Iowa State basketball was supposed to be one of the best teams in the country this season, and that has held true for the most part. The Cyclones have picked up impressive wins both in non-conference play and against Big 12 competition this year and are rolling toward the NCAA Tournament as a result.
However, Iowa State has struggled with some injuries and other absences during the last few weeks of the regular season that have made it tough for them to continue stacking momentum. The most notable injury is to star guard Keshon Gilbert, who is dealing with a muscle strain.
After Gilbert missed Saturday’s game against Kansas State, a game that the Cyclones won 73-57, head coach TJ Otzelberger gave an optimistic update on the Iowa State star, via Ben Hutchens of the Quad City Times.
“He and I just talked in the locker room after about him attacking practice on Monday morning, getting back after it,” Otzelberger said. “So, our focus is to get him back on the practice court on Monday, him have a great practice, carry that over until Tuesday and lead into the game Wednesday.”
Gilbert has been dealing with this injury for the last few weeks, and it appears to have flared up again. He missed two games at the end of February before playing in Iowa State’s win against Arizona and its loss to BYU at home on senior night. He was unable to go against Kansas State, but Otzelberger seems optimistic that he will be back for the Big 12 tournament in Kansas City.
Iowa State needs Gilbert on the floor to maximize its potential, especially on the offensive end. He is one of the best drivers in the country and can get to the rim at will against almost any defender. When he gets there, he is very skilled at using his body as well as a different array of finishes to score around the basket.
For the season, Gilbert is the team’s second-leading scorer at 13.8 points per game while leading the Cyclones with 4.3 assists a night. If Iowa State wants to reach its goals and make a deep NCAA Tournament run, having Gilbert healthy is of utmost importance.
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