Does Iowa State Have A New Basketball Coach?

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Less than 48 hours after firing basketball coach Steve Prohm, Iowa State may have already found his successor.

The Las Vegas Review-Journal reports that UNLV Head Coach T.J. Otzelberger, a former Iowa State assistant, is returning to Ames to take over the Cyclones' program. The newspaper didn't cite any sources, but said the information came from multiple people with knowledge of the situation.

Otzelberger has led the Runnin' Rebels to a 29-30 record the past two seasons, including a 12-15 mark this year.

Prior to UNLV, Otzelberger was head coach at South Dakota State for three seasons (2016-2019). He led the Jackrabbits to a 70-33 record, which included two NCAA Tournament appearances and a berth in the National Invitation Tournament (NIT).

There has been no official word from Iowa State officials regarding Otzelberger's hiring or from UNLV on his pending departure. The Las Vegas Review-Journal reported that Otzelberger and Iowa State are still working to finalize a contract.

Otzelberger has been widely regarded as one of the top recruiters in the nation and he's no stranger to Iowa State. He served on the Cyclones' coaching staff for a total of eight seasons, first working under former head coach Greg McDermott from 2006-10. When Fred Hoiberg replaced McDermott in 2010, Otzelberger was promoted to associate head coach.

A Milwaukee, Wis., native, Otzelberger stayed at Iowa State through the 2012-13 season. He spent the next two years working as an assistant coach at Washington, then returned to Iowa State for one season before being named head coach at South Dakota State.

Prohm was fired by Iowa State Monday, after completing one of the worst seasons in program history. The Cyclones finished their 2020-21 campaign with a 2-22 record, which included an 0-18 mark in Big 12 Conference games.

Prohm ended his six-year run at Iowa State with a 97-95 record. Prohm guided the Cyclones to three NCAA Tournament appearances during his tenure. They also won the Big 12 Conference Tournament twice, in 2017 and 2019.

Source: Las Vegas Review-Journal