Iowa State Basketball

Iowa State is moving on to the Sweet 16 of the 2022 NCAA men's basketball tournament following a 54-49 victory over Wisconsin on Sunday at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee.

This is the sixth time the Cyclones have advanced to the regional semifinals and their first trip since 2016.

Wisconsin and Iowa State ranked 218th and 245th, respectively, in adjusted tempo on KenPom.com, and both teams were content to play with a deliberate pace. They combined for just 25 points midway through the first half, and Iowa State clung to a 27-26 halftime lead after Caleb Grill scored at the buzzer.

Iowa State catches Wisconsin sleeping 👀@CycloneMBB takes the lead at half #MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/h4Vqg1Zn0h

— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) March 20, 2022

The tempo picked up a bit in the second half, but neither team could string multiple productive possessions together. Iowa State shot 34.5 percent from the floor, which was at least better than Wisconsin (29.5 percent) fared.

With the Badgers down five points inside the final minute, Steven Crowl missed a three-pointer and Jordan Davis was unable to score after collecting the offensive rebound. Those misses represented Wisconsin's last real opportunity to come back.

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Notable Performers

Gabe Kalscheur, G, Iowa State: 22 points, four rebounds, one assist, two steals

Tyrese Hunter, G, Iowa State: four points, six rebounds, five assists, three steals

Johnny Davis, G, Wisconsin: 17 points, nine rebounds, one assist, two steals, four blocks

Brad Davison, G, Wisconsin: 12 points, four rebounds, four assists, three steals

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Kalscheur Steps Up for Cyclones

Izaiah Brockington and Tyrese Hunter have been Iowa State's top two leading scorers throughout this season. Their contributions Sunday night fell below expectations, as they collectively finished with 14 points.

Luckily for the Cyclones, Gabe Kalscheur rose to the occasion. The senior guard was a steady source of offense.

Gabe Kalscheur through the contact 💪

Big-time bucket for @CycloneMBB #MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/JE5YOD7A1v

— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) March 20, 2022

Former Minnesota Golden Gopher Gabe Kalscheur owning Wisconsin. He has 17 of Iowa State’s 36. Badgers look like they brought pebbles to a rock fight.

— Jerry Palm (@jppalm85) March 20, 2022

In the second half, Kalscheur accounted for seven straight points as his team went on a 9-0 run to take an eight-point lead with 12:40 left. That gap felt much larger because of how little Wisconsin was getting from its offense.

Kalscheur went to the bench shortly thereafter, at which point Iowa State couldn't buy a bucket. His return sparked another positive spell.

Huge momentum killer there.

Crowl commits a goltend.

Kalscheur quiets the crowd.

Davison called for a charge.#Badgers trail Iowa State 40-34 with 7:29 left.

— Evan Flood (@Evan_Flood) March 21, 2022

Gabe Kalscheur, a former Gopher, is absolutely torching the Badgers. Gonna be sick.

— Bucky’s 5th Quarter (@B5Q) March 21, 2022

The Cyclones defense did a great job of stymying Wisconsin, too, whenever the Badgers looked like they were building a head of steam.

Four #Wisconsin players have multiple turnovers. ISU's defense has been excellent in spite of the fouls, and the Cyclones closing in with Hepburn out.

— Adam Rittenberg (@ESPNRittenberg) March 20, 2022

Kalscheur's one-man show was enough to get it done against Wisconsin. Iowa State will likely need more from Hunter and Brockington in order to continue on to the Elite Eight, though.

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Hepburn Injury Hamstrings Badgers

Chucky Hepburn was Wisconsin's assist leader entering Sunday, averaging 2.4 dimes per game. For the majority of this game, the Badgers had to forge ahead without the freshman guard after he appeared to suffer a left ankle injury in the first half.

Hepburn was no small loss. Points were at a premium and the Big Ten regular season co-champions didn't have the services of their best playmaker.

The injury also put even more onto the shoulders of Johnny Davis.

At the half here in Milwaukee, Iowa State 27, Wisconsin 26. Johnny Davis has done a good job not forcing tough shots, but with Chucky Hepburn seemingly done for the day, think Badgers are gonna need him to get more aggressive rest of the way. Expect this to stay close.

— Jeremy Woo (@JeremyWoo) March 20, 2022

Without Hepburn, Davis is Wisconsin’s only reliable creator. Iowa State will be throwing a double at him and sagging on every drive. Davis is gonna have to be aggressive, take his chances when they’re there, and make smart passes. Other guys are gonna have to make shots.

— Michael Beller (@MBeller) March 20, 2022

The impact of Hepburn's absence was evident in Wisconsin's turnover numbers. The Badgers turned the ball over the second-fewest times (8.4) in Division I and coughed it up 17 times against Iowa State.

Compounding matters, the trio of Davis, Crowl and Tyler Wahl battled foul trouble all game. Coach Greg Gard had to go much deeper into his rotation than he had planned.

Iowa State has opened up a 36-28 lead against Wisconsin. Greg Gard has Isaac Lindsey on the floor. Lindsey has played 11 minutes all season and last appeared in a game on January 27. If the Badgers are to win this thing, Johnny Davis has to take over.

— Jesse Temple (@jessetemple) March 20, 2022

Even though it wasn't all his fault, Davis, the 2022 Big Ten Player of the Year, will likely rue what was a nondescript performance by his usual standards.

I don’t know if Johnny Davis will ever admit it but to put this lightly it’s clear he’s been playing at less than 100 percent since hurting his ankle against Nebraska. Has battled defensively but has lacked pop to create shots in the halfcourt. ISU loading up on his side too.

— Jeremy Woo (@JeremyWoo) March 21, 2022

Wisconsin needs Johnny Davis, NPOY, to show up here for the final four minutes. They're down eight with 4:04 left.

— Rob Dauster (@RobDauster) March 21, 2022

This was a difficult end to an otherwise fantastic season for Davis and Wisconsin. 

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What's Next?

Iowa State awaits the winner of No. 2 Auburn vs. No. 10 Miami. 

The 11th-seeded Iowa State Cyclones upset the sixth-seeded LSU Tigers 59-54 in the first round of the NCAA tournament on Friday in Milwaukee to move onto the second round in Midwest Region action.

It was an impressive win amid an incredible turnaround season under first-year head coach TJ Otzelberger. The Cyclones finished 2-22 last season and entered the NCAA Tournament with a 20-12 record this season. 

While many thought LSU was going to have the better defensive performance at Fiserv Forum, it was Iowa State's defense that suffocated the Tigers and caused them to make silly mistakes, which ultimately cost them a spot in the second round. 

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Notable Stats

Tyrese Hunter, Iowa State: 23 PTS, 3 REB, 3 AST, 5 STL

Darius Days, LSU: 14 PTS, 12 REB, 2 STL

Izaiah Brockington, Iowa State: 19 PTS, 4 REB, 1 AST, 3 STL

Tari Eason, LSU: 18 PTS, 4 REB

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Iowa State's Swarming Defense Too Much for LSU 

In a battle of two defensive-minded teams, the Iowa State defense proved to be much more effective on Friday night at Fiserv Forum.

The Cyclones' defense was especially effective in the first half, holding LSU to just 19 points, the lowest scoring output for the Tigers in a first half this season.

Aljaz Kunc protects the rim for Iowa State 🚫#MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/1jPelL3nDz

— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) March 19, 2022

And while LSU was able to find more success in the second half, Iowa State's defense was still a gamechanger as it forced 19 turnovers throughout the game. Any progress the Tigers made was essentially eliminated by a turnover. 

This performance from the Cyclones shouldn't necessarily come as a surprise. During the regular season, they forced 13.8 turnovers and 8.4 steals per game. 

The team's defensive efficiency is what helped power its offense, too, as it was able to effectively transition and score points off turnovers to hurt opposing teams down the stretch. 

Tyrese Hunter with a SMOOTH finish for the Cyclones 🔥

Watch now on TBS ➡️ https://t.co/htu1U0GCtm#MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/DaOvIirqJQ

— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) March 19, 2022

Tyrese Hunter drains the triple to break the tie for the Cyclones 🎯#MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/2aRu0rtRSb

— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) March 19, 2022

The Cyclones extend the lead to double-digits 👀#MarchMadness | @CycloneMBB pic.twitter.com/zPsxuLBYFU

— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) March 19, 2022

Freshman guard Tyrese Hunter and senior guard Izaiah Brockington were two of the Cyclones' most effective players against the Tigers, combining for 42 points, seven rebounds, four assists and eight steals.

With the way Iowa State played on Thursday, it's clear the team will be a threat to make a Cinderella run this year. The Cyclones are gritty, passionate and have a lot of tenacity that could help them go far in this tournament.

However, they'll need to have better performances than they did on Thursday down the stretch. While the defense was outstanding, the offense doesn't currently look like it can keep up with some of the better teams in this tournament. 

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LSU Offense Unable to Overcome First-Half Struggles

The LSU offense got out to an incredibly slow start, which ultimately cost them the game. The Tigers finished the first half with just 19 points, the lowest scoring total they had at halftime all season long. 

A lot of that was because of Iowa State's incredible defensive play, but the Tigers didn't help themselves in the second half either despite cutting into the Cyclones' lead. The team made just 17-of-46 shots from the floor and 4-of-19 from beyond the arc. In addition, their free-throw shooting was abysmal as they made just 16 of 23 shots from the charity stripe. 

However, it's also important to note the LSU program had somewhat of a tumultuous week leading up to their first-round matchup against Iowa State. The Tigers fired head coach Will Wade on Saturday after the school received a Notice of Allegations from the NCAA.

That prompted Kevin Nickelberry to step in as the interim head coach, and Friday's game against the Cyclones was his first in charge of the Tigers. 

With sanctions expected to hit the LSU program based on the Notice of Allegations, the team has an uncertain future heading into the offseason, and changes will undoubtedly be on the way. 

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What's Next?

The Cyclones will move on to face either No. 3 seed Wisconsin or No. 14 seed Colgate in the second round. 

Iowa State athletic director Jamie Pollard announced Wednesday that he has been diagnosed with testicular cancer.

In an open letter on the Iowa State athletics website, Pollard wrote: "I was recently diagnosed with testicular cancer. I debated sharing this information widely to avoid my diagnosis being a distraction to our athletics program. However, the reality of hiding the news has also been stressful."

Pollard also described how he learned of his diagnosis and expressed optimism after recently being told his cancer has not spread from the original site:

"About four weeks ago, I started to feel pain in my groin after a running workout. After several days of irritation, I identified a lump on my right testicle. After seeing a doctor for an ultrasound, it was determined that surgery was necessary. I had that testicle removed last Tuesday afternoon and, unfortunately, learned a day later it was cancerous. That was sobering news to hear the day before Thanksgiving.

"This past Monday I had a CT scan and additional blood work. My wife, Ellen, and I met with the urologist (who performed my surgery) in the afternoon and learned the cancer had not spread from the original site. Furthermore, my bloodwork (i.e., tumor markers) was still testing normal. Both of those results were welcome news!

"We also discussed next options, which include doing nothing other than monitoring my blood work and performing CT scans every 3-6 months, undergoing chemotherapy, or beginning radiation treatments. We visit an oncologist this Friday to learn more about my treatment options."

Pollard has served as Iowa State's AD since 2005, making him the longest-tenured athletic director in the history of the program.

Born in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, Pollard went on to compete in cross country track and field at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh.

His administrative career began shortly after graduating in the form of an associate athletic director role at Saint Louis University from 1989 to 1994. Pollard then became the associate AD at Maryland from 1994 to 1998 and at Wisconsin from 1998 to 2003.

Pollard became deputy AD at Wisconsin from 2003 to 2005 before taking the athletic director role at Iowa State.

The Cyclones have experienced success across multiple sports during Pollard's tenure at the school.

Most notably, the men's basketball team has won the Big 12 tournament four times, including a 78-66 win over Kansas in the 2019 final.

The men's basketball team has also reached the Sweet 16 twice under Pollard, in both 2014 and 2016.

While the football team hasn't been as successful, it did reach the Big 12 Championship Game last year, losing 27-21 to Oklahoma.

The Cyclones are 7-5 this season and set to play in a bowl game for the fifth consecutive season under head coach Matt Campbell, marking the longest bowl streak in school history.

Gabe Kalscheur scored 30 points to lead the unranked Iowa State men's basketball team to a 78-59 win over No. 9 Memphis in the NIT Season Tip-Off Championship on Friday from Brooklyn, New York's Barclays Center.

The senior guard added eight rebounds and five steals for a Cyclones team that benefitted from Memphis' 22 turnovers and a 19-of-53 (35.8 percent) shooting night.

Emoni Bates led the Tigers with 12 points and three blocks. Fellow 5-star recruit and freshman Jalen Duren had an off night with two points and five turnovers.

Memphis only had one lead, when Lester Quinones hit a jumper 10 seconds into the matchup for a 2-0 edge. Iowa State responded with an 8-0 run.

The Tigers later tied the game at 25, but the Cyclones closed the half on a 7-2 spurt.

The second half was all Iowa State. Kalscheur started the half on a personal 6-0 run capped by a four-point play for a 38-27 lead:

Kalscheur current status >> 🔥🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/n1RydKVL2u

— Iowa State Men’s Basketball (@CycloneMBB) November 27, 2021

Iowa State later went on a 31-13 run to take a 75-51 lead. Senior forward Aljaz Kunc went on a personal 7-0 run during that stretch, with this bucket serving as the highlight:

That man @aljazkunc coming at you like a 🌪️ pic.twitter.com/p7slDCMAY1

— Iowa State Men’s Basketball (@CycloneMBB) November 27, 2021

He finished with 11 points, seven rebounds and four assists.

The Cyclones led by as many as 25 en route to the 19-point victory. Their dominance on the boards helped, as they out-rebounded Memphis 42-34.

Iowa State looks like it's defying preseason expectations that placed the Cyclones last in the Big 12 preseason coaches poll.

The 6-0 Cyclones now have two wins over Top 25 programs after being No. 25 Xavier 82-70 in the NIT Season Tip-Off semifinals.

This game marked the 5-1 Tigers' first loss of the season. They had outscored their opponents by an average of 17.8 points entering the game.

Both teams play next on Wednesday.

Iowa State will now host the 0-7 Arkansas-Pine Bluff Golden Lions at 8 p.m. ET. Memphis will visit the 2-4 Georgia Bulldogs at 7:15 p.m. ET.

The Iowa State men's basketball program has reportedly found its next head coach.

According to Sam Gordon of the Las Vegas Review-Journal, the Big 12 school will hire T.J. Otzelberger after it parted ways with Steve Prohm on Monday.

Otzelberger was the head coach for UNLV for the last two seasons.

Prohm coached the Cyclones for six seasons and finished with a 97-95 record. The team made the NCAA men's tournament in three of his first four years and won the Big 12 tournament twice.

However, Iowa State went 12-20 last season and an abysmal 2-22 this year.

According to Gordon, Otzelberger has strong connections to the Cyclones. He was an assistant coach for the program on two different occasions for eight seasons under Greg McDermott, Fred Hoiberg and Prohm.

He is also friends with athletic director Jamie Pollard. His wife, Alison Otzelberger, whose maiden name was Lacey, played basketball at Iowa State.

Otzelberger went 70-33 with South Dakota State in three seasons before taking over for the Runnin' Rebels prior to the 2019-20 campaign. He was 29-30 with UNLV in two seasons and did not provide much stability for a program that has not made the Big Dance since 2013.

UNLV will have to find its sixth head coach in 10 years.

Otzelberger takes over a Cyclones program that struggled mightily this season but posted six straight seasons of 23 or more wins and made the NCAA tournament every year from 2011-12 through 2016-17.

Iowa State guard Tyrese Haliburton has declared for the 2020 NBA draft and will forgo his final two years of college eligibility, according to ESPN's Jonathan Givony and Adrian Wojnarowski.

He can withdraw from the draft by June 15 if he wants to return to school.

Haliburton is coming off an injury-shortened 2019-20 season, as a broken wrist ended his year. He first suffered the injury in a December practice, but the setback officially put him out of commission during a Feb. 8 game against Kansas State.

"You just hate for something like this to happen for a kid that just loves to play," ISU coach Steve Prohm told the Ames Tribune.

Though he only played 22 games as a sophomore, he still showcased his all-around talent while averaging 15.2 points, 6.5 assists and 5.9 rebounds per contest. He excelled on defense with 2.5 steals per game while also hitting 41.9 percent of his three-point shots.

The 2018 3-star recruit consistently filled the stat sheet as a freshman—including a game with 17 assists and one turnover—but had a low usage rate around more veteran players. That wasn't an issue during his sophomore season, when he became a go-to option who remained efficient on offense.

Even with his injury, Haliburton is an elite prospect thanks to his production on both ends and his upside as a 6'5" point guard with a 7-foot wingspan. 

Add his shooting, basketball IQ and the ability to defend multiple positions, and he should hear his name called early in June.

Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman predicted Haliburton would be the No. 4 overall pick before the injury, and he should still be a top option.

Iowa State point guard Tyrese Haliburton is out for the season after fracturing his left wrist Saturday in the team's 73-63 home win over Kansas State, according to a press release from the school. 

"This comes as a shock to me, my family, my teammates and coaches," Haliburton said. "As this season continues, I will try to to be the best teammate possible. I know my brothers will step up, and I can't wait to be there every step of the way."

Proverbs 3:5-6 - “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight” pic.twitter.com/8tmWo3ejgn

— Tyrese Haliburton (@TyHaliburton22) February 10, 2020

Cyclone head coach Steve Prohm also released a statement:

"We are disappointed for Tyrese and his family and we are focused on helping him in his recovery. Tyrese is a great teammate, leader and valuable member of this program and university in so many ways. There is no doubt in my mind that Tyrese will face this setback with the same energy and passion that we have all come to appreciate and that he will return from this better than ever."

Haliburton, a sophomore, has climbed up draft boards after averaging 15.2 points, 5.9 rebounds, 6.5 assists and 2.5 steals in 22 games this season. He's shot 50.4 percent from the field and 41.9 percent from three. 

That level of play has made him a potential lottery pick—and perhaps even a top-10 selection—in the 2020 NBA draft on June 25.

Just a huge bummer on this. Haliburton is super fun to watch. No certainty on this obviously, but real strong chance that was his last game in Ames. He’s a potential top-10 pick. https://t.co/NdksRI5FCP

— Sam Vecenie (@Sam_Vecenie) February 10, 2020

Haliburton is currently No. 6 in ESPN’s NBA draft rankings. https://t.co/D6ahBzwjyl

— Jeff Borzello (@jeffborzello) February 10, 2020

B/R's Jonathan Wasserman projected him to go No. 4 overall to the New York Knicks in his latest mock draft, writing that "scouts feel a level of certainty in Haliburton's elite playmaking and basketball IQ."

He also noted that "between his facilitating and shooting ... Haliburton stands out as an ideal fit alongside RJ Barrett."

Ethan Strauss of The Athletic added that while there is reason for "concern about his pick-and-roll play," he has "high-level defensive abilities" and is an "absolutely brilliant passer."

Part of Haliburton's rise up the rankings is a relatively weak overall draft class. In addition to his struggles running the pick-and-roll as a point guard, there are questions about whether he could ever be a contending team's top offensive option.

But his playmaking, defense and shooting give him a high floor, and if he improves in the pick-and-roll, his ceiling is high. Even with his season-ending injury, Haliburton seems like a safe bet to be a lottery pick.

The Iowa State Cyclones bolstered their 2018 recruiting class Tuesday with the addition of small forward Zion Griffin. 

Joe Henricksen of Sun-Times Media reported the announcement from Griffin.

Griffin, who checks in at 6'6" and 208 pounds, is a 4-star prospect, per 247Sports' composite rankings, and the No. 2 player from the state of Illinois and the No. 58 overall player in the class.

Henricksen noted Griffin took an official visit to Iowa State during the past weekend and elected not to make his final two to Kansas and Pittsburgh.

"My family has always told me not to get caught up in the name," Griffin said, per Henricksen. "It's about the best fit. It's where you see the best fit for yourself over the next four years and where you can see yourself as part of that family in the years after."

This comes after Matt Scott of 247Sports reported Kansas assistant coach Jerrance Howard visited the playmaker Monday.

According to Henricksen, Griffin's stock "soared" in July when he played for the Illinois Hoopers on the club circuit. He pointed to the forward's athleticism and "much-improved shooting" as things that attracted coaches' attention as he developed from a mid-major prospect into someone who was landing visits from Big 12 powerhouses.

Griffin is the first recruit in Iowa State's 2018 class and joins a consistent Big 12 program that has been to the NCAA tournament in each of the last six seasons. Coach Steve Prohm picked up where Fred Hoiberg left off when he went to the Chicago Bulls and led the Cyclones to the Sweet 16 in the 2016 Big Dance in his first season.

If he consistently lands players like Griffin on the recruiting trail, Iowa State will continue to challenge for deep NCAA tournament runs.

The Iowa State Cyclones and head men's basketball coach Steve Prohm agreed to a contract extension through 2022 on Friday. 

Iowa State athletic director Jamie Pollard made the news official with the following tweet:

Excited to announce that we have extended the contracts of @ISUCoachFen & @CoachProhm to 2022. Great time to be a Cyclone Basketball fan!

— Jamie Pollard (@IASTATEAD) March 24, 2017

According to Luke Manderfeld of Iowa State Daily, Prohm also received a raise of $2 million per year.

Prohm led the Cyclones to a 24-11 record in 2016-17, which included a Big 12 tournament title and a spot in the second round of the NCAA tournament before falling to Purdue.

Prohm took over as the Cyclones head coach at the start of the 2015-16 season following the departure of Fred Hoiberg to the NBA's Chicago Bulls.

Hoiberg had led Iowa State to four consecutive NCAA tournament appearances, and Prohm has kept that streak alive with two NCAA tourney berths in his two years at the helm.

The Cyclones are 47-23 under Prohm, including a 3-2 mark in the NCAA tournament.

Prohm previously spent four seasons as Murray State's head coach, during which time he went 104-29, won a CIT championship and led the Racers to the second round of the 2012 NCAA tournament.

The 2017 National Invitation Tournament continues Sunday with a trio of second-round games. The NIT had actually done a better job of living up to the March Madness moniker than the NCAA tournament prior to the excitement finally arriving to the Big Dance on Saturday.

While defending national champions Villanova fell in the NCAA tourney Saturday, the NIT also lost one of its top seeds as Syracuse lost to Ole Miss. That leaves Illinois State and Iowa as the event's only No. 1 seeds left standing after Cal's loss to CSU Bakersfield in Round 1.

Let's check out the remaining slate for the NIT's second round. That's followed by a preview and prediction for the best game among Sunday's group. For a look at the updated tournament bracket, visit the NCAA's official website.

Round 2 Schedule

Date	Time (ET)/Result	Matchup	TV
March 18	85-80 MISS	(1) Syracuse vs. (5) Mississippi	ESPN
March 19	12 p.m.	(6) Georgia Tech vs. (7) Belmont	ESPN
March 19	5 p.m.	(1) Iowa vs. (4) TCU	ESPN2
March 19	7:30 p.m.	(6) Richmond vs. (7) Oakland	ESPNU
March 20	7 p.m.	(1) Illinois State vs. (4) UCF	ESPN
March 20	8 p.m.	(6) UT Arlington vs. (7) Akron	ESPNU
March 20	9 p.m.	(2) Illinois vs. (6) Boise State	ESPN
March 20	11:15 p.m.	(4) Colorado State vs. (8) CSU Bakersfield	ESPN2

Sunday's Top Game: (4) TCU at (1) Iowa

Streaky is the best way to describe TCU. The Horned Frogs started the season 8-0 and endured a seven-game losing streak starting in mid-February to doom their at-large hopes for the NCAA tournament. But they've bounced back nicely to win three of their past four.

The recent run of success includes victories over Kansas in the Big 12 tournament quarterfinals and Fresno State in their NIT opener. If they can maintain their current form, they are a legitimate threat to cut down the nets at Madison Square Garden.

For now, they're focused on a matchup with an exciting, young Hawkeyes squad with a bright future that should feature a few NCAA tourney appearances in the coming years.

Leading scorer Peter Jok is a senior, but all of the team's other key contributors are underclassmen. It's created a perfect storm of players growing with experience, while still having that go-to player at the offensive end during crunch time.

Jimmy Burch of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram passed along comments from TCU head coach Jamie Dixon about the matchup.

"They're a very good offensive team. They really push the ball, make or miss, and play a variety of defenses," he said. "Nothing we haven't seen. But there's a lot of motion offense and a lot of depth. They play a lot of guys, and they've been playing well lately."

In addition, the atmosphere for the contest should be outstanding. Any thought that postseason games outside the NCAA tournament don't carry as much weight or meaning to fans should be dispelled by a jam-packed Carver-Hawkeye Arena on Sunday afternoon.

Josh Christensen of KCRG noted every seat should be filled:

The Iowa - TCU NIT matchup is sold out.

— Josh Christensen (@JCSportsGuy) March 18, 2017

Ultimately, this game has all the hallmarks of a battle that isn't decided until the final minutes.

TCU junior guard Kenrich Williams will be the X-factor. Not only is he the Horned Frogs' third-leading scorer as part of their balanced offense, but he'll be tasked with trying to slow down Jok, who can score from anywhere and is capable of getting his defender in foul trouble by attacking the paint.

The visitors don't want this to become a shootout. If the score ends up in the 80s or higher, Iowa likely gets the victory. But if TCU can force its more moderate pace on the Hawkeyes, it should be able to score the road upset to punch a ticket to the quarterfinals.

Prediction: TCU 71, Iowa 70