2010 Recap

Not a lot was expected out of Iowa State last year. Pretty much everyone figured the Cyclones would finish last in the Big 12 conference, with just two players returning from the 2009-10 season, but Iowa State was kind of a surprise.  Generally, it is really tough for fans to be excited about a .500 season, but it was the first time Iowa State managed to not have a losing record since 2005-2006.

In Fred Hoiberg's initial season, Iowa State transformed their identity. They went from a slow it down and grind it out group, to one which ran far more and spread the floor.  That adjustment of pace helped the Cyclones rank fifth in the conference and 39th in the country in offense at 74.8 points per game.

Iowa State also shot the three-ball incredibly effectively last year, draining 275 (8.6 every game) shots from beyond the line. That mark was good enough to rank 13th in the nation.

 

2011-12 Preview

Only two starters return for Iowa State this season, but the real key is the addition of four transfers. Last year this group was referred to as the top scout team in the country and helped keep each practice competitive. Now Chris Allen, Chris Babb, Royce White and Anthony Booker will be ready to prove themselves on the floor.

Last season, Iowa State wasn't very deep, so they performed a more conservative half-court defense. With a lot more talent on this year's squad, you can bet they will be more aggressive in utilizing pressure to drive turnovers.

 

Backcourt

The Cyclones are going to have to discover a way to replace Dainte Garrett's numbers. He was a top quality point guard who notched his name in Iowa State's history books for both assists and points.

There is certainly still a good deal of talent from the Cyclone backcourt. Scott Christopherson is an incredibly talented shooter who has nailed 131 career three-pointers already. He drained 86 last season, ending up second in the Big 12 and 33rd in the nation, at 2.8 for each contest. His 44.1 three-point percentage was ranked 11th in the country and he's buried a trey in 34 consecutive contests. Christopherson doesn't turn the ball over, works hard and should not need to log so many minutes this season, due to the Cyclones's deeper bench.

You will likely see Iowa State utilizing a good deal of three-guard sets because of having a lot of talent in the backcourt. Transfers Chris Allen, Chris Babb and Tyrus McGee are solid shooters. Allen and Babb ended up being Big 10 starters and each averaged just below 10 points per game back in 2009-10. McGee is coming through from Cowley Community College.

Chris Allen brings three years of experience from his time at Michigan State. He has performed in 14 tournament games and two Final Fours. He doesn't simply shoot from the outside, but is also a defensive stopper.

Chris Babb drained 69 three-point baskets in his last year at Penn State, and averaged 10.2 points per game in Big Ten action.

Tyrus McGee nailed 115 three-point baskets last year at a 48.7 percent clip. He was a NJCAA First-Team All-American and can play both the two and the point.

Two extra players to watch out for are Bubu Palo and Tavon Sledge. Palo played all 32 games last season and proved capable of playing the point guard position. Sledge is the one with the most potential. He is incredibly quick and was ranked as the third best player in New York City after averaging 25.3 points and 5.2 dimes in his senior year.

Frontcourt

Mevlin Ejim and Jordan Railey should both see time as returning letterman, even though Royce White, Anthony Booker and Percy Gibson will all make an impact as newcomers.

Ejim experienced an extremely productive freshman year last season for Iowa State. The Canadian put up 10.3 points and 6.7 rebounds per game. He was only the 12th freshman in Cyclone history to average double figures. Despite his hefty production, Hoiberg thinks Ejim is going to be even better this year. Ejim is more of a small forward, but was compelled to play in the paint last season due to the Cyclone's lack of depth.

Royce White was a highly touted recruit two years back, but didn't participate in a game for the Minnesota Golden Gophers and sat out last season after transferring to Iowa State. White is powerful and can be an excellent passer. He'll be starting at power forward and could possibly be the star of this team.

Percy Gibson was one of the leading big men in Michigan last season, averaging 21.2 points and 12 boards each game. Booker was a top-50 player coming out of high school, but only averaged 6.4 points and 4.1 boards as a freshman for Southern Illinois.

The Iowa State schedule isn't going to be easy this year, but if the team doesn't finish in the top half of the conference, I'm going to be surprised.