2011 Iowa State NCAA Basketball Season Preview

2010 Recap

Not a lot was expected out of Iowa State last season. Practically everyone figured they would be at the bottom of the Big 12 conference with just two players returning from the year before, but the Cyclones were kind of a surprise. Commonly, it really is tough for individuals to become thrilled about a .500 season, but it was the first time Iowa State did not have a losing season since the 2005-6 season.

In Fred Hoiberg's very first year, Iowa State totally adjusted their identity. Proceeding from a slow it along and grind it out group to one that ran more and spread the floor.  That adjustment of pace helped the Cyclones rank fifth within the conference and 39th around the nation in offense at 74.8 points every contest.

Iowa State also shot the three-ball extremely well last year, draining 275 (8.6 for each game) of their shots from beyond the arc. That was sufficient to pace the conference and rank 13th in the country.

2011-12 Overview

Only two starters return for Iowa State this season, but the real key may be the addition of four transfers. Last year this group was named the best scout team nation and helped keep each and every practice competitive. Now Chris Allen, Chris Babb, Royce White, and Anthony Booker will be prepared to prove themselves on the court.

Last season Iowa State wasn't incredibly deep, so they played a far more conservative half-court defense. With more talent on this season's roster you can wager they are going to be far more aggressive in utilizing pressure to force turnovers.

Backcourt

Iowa State is likely to have to discover a approach to replace Dainte Garrett's production. He was a quality point guard who blotted his name all over Iowa State's record books for both assists and points.

There's still a good deal of talent in the Cyclone backcourt. Scott Christopherson is really a incredibly talented shooter who has made 131 career three-pointers already. He nailed 86 last year, ending up second inside the Big 12 and 33rd within the nation at 2.8 each contest. His 44.1 three-point percentage was ranked him 11th in the country and he has buried a 3-pointer in 34 straight games. Christopherson doesn't turn the ball over, works hard, and should not need to log countless minutes this year because of the team's bench.

You are going to probably see Iowa State working with a whole lot of 3-guard sets as a result of having so much 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 less than 10 points for every game back in 2009-10. McGee is coming through from Cowley Community College.

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

Chris Babb made 69 3-point shots in his last year at Penn State and averaged 10.2 ppg in Big Ten play.

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

Two additional players to keep an eye on are Bubu Palo and Tavon Sledge. Palo played all 32 games last season and proved capable of playing the point spot. Sledge could be the player with the most potential. He is incredibly fast and was ranked as the 3rd best participant in New York City immediately after averaging 25.3 points and 5.2 dimes in his senior year.

Frontcourt

Mevlin Ejim and Jordan Railey both ought to see time as returning letterman although Royce White, Anthony Booker, and Percy Gibson will all make an impression as newcomers.

Ejim had an incredibly productive freshman season last season for Iowa State. The Canadian put up 10.3 points and 6.7 rebounds for every game. He was only the 12th freshman in Cyclone history to record double figures. Despite his significant production, Hoiberg thinks Ejim will likely be even far better this year. Ejim is more of a small forward, but was compelled to play down low last season because of the Cyclone's lack of depth.

Royce White was an incredibly highly touted recruit two seasons back, but didn't play a game for the Minnesota Golden Gophers after which he sat out last year after transferring to Iowa State. White is robust and is an fantastic passer. He'll be starting at power forward and may be the star of this team.

Percy Gibson was one of the top rated big guys in Michigan last year, putting up 21.2 points and 12 rebounds per game. Booker was a top-50 player coming out of high school, but only averaged 6.4 points and 4.1 rebounds when he was a freshman for Southern Illinois.

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