Iowa State Embracing Rare Midseason Breather in Big 12 Schedule
In the grind of Big 12 basketball, where every possession feels like a battle and every game can swing a season, rest is a luxury. And this year, Iowa State is finally getting a chance to breathe.
The Cyclones have six full days between conference matchups this week - a rare window in a league known for its relentless pace. That’s a big shift from last season, when the schedule didn’t offer much in the way of recovery time. And for a team built on effort, intensity, and defensive pressure, those extra days matter.
This brief pause comes in a season where the Big 12 experimented with a 20-game conference slate - for the first and, as it turns out, only time. While the expanded schedule was designed to maximize marquee matchups in an ever-growing league, the coaches weren’t sold. In fact, they’d already voted to return to the traditional 18-game format before the 20-game version even tipped off, according to multiple sources.
The key reason? Flexibility. With fewer games packed into the post-holiday stretch, the conference could build in off weeks - the kind Iowa State is enjoying right now.
And head coach T.J. Otzelberger isn’t taking it for granted.
“I think it's important that we continue to balance getting the guys' bodies feeling great and then making sure we're committing to our practice habits,” Otzelberger said Thursday. “Doing hard work, and I think this is a time of the year you really want to hit your stride and continue to improve.”
That’s the kind of mindset you want from a program eyeing the long haul. Because while rest is valuable, it’s what you do with that time that separates contenders from pretenders.
For Otzelberger and his staff, that means doubling down on fundamentals, sharpening execution, and giving certain players the chance to recharge - both physically and mentally. It’s about using that extra time not just to recover, but to refine.
“And it also gives the opportunity for certain individuals to make sure you're doing what you can, mindfully, for guys' bodies to feel great as well,” Otzelberger added.
In a league where the margins are razor-thin, this kind of midseason reset could be a difference-maker. The Cyclones know the grind is far from over - but for now, they’re making the most of a rare opportunity to catch their breath, regroup, and gear up for the battles ahead.