The Iowa state men’s basketball program is losing its top assistant and recruiter.
Cyclone assistant coach T.J. Otzelberger is leaving Ames to become the new head men’s basketball coach at South Dakota State.
Otzelberger will lead a South Dakota state program that has played in three of the last five NCAA tournaments.
The 38 year old Otzelberger, has been the top recruiter and assistant under Cyclone head coaches Greg McDermott, Fred Hoiberg and, most recently, Steve Prohm.
Otzelberger is largely responsible for bringing such players as Georges Niang, Craig Brackins, Diante Garrett, Melvin Ejim, Will Clyburn, Naz Mitrou-Long, and Matt Thomas, among others, into the program.
He interviewed for the cyclone head job when Fred Hoiberg left.