Iowa State Basketball's Free Throw Struggles Could Cost Big 12 Title

The Cyclones' 67% free throw shooting ranks 14th in the Big 12 conference, a concerning flaw as the season winds down.

Published on Feb. 14, 2026

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The Iowa State basketball team has been one of the best in the Big 12 under head coach T.J. Otzelberger, making the NCAA tournament in each of his seasons. However, the Cyclones' Achilles' heel this year has been their poor free throw shooting, which ranks 14th in the conference at just 67%. This has led to several close road losses, including a 79-70 defeat at Cincinnati where Iowa State missed 10 free throws. As the season nears its end, the Cyclones' ability to improve their free throw percentage could determine whether they can capture the Big 12 title.

Why it matters

Free throw shooting is a critical component of winning close games in college basketball, and Iowa State's struggles in this area have already cost them in key road matchups. With the Big 12 title race heating up, the Cyclones' inability to consistently convert at the charity stripe could ultimately be the fatal flaw that prevents them from claiming the conference crown.

The details

Iowa State is just 14th in the Big 12 conference in free throw shooting, making only 67% of their attempts. This has been a particular issue in their three road losses this season, including a 79-70 defeat at Cincinnati where they missed 10 free throws. Head coach T.J. Otzelberger acknowledged that the team's offensive struggles and inability to get stops led to the Bearcats gaining confidence and pulling away in that game.

  • Iowa State is currently 21-3 overall and 8-3 in Big 12 play heading into the final weeks of the regular season.
  • The Cyclones have a huge test on Saturday as they take on conference leader Kansas.

The players

T.J. Otzelberger

The head coach of the Iowa State basketball team, who has led the Cyclones to the NCAA tournament in each of his seasons at the helm.

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What they’re saying

“We tried to stack up stops to start the game build our confidence and hopefully you put their's in a challenging position. We're able to do that and then I thought as we had some tough offensive possessions and shots and that led to them getting out and pushing and playing in transition a little bit. And then they had confidence that way and they made shots, so I think for us, we've got to control what we can control.”

— T.J. Otzelberger, Head Coach (On3)

What’s next

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The takeaway

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