A former Iowa State assistant coach, T.J. Otzelberger has found considerable success since becoming head coach in Ames in 2021.

After Iowa State announced on Friday its two leading scorers, Curtis Jones (flu) and Keshon Gilbert (muscle strain) would be inactive, the spread for the difficult matchup at No. 5 Houston ballooned to -12.5 points in favor of the Cougars.

According to a USA Today database and various local outlets, Otzelberger is now the sixth highest-paid coach in the Big 12, behind Kansas' Bill Self ($9.6 million), Arizona's Tommy Lloyd ($5.25 million), Baylor's Scott Drew ($5.1 million) and Houston's Kelvin Sampson ($4.6 million).

Iowa State coach T.J. Otzelberger talks turnovers in loss to Oklahoma State. Iowa State junior Tamin Lipsey talks Houston loss

Iowa State basketball coach T.J. Otzelberger isn't in the business of participation trophies. The intense, firey head coach is as competitive as they come. But after losing 68-59 to No. 5 Houston ...

On Houston separating themselves from the Big 12 ... At this point, we're proceeding like there won't be another year. Curt has had four years of playing in Division I. I know some of the guys ...

ISU coach TJ Otzelberger admitted being shorthanded has made the past couple of games difficult, as it did when the Cyclones (21-7, 11-6 Big 12) lost three games in a row at the beginning of February when guard Milan Momcilovic sat out with a hand injury.

“That possession,” Iowa State coach T.J. Otzelberger said, “is a possession that we need ... we’ll get an even better idea this weekend with the Cyclones heading south to face No. 5 Houston. It may not be the battle for Big 12 supremacy we ...