Peterson: Questions about Iowa State's off-target shooting? T.J. Otzelberger knows the fix

Sure, we’d like to think that Iowa State’s performance against TCU on Saturday was just a blip, a fillable pothole along a highway leading to the NCAA Tournament.

We'd like to think that because of the 12-0 start that included wins against Oregon State, Xavier, Memphis, Creighton and Iowa in T.J. Otzelberger’s first season as the head coach.

We'd like to think that because of how six newcomers became so cohesive so quickly as the Cyclones soared as high as eighth in the coaches’ ratings.

But heading into Wednesday’s 7 p.m. game at Oklahoma State, no one’s really sure.

Which is the real Iowa State team? The one that lost at Kansas by a point and beat Texas by nine? Or the one Saturday that finished with the fewest Cyclones point total in a Hilton Coliseum game?

More: Peterson: It's fair to worry about Iowa State's offense after awful loss to TCU

Everyone knew a January schedule that included hosting defending Big 12 and NCAA champion Baylor, facing Texas Tech twice, and Kansas on the road would be challenging.

Get through the first month with four or so Big 12 wins, and that’d be an OK start for a team coaches picked to finish last in the conference. But it’s not happening.

More: What channel is Iowa State basketball vs. Oklahoma State? How to watch and livestream the game

Inconsistent offense, maybe even more than some people anticipated, leaves the conference record at 2-5 heading into Stillwater, and then there’s also Saturday’s 1 p.m. game against Missouri at Hilton Coliseum in the Big 12/SEC Challenge.

Can substandard shooting be fixed, and what are the scoring alternatives if it isn’t? Can what’s been the best defense this program has played in many years make up for scoring deficiencies?

Those are the main questions heading into January’s final Big 12 game, and ahead of a schedule that’s only a bit more favorable.

I don’t know the answers, and I’m not sure anyone does. Let’s ask these questions as the 24th-ranked Cyclones are about to wrap up the most ambitious month of the conference season.

Is ISU the team that made 45.3% of its 3-point shots vs. Texas, or the one that made 3-of-26 vs. TCU?

Right now, Iowa State's 32.3% 3-point shooting for the season indicates this team trends toward the negative of those comparisons. Gabe Kalscheur enters Wednesday’s game making 26.2% of his long-range attempts, Tyrese Hunter 20.8%, Caleb Grill 37.8%, and Jaz Kunc 50% (although he’s attempted just 38).

That can fluctuate. Each player has had good 3-point shooting spurts. Each player also has had games in which the threes just aren’t falling.

“In our league, there’s a lot of switching, a lot of physicality and a lot of great defenses,” Otzelberger said Monday. “When you struggle to make shots from the perimeter, it’s definitely going to make that challenge even greater.

“We’ve got to shoot the right shots that we can for our team in rhythm. We have to understand that at times, we’ve got to have a longer possession, and we’ve also got to generate turnovers off our defense to alleviate some of that pressure.”

Maybe the answer lies in response to the next question.

Is faulty 3-point shooting a product of situation or individual fundamentals?

This far into the season, and knowing each player has had good shooting games, that pretty much leaves the situational component.

“On Saturday, we took very early, long-range attempts,” Otzelberger said. “It wasn’t just that we weren’t making shots, we were shooting early-clock threes without giving ourselves a chance to get some of those opportunities at the foul line or at the rim.”

Otzelberger mentioned that a couple times during Monday’s 12-minute conference call with reporters. It’s been a point of emphasis since Saturday’s TCU loss.

Expect some long shot clocks on Wednesday, unless ...

And this leads into the next question.

What happens when opponents concentrate defenses on ISU's perimeter shooters?

“I think teams are more aware, and are more intentional with the (defensive) choices they’re making,” Otzelberger said. “I think there’s a staying power you can have in a game and in a possession, to say OK, you neutralized our first option, or second option, and even our third option, (but) we’re going to stay the course.

“At some point, someone on the defense might not close out properly, or might get caught ball-watching or might miss a block out.”

To Otzelberger, playing through the clock is part of the stubbornness he often talks about.

More: Analysis: Abysmal offense dooms Iowa State basketball in surprising loss to TCU

“Stubbornness involves getting into the next action,” he said. “For us, stubborn means not breaking away from that unless we get a really, really good shot.

“For us, that’s a layup, a drive for the rim, a wide-open rhythm three for a guy shooting a very good percentage, or a guy who’s already made one or multiple shots.

“Stubborn involves staying the course and being willing to score at the end of the shot clock. When you break off and take a shot prior to that, it better be one you make at a very, very high level every single day, or one that, on that particular night, it’s falling for you.”

And if nothing’s falling?

Go to the hoop. Shoot free throws.

It’s a bit more complicated than that.

“If we’re not able to make 3-point shots, it’d be easy to just say let’s just get layups and free throws, but the other team’s trying to prevent that, as well,” Otzelberger said. “Ultimately, it’s our guys being stubborn to get the best shots they can every possession.”

And when all else fails?

“Being the aggressor for us starts with our ball pressure dictating and turning people over (on defense),” the coach said. “When we’ve been successful, we’ve been able to do that. It’s enabled us to generate turnovers, and effectively score in that manner.

“We’ve been very clear and direct with our guys about what our formula for winning needs to be. We can’t deviate from that, regardless what adversity or challenges we may be having relative to our offense.”

Iowa State columnist Randy Peterson embarked on his 50th year of writing sports for the Des Moines Register in December 2021. Reach him at rpeterson@dmreg.com, 515-284-8132, and on Twitter at @RandyPete.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Iowa State men's basketball has plan to combat poor outside shooting