New-Look Iowa State a Legit Big 12 Title Threat After Downing Kansas

Two months ago, Iowa State big man Jameel McKay was like this mythical creature sent to Ames to take Fred Hoiberg's team to heights it had never reached before.

In November, when Hoiberg was asked what's different about this season's team, he spent the next couple of minutes talking about a guy who hadn't played a minute for the Cyclones yet.

Turns out Fred Hoiberg, master of the X's and O's, is some kind of Nostradamus as well.

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The 11th-ranked Cyclones had a program-defining 86-81 win over No. 9 Kansas on Saturday night that had McKay's fingerprints all over it.

Iowa State showed itself to be a legitimate threat to KU's 10-year stranglehold on the Big 12, and the newly unleashed McKay was everything Hoiberg said he would be.

The big fella, playing in his seventh game, was only on the floor for 21 minutes, but he scored 11 points, had three blocks and left the KU bigs in his dust in transition.

"People talk about how this is our most gifted team," Hoiberg told Bleacher Report back in November. "It's hard to say that when you lose two of the top players in the country. You lose DeAndre Kane and Melvin Ejim, who did everything for us, but there are some different dynamics to this team that we haven't had here.

"I think at the front of that is Jameel McKay because of his ability to protect the rim. We haven't had that."

Hoiberg has had some tremendous offensive teams, built on mismatches and transfers, but none of them could really win ugly with defense.

The Cyclones didn't do that on Saturday night, but they dominated the Jayhawks in the paint, which has been a rarity during the Bill Self era. 

It was the first time in 11 meetings with Kansas since Hoiberg took over that Iowa State had more blocks: the Clones had seven to KU's three. Iowa State also scored more points in the paint (40-34).

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The Cyclones, with McKay, are no longer just some team that can beat anyone on the right night because of the three-ball. Don't get me wrong, they still love the three—they made nine on Saturday—but they're more well-rounded than they've ever been.

And they're just getting started.

The Cyclones (13-3) have lost two games with McKay in the lineup, but it takes some time to get used to playing with a weapon you've never had before.

McKay signed with Marquette out of junior college, but he never played a minute for the Golden Eagles. He transferred in December of last season, meaning he had to sit out the first semester this year.

Iowa State's coaches talked him up all offseason, yet he was stuck on the scout team during the first semester. Since debuting on Dec. 19, he has been exactly what Hoiberg said he would be. He's averaged 9.0 points, 5.0 rebounds and 2.7 blocks in 21.1 minutes per game, and his rim protection has changed how ISU can defend.

McKay has 12 blocks in the last three games, the most in a three-game span in the Hoiberg era.

"If we get a player on the perimeter that's beat, before, it might have been a basket," Hoiberg said. "But now, when you have a guy back there that can erase a mistake, that helps. His ability to run, to flatten out the floor, to bring the wings in, to open up some transition threes, which we love to shoot, is an element we haven't had in the past. 

I think he and Georges [Niang] will complement each other very well. We've got a lot of pieces."

Such as Monte Morris, who has emerged as one of the best setup men in the country. 

Morris had 11 points and 10 assists against Kansas, and he's leading the country in assist-to-turnover ratio for the second straight season. 

Hoiberg also has one of the biggest mismatches in the game in Niang, who had been struggling but looked like himself again against Kansas, going for 15 points and five assists.

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Sharpshooter Naz Long nailed three treys and scored 20 points. Bryce Dejean-Jones, at his third school, has found a home as a do-everything wing at Iowa State. He had 12 points and seven rebounds against KU. 

Hoiberg has had good talent before, but Saturday was the first time we watched his team play the Jayhawks, and it appeared the more talented group was in red and gold. 

Kansas isn't going to just go away. Bill Self's team is getting better and Allen Fieldhouse is the ultimate equalizer.

This was just one game, but if you want to look big picture, consider this: After Ken Pomeroy's site (subscription required) was updated on Saturday night, Kansas (3-1 in the Big 12) was no longer projected to win the conference. The Cyclones (3-1) and Oklahoma (3-2) are now the favorites, projected to win with 12-6 records. Pomeroy has the Jayhawks projected to win 11 conference games. 

It's not just the eye test that says the Cyclones have their highest ceiling ever; the computers say so too. 

So if this team can win the Big 12 and last year's team got to a Sweet 16...

"Obviously I'm feeling a Final Four push and our aim is to win a national championship," Niang told Bleacher Report, also back in November. "That's where my goal is set."

Whoa. Easy there, Georges. Those eyes might be a little wide. 

But with McKay, the Cyclones should dream bigger. They've got a lot of work ahead of them, but winning the deepest conference in America sure seems within reason. 

C.J. Moore covers college basketball for Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter @CJMooreBR.