TRANSCRIPT: Iowa State's head coach talks loss at Kansas State

Here's everything the leader of the Cyclones' program TJ Otzelberger said in Saturday afternoon's post-game press conference in Bramlage Coliseum.

On his thoughts about the team’s struggles in the second half:

“I would say more than offensively was the fact that we came out of the locker room in the second half and allowed them to gain confidence to get back in the game. It felt like our defense in the first half is the reason we scored, and I felt like our defense in the second half was the reason we didn’t score. We’re the type of team that, we know when we’re stringing stops our guys have more confidence. That usually gets us better ball movement and gets us into the paint. We weren’t as intentional defensively, so I feel like that just kind of throws our game off balance. I know that you can just look at the offense, and again, credit to them for the job they did defensively for pushing us out more. Them doing that job also plays into the fact that they’re scoring the ball more, especially early in the half, and as a result, they’re feeling good and we’re not and they’re stretching us out more.”

On Jaren Holmes and Gabe Kalscheur being a combined 6-of-30 from the floor:

“Look, they’re taking some challenged shots. More than anything, we’ve got to finish the plays at the rim. It felt like there were a lot of plays out there that we either need to get to the foul line or finish. Those are guys that have led us in scoring all year and those are the guys we’re encouraging to take those opportunities. I believe that over time it’ll work itself out for us and for the most part it has. We’re going to continue to put the ball and shots in those guys’ hands and put our trust in them.”

On the tale of two halves for Jaz Kunc, scoring-wise:

“Jaz played terrific last game and had a great first half scoring-wise tonight. He’s had it going, so I’m sure it was a focus at halftime and they talked about taking away his threes the best they can and trying to make sure they’re disrupting. It’s not something we haven’t seen before, where teams kind of try to come at us a little more. There’s things on offense that are going to be challenges at times, but when we’re getting stops, I feel like our confidence in our ball movement offensively (works). Our guys know how important that is. Again, credit to them for putting that focus on trying to make it harder on Jaz. At the same time, I feel pretty good if we were defending the same way we were in the first half that we’d have gotten the opportunities we needed.”

On the status of Demarion Watson after leaving the game early:

“I think he’s fine. He’s got a little cut above his eye. I don’t anticipate (him missing time). I’m sure he’ll have some swelling. It didn’t impact any decisions we made tonight. I anticipate he’ll be fine moving forward.”

On the latest on Caleb Grill’s back injury:

“I hate to do this because it really is day to day. How is it feeling? What’s he able to do in practice? It hasn’t been feeling good for him. It’s been tightening up. Again, we’ve got to trust him, in terms of what he can give us. He’s certainly done a great job giving to the team and being out there when he can and giving us, on a lot of nights, enough to be successful. Today, that wasn’t where it’s at. We’ll continue to re-evaluate and see where things are going into our game Tuesday.”

On the problems it poses to the backcourt when Grill is not available:

“Our balance or equilibrium was off a little bit that we’ve built over the course of the season. When our team is playing is our best and you look at the box score and it’s 12, 12, 14, 10, 8, and now it’s a little more challenge that way. Other guys, stepping up is going to be important. At the end of the day, we’ve got to do what’s right for Caleb, first and foremost, and make sure he plays when he’s healthy and can play the way he needs to play. If he can’t, we have no choice but to adjust, regroup, and do what we can.”

On what the difference was in halves from the Wildcats’ Markquis Nowell:

“It felt like more than anything, it was the making the shots. He had two (points) at the half and had four threes in the second half. Him making plays and getting downhill is something he’s going to do. It felt like more than anything it was the shots he made right out of halftime to give them confidence and all of a sudden, he went from two to 11 (points) and it was just like that. He’s a good player and one of the better guards or one of the best scorers and playmakers in the league. He’s on his home floor in a game that was really important and he stepped up in the second half and made the plays he needed to play. All the credit to him.”

On how important Kansas State’s installing guard Desi Sills into the lineup was:

“We’re a team that takes a lot of pride in turning people over, and for them it allows them some more perimeter assuredness with four guards out there, where they have multiple playmkaers and can probably space the floor a little bit better. I thought that was something that was effective for them. We’ve seen against us people try to space us a little more. It worked out for them today.”