A remarkable run from a two-win season to the NCAA’s “Sweet 16” in March’s national tournament has earned Iowa State men’s basketball coach T.J. Otzelberger a $500,000 raise and a contract extension through June 2027.
The Cyclones, in Otzelberger’s first season (2021-2022) went 22-13 following the firing of coach Steve Prohm following the 2020-2021. Instead of the preseason prediction of a last-place finish in the ten-team Big 12 Conference, ISU finished seventh and was ranked as high as #8 in the Associated Press Top 25 poll.
By reaching the Sweet 16, Otzelberger became the third coach in NCAA Tournament history to lead his program to the third round of the tournament in the first team after taking over a program with a losing record.