includes a 77-62 win over Baylor and an 84-50 drubbing of Texas Tech.

The 12th-ranked Cyclones are a very dangerous basketball team capable of beating anyone in the country on their home floor. Here are three keys for the Longhorns if they are to pull off the upset in Ames.

1. Get Tyrese Hunter involved early and often

Hunter returns to the Hilton Coliseum for the first time since transferring to Texas this past offseason.

Hunter won Big 12 Freshman of the Year during his one season in Ames. He averaged 11.0 points, 4.9 assists, 3.5 rebounds, and 2.0 steals while leading the Cyclones to their first NCAA Tournament win since 2017.

That said, no love will be lost as the former Cyclone returns to town sporting a conference rival uniform.

Hunter has been struggling to find an offensive rhythm over the past month. Over the last ten games, Hunter has been averaging just 7.4 points per game while shooting 27.7 percent from the field. In the Longhorns’ win over Texas Tech on Saturday, he scored zero points while only attempting four shots. Those four field goal attempts were tied for the lowest in his 52-game collegiate career.

The former Cyclone will be pressured to perform well on Tuesday night. Rodney Terry must allow Hunter to work into an offensive rhythm early in the game.

Hunter is effective when he is playing downhill. I’d like to see him operate with the ball in high pick-and-rolls all game long. This will bring Iowa State’s elite rim protector, Osun Osunniyi, out of the paint while allowing Hunter to hunt his spots on the floor.

It is also paramount that Coach Terry starts the game by running some pin-down looks that allow Hunter to catch and shoot from long range. Over 95 percent of Hunter’s three-point makes this season have been assisted. The sophomore is very effective from deep when he gets space to catch and fire in rhythm.

This is a massive game from Hunter, not only because he is returning to Hilton Coliseum, but because of the recent scoring slump he has been in. Let’s hope Coach Terry puts him in advantageous situations on Tuesday night.

2. Texas basketball must avoid ’empty possessions’

When the Longhorns step into Hilton Coliseum on Tuesday night, they will be going up against one of the most prolific defenses in all of college basketball.

According to KenPom, Iowa State ranks fifth nationally in adjusted defensive efficiency. They also are first in the country in defensive turnover percentage, forcing a turnover on 29.1 percent of their opponent’s possessions. On top of that, the Cyclone’s pace of play is currently 310th in the nation.

T.J. Otzelberger’s team limits your possessions by slowing down the game and suffocating you on the defensive end.

For Texas, it is important they do not let Iowa State dictate their pace of play. The Longhorns have been tremendous at scoring in transition. Even on a made bucket, I would like to see Texas push the pace and try and get some easy looks on the offensive end.

It is important Texas is deliberate and purposeful with its ball movement. The Cyclones are No. 1 in turnover rate. They jump passing lanes and guard you out to 30 feet. The Cyclones are an active bunch that will eat you alive if you fall asleep.

It is very important that Marcus Carr and Timmy Allen, among others, come out aggressively hunting their shot.

3. Take away the three-point shot

Although Iowa State only attempts about 20 threes per game, it is paramount that Texas gets a strong contest on every deep ball they hoist.

The Cyclones are knocking down 35.7 percent of their three-balls as a team. Their starting backcourt of Caleb Grill, Jaren Holmes, and Gabe Kalscheur combine to knock down 5.4 threes per game at a 36 percent clip.

They do a fantastic job of moving off the ball and ending up in the corners with a wide-open look at the basket. I would challenge the Cyclones to beat you off the dribble, offering little help defense and sticking on the shooters.

In a game that is likely to have very narrow margins, Texas must run the Cyclones off of the three-point arc.