SB Nation - Jamie Vanderbeken

Another Look At Iowa State's Rebound Rate Improvement

Mark Kieffer — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 23:32:02 -0000

A few days ago, I posted an analysis of individual stats. You can read the whole post here. Well, I realized today that I had the rebound rate formula. I wanted to repost the improvements from last year to this year thus far, with the correct calculation. On Tuesday, I will post team and all of the individual stats for November, along with my player of the month for November.

The table below is looking at the improvements from returning players year over year for Rebound Rate:

	2009-2010	2008-2009	Change
Brackins	14%	17%	-3%
Vanderbeken	13%	12%	+1%
Hamilton	12%	12%	--
Boozer	8%	11%	-3%
Buckley	5%	7%	-2%
Garrett	5%	6%	-1%
Staiger	4%	5%	-1%

Fundamentally, I think being within 3-4% of the previous season is just variance. Nothing to be too worried about yet.

Now that I'm squared away with this, expect to see correct amounts from here on out. I just wanted to get this fix out there before going forward with more stats later this week.

'09-'10 Cyclones Basketball Analysis #2: Background And Individual Improvements Thus Far

Mark Kieffer — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 18:37:19 -0000

In Part One of the series for this year, I talked about statistics being looked at on the team-level. That helps explain what the team as a whole is doing, but it doesn't address some of the individual players.

What I'm going to jump into on the next page are some stats for individual players I like to use, look at our individual stats for this year, and also look at the changes in these from the previous year for our returning players:

For individuals, I like to look at True Shooting % (TS%), Rebound Rate, and Points Per Weighted Shot (PPWS). There are other useful ones when evalauting positional players like Assist Ratio (for point guards), and these will be looked at from time to time as well. But for evaluating across the team, I'm just looking at how efficient the scoring is, and how efficient are rebounding is.

TS%: Shooting percentage that implicitly accounts for 3 point shots, but explicitly accounts for free throws

Rebound Rate: The percentage of missed shots rebounded by an individual while he was on the floor. In my opinion, you have to look at these amounts for each individual on the team. When there's a missed shot, only 1 guy can get the rebound. The key in my opinion is to look at the distribution across the team, before jumping to conclusions on an individual

PPWS: Created a few years ago by the Big Ten Wonk. It aims to measure how efficient a scorer is. A score of below 1.0 is considered an average scorer, while results in the 1.2 range and up mean you're having a great year.

Let's take a look at each of our players on the roster and their stats through the first five games of the year:

	G	Min/G	TS%	Rebound Rate	PPWS
Craig Brackins	5	29	58%	7%	1.16
Lucca Staiger	5	24.4	73%	3%	1.46
Marquis Gilstrap	5	24.2	58%	10%	1.16
Diante Garrett	5	23.2	57%	2%	1.17
Scott Christopherson	5	21.6	76%	3%	1.53
LaRon Dendy	1	15	64%	13%	1.28
Justin Hamilton	5	14.8	88%	7%	1.75
Chris Colvin	5	14.6	36%	3%	0.73
Jamie Vanderbeken	5	14.2	78%	7%	1.57
Charles Boozer	5	13.6	54%	5%	1.08
Dominique Buckley	5	8.2	50%	3%	1.00
L.A. Pomlee	5	5.6	47%	8%	0.95
Alex Dorr	5	3.6	61%	5%	1.21

If someone is playing a limited number of games (Dendy), you have to take the stats with a grain of salt. Same goes for players aren't logging significant time (Buckley, Pomlee, and Dorr).

Here are my takeaways from the above chart:

Hamilton, Christopherson, and Lucca are knocking down open shots. They have extremley high PPWS, and TS%. From watching these guys play, they aren't the first option in the offense. But what they have been able to do well is make open shots. When they are shooting the ball, most of the time it has been the right decision in the offense.
Brackins and Gilstrap are similar players. They have the same TS% and PPWS, while Gilstrap is the better rebounder thus far. Dendy
You see that Colvin has been struggling the most offensivley, and I think that is a fair assesment of his production thus far.
We've been a much better rebounding team, and you see a wide distribution of rebounds grabbed. The guards have lower amounts than the forwards, but across players of similar positions, no one is really dogging it too much compared to the other.
It will be interesting to see how these numbers change as we play more games. 5 games is a small sample size, and this team hasn't been challenged too much yet.

Now that we've seen how we're doing this year, let's look at areas our returning players may have improved or regressed:

TS%

	2009-2010	2008-2009	Change
Brackins	58%	53%	+5%
Staiger	73%	55%	+18%
Garrett	58%	48%	+10%
Hamilton	88%	59%	+29%
Vanderbeken	78%	62%	+16%
Boozer	54%	53%	+1%
Buckley	50%	40%	+10%

Everybody's shooting better this year thus far. Who doesn't like that?

PPWS

	2009-2010	2008-2009	Change
Brackins	1.16	1.06	+0.10
Staiger	1.46	1.11	+0.35
Garrett	1.17	0.96	+0.21
Hamilton	1.75	1.17	+0.58
Vanderbeken	1.57	1.24	+0.33
Boozer	1.08	1.07	+0.01
Buckley	1.00	0.80	+0.20

Everybody is making better decisions on when to shoot it. The notable improvement I think is DG. He went from being below the mendoza line, to having a nice year thus far. He's shooting it way less, but he's forcing it less, making him much more efficient with the ball. Also what's interesting is that Vanderbeken was our most efficient shooter last year. People seem to forget that he was our best 3 point shooter last year, but he can really make a team pay for leaving him open.

Rebound Rate:

	2009-2010	2008-2009	Change
Brackins	7%	8%	-1%
Staiger	3%	3%
Garrett	2%	3%	-1%
Hamilton	7%	6%	+1%
Vanderbeken	7%	6%	+1%
Boozer	5%	6%	-1%
Buckley	3%	4%	-1%

Overall, the numbers are flat. Those movements are likely variance, as the changes are not significant.

Well, that concludes the analysis of the first five games of the season. I'll definitley be pulling these stats back out throughout the year. I will likely add a few more in as they are relevent to what I am talking about. Often times it helps to compare individuals outside of their own teams, and I will do some evaluating of notable players using these types of stats as well.

MBB '09-'10 Game #3: ISU 90, Drake 70

Mark Kieffer — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 05:25:23 -0000

More photos » by Charlie Neibergall - AP

about 1 month ago: Iowa State's Lucca Staiger shoots over Drake's Adam Templeton, left, during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2009, in Des Moines, Iowa. Staiger scored 32 points as Iowa State won 90-70. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

Browse more photos »

What a fun night to be at the Knapp Center! It was my first time attending an ISU game there, and it was a lot of fun to see the Cyclones win. In the past, there haven't been many opportunities to see the team play on the road for me. While this isn't a true "road" game, it was interesting to see the team play on a different floor, and to see the majority of the crowd rooting against your team.

As far as the game went, ISU was by far the better team. Lucca had his annual game of the year, as he took advantage of open looks from beyond the arc. He was 10 of 16 from 3 and finished with 32 points.

But for me, the MVP of this game might have been Diante Garrett, who finished with 6 points, 11 assists, 2 steals, and only 3 turnovers. He was so smart with the ball tonight. He knew when to distribute the ball, and he knew when to drive to try and make the team pay. In my opinion, if he doesn't play as well as he did tonight, guys like Lucca and Christopherson do not get the open looks that they got.

When watching the Cyclones tonight vs. on Sunday, the difference was like night and day. They were much more crisp with their passes, played less one-on-one basketball (23 assists as a team), and took advantage of what the defenses gave them. Early on, Drake was able to take Brackins out of the game, but the shoot outside shooting from Lucca and Christopherson, opened up the inside for Brackins who finished with 22 points and 10 rebounds.

I also thought Jamie Vanderbeken did a great job staying in the post, scoring all of his points in the paint and doing a nice job on the rebounding and blocking front. Often times he roams outside, and shoots 3s. He is good at that, but on a night where Hamilton was not a good matchup, and with Dendy out with injury, Brackins needs some support down low.

Drake isn't a great team, but I was still really happy with the outcome. Josh Young was definitley not himself, which is too bad, but a win is a win. Breaking this ridiculous 3 game losing streak with Drake felt good. It was also nice to see the Cyclones take advantage of mistakes, rather than being the team making the mistakes that are getting taken advantage of.

It was a fun game to go to. I mean what's NOT fun about watching your team shoot over 50% on the floor, and over 60% from beyond the arc?

If there was one thing I'd probably complain about are the ISU fans wanting the refs to call the foul on every play. Like, when we're up by 20 with 4 or 5 minutes left in the game, does it really matter whether the refs missed a particular call? Why can't we understand that they might want to keep the game going, AND the fact that we're up by so much that there's no way we're going to lose the game?

I want to be able to enjoy a win, rather than find something to complain about. After playing 3 games in 5 days, the team takes a break tomorrow, and gets back at it later in the week in preparation against Mississippi Valley State this Sunday.

Thoughts After Black Hills State

Mark Kieffer — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 05:24:10 -0000

The Cyclones won 96-47, but the final score of these exhibitions really don't matter all that much, as it doesn't count against your record. To me what matters is how our guys look. You won't always know how good they will be, but you can certainly tell if they might struggle; if they're struggling against a NAIA team, who's to think you won't struggle against D1, and better yet Big 12 talent?

Quick example: Clinton Mann last year. People thought he'd step in, get in the rotation, and help the front lines with defense and rebounding. It was in our exhibition last year against Nebraska-Omaha, that I saw Mann getting boxed out by guys smaller than him. Nothing against the guy. From all accounts he's a bright guy, and he's going to get a great education at Davidson; it was just pretty clear that he had a ways to go developmentally.

You see, if you go on the message boards, you will find that a lot of guys hype up players. They're excited about the program, or are friends with some of the players, and the hype seeds are planted. The casual fans assume the guys posting have some special insight, take it to another level, and the hype machine builds. I've been there and gotten burned by it, which is why I like to go to the exhibitions: I'll see almost everybody play in a game situation, and I can make my own inferences about the players in the program.

On the next page, I'll go through how I thought each of the players did:

The Starting Five:

Here's the rundown how each of the guys that started did:

G: Diante Garrett - He played his typical game. There were some bad passes at times, but it's more due to sloppy play and trying to gel together more than anything else. His most memorable play is when he was on a fast break, he tried to dunk it and missed. McDermott had a chat with him after that. He knocked down some shots too, which was nice to see.

G: Lucca Staiger - The word was that over the summer Lucca got stronger and leaner. To be honest, he looked the same to me... Maybe his uniform is just too big? Anyhow, he knocked down some 3s, which is what he needs to do for this team. He still is limited off the dribble, as it's a turnover or near turnover everytime he does so. He was a step or two behind defensivley as well; as the guards could break him down and also dribble by him... LIke I said before, his job is to knock down the jumpers. As long as he can shoot at a good percentage and be a little more consistent than last year, I think people can live with the defensive limitations and lack of ability to create off the dribble.

F: Marquis Gilstrap - You can tell he's a scorer and that he has a ton of confidence. You can see that in the way he carries himself. He shot the ball well, and moved the ball well also. His defensive game is the area that needs the most work, but like Lucca, if he can put the ball in the hoop consistently (which by all accounts he should be able to do), there shouldn't be a problem.

F: Craig Brackins - Not a lot to say. His usual self, and I think he'll have another big year.

C: Justin Hamilton - He's just not all the way there yet. He works hard, has improved a lot, but I feel like he started last year mostly by default. I felt like when he was out of the game, the team did better defensivley and offensivley. He had an up and down scrimmage. He plays hard, tries hard, but he's getting boxed out and pushed around at times against a NAIA post player. Don't get me wrong. This guy is only a Sophomore, having only played basketball for a handful of years. He'll improve a ton this season, and will eventually develop into a player if he works hard. I just am not sure if he's ready to clock serious minutes yet. He may be in for a 10-15 minutes/game type of season, but we will see

The Reserves:

In order of guys that saw the most action.

F: LaRon Dendy - Build similar to Brackins but a little more explosive. For the most part was playing low, but took a couple of outside shots. He also showed the ability to drive off the dribble which was nice. Caught an Alley-Oop as well for a score. He was in with the first unit a lot, replacing Hamilton. The team was able to move up and down the court, and looked more smooth offensivley and defensivley. Maybe it was just luck, but there's something to be said about having athleticism on the court.

G/F: Charles Boozer - Believe it or not, I think he was the 2nd guy off the bench tonight. He didn't shoot the ball well, but he does all of the other types of things. He hustles for rebounds, does a decent job staying with his guy on defense. I like the way he plays; just wish he could shoot a little better so that he could get more playing time. Other than wearing #4 instead of #0, he didn't look much different from last year.

G: Dominique Buckley - He looks a lot more comfortable than he did last year. He was directing guys offensivley and defensivley, and just looked more like a point guard. He had a lot more confidence in determining if he was going to pass or shoot. They say the hardest position to learn in McDermott's system is the point, and Buckley is showing what a year of mostly soaking it up can do for you. Don't forget that this guy was a solid recruit, and he'll do a lot better this year.

G: Scott Christopherson - He played most of the time in Lucca's spot. He's a lot quicker than him. Has a good shot, as I think he was 3 of 4 shooting. He injured himself in the leg or groin, but re-entered the game pretty quickly. I've heard he's a good shooter. He didn't play a ton or stand out too much for me to get a whole read on him. I think he would've played more had he not injured himself. Honestly, I think he's a starter and Lucca is a reserve. I feel like Lucca has the 3 point shot, which is needed, but that's really all he can do. Christopherson is quicker, plays better defense, handles the ball better, and can drive. I think he's the better player at the 2.

G: Chris Colvin - He did better than I had expected. He spent most of the time running the point, when DG was on the court. Has quick hands. He got a steal and went on a nice fastbreak for a layup. I was impressed that he ran the point as much as he did, considering he's a natural scorer and it's a tough position. He's definitley atheltic and confident in his abilities. Looking forward to how he does on Friday, where I can hopefully post more.

F: Alex Dorr - The walk-on from Norwalk played more than I thought he might. You can tell he's a fundamentally sound player, plays good d, and has some energy. Not sure how much he will play when the season starts, but it's games like this where you get to see a little bit from guys you normally wouldn't.

G: Bubu Palo - He got some nice cheers from the crowd when he came in, and when he scored. He might redshirt, he might not. If he doesn't, like Dorr, we may not really see much from him.

Vanderbeken, Pomlee, and Oliver did not play. Vanderbeken and Pomlee were not injured, and I know that Vanderbeken was wearing street clothes for sure. Oliver was out due to illness I believe, so hopefully we can see him play a little on Friday before he likely redshirts.

Final Thoughts:

We're more athletic than last year. Almost every position is upgraded, and some of our second team players aren't too much of a step down from the first team. I saw a lot more guys trying to drive, and crash the offensive boards than we did the previous year - even against Nebraska-Omaha.
If this team is going dancing, they will need to score points. The will have to abandon some defensive skill, but this team has much more offensive upside. I am tired of seeing this team struggle to score 60, and I don't think we will have that problem this year
Don't get too amped up on the results from this game. You have to remember that we played a NAIA team. These types of games can make a lot of players look like all-stars. There's a big dropoff from the 300+ NCAA Division I teams and the NAIA teams. We still have some challenging games, we played sloppy at times, and we're still a borderline tourney team. Don't adjust your expectations based on these results. If we play well against a team like Cal, then we can talk.

I'll be at the exhibition on Friday as well, and post my thoughts similar to above for this also. It was fun to be in Hilton again, and looking forward to the upcoming season!

Iowa State Men's Basketball: The Pre-Scrimmage Preview!

Mark Kieffer — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 21:51:00 -0000

More photos » by Charlie Riedel - AP

Coach McDermott is smiling now, because he finally has a good team. I hope we're all still smiling at the end of the year!

Browse more photos »

Warning: this is a long post. It includes almost all of my thoughts about the Men's Basketball team as we head into the scrimmage on Monday. I tried to break it up into sections so you can read what you're interested in. With the football dominating the end of the week and the weekend, I figured I would post the entire thing instead of doing it in pieces.

So here we go:

Everyone Else’s Expectations Of The Team and the Big 12:

This is what the "experts" and coaches think: Anywhere from 8th to 10th in the conference, and possibly getting an NIT bid. I don’t see it as a slap in the face, as ISU has not been relevant in basketball for several years now, and most are just going on recent history.

The Big 12 is looking much tougher than it did last year. The Preseason Coaches’ Poll was released. Three Big 12 teams made the Top 25 (KU #1, Texas #3, and Oklahoma #16), while four got votes (Oklahoma State #31, Missouri #32, Kansas State #39, Texas A&M #47). If one were to rank all of the teams, I would expect to see ISU in the 70-80 range, as no one outside of ISU is saying we’re an NCAA team.

But at the same time, we are going to be better as well. Last year we finished 9th in the conference. With the additions we have this year, staying the same, or moving up only one spot relative to the rest of the conference is going to be disappointing.

My Expectations, And More After The Jump!

My Expectations:

I expect this team to finish in the top half of the Big 12 and go to the NCAA tournament.

This is Greg McDermott’s time to show what he’s got coaching-wise. If Paul Rhoads can get a 2-10 football team into bowl contention in his first year, there’s absolutely no reason that Greg McDermott can’t put a NCAA team on the floor in year four of his tenure. I know they are different sports, but generally it takes longer to build a football program than a basketball program. Also, seeing a program fans had low expectations for do really well thus far, is only going to turn up the pressure on those same fans when they’re looking at the basketball team. I am the exact same way.

I don’t want to hear about all of his bad luck. That was then, this is now. The facts are that he’s got an All-American Forward in Brackins who passed up the NBA to come back. He’s got another Forward who has the potential to be an NBA player as well in Gilstrap. His point guard is one of the best in the conference in Assist/Turnover Ratio. He’s got a shooting guard who is going to be a professional player in Europe when it’s all said and done.

I honestly could see all of Garrett, Staiger, Gilstrap, Brackins, and Dendy playing professional ball at some level in the future. If you can’t take this team to the NCAA tournament, then you probably aren’t going to do it in the near future. 2010 is a rebuilding year, as the prospect of landing Harrison Barnes is pretty low. I have never heard of a D1 coach that has gone o-fer in NCAA bids after 4 years, and ended up doing a good job at that school.

If this were year 2 or 3, then I’d be fine with an NIT bid. It’s been too long in my opinion since we’ve made the dance, however. As Jamie Pollard said when he fired Wayne Morgan, "the basketball program should be the marquee of the athletic department".

I know I sound harsh at times, but it isn’t me setting the standard; I’m just trying to hold my expectations to the standard the athletic department has. If the AD says that basketball should be our strongest program, then damn-it, make it happen!

I’d love to see McDermott get the job done. He seems like a smart guy, he wants what’s best for his players, cares a lot about Iowa State, and is trying to do things the right way. I like all of that, but you have to win games also. If they fail to do so, many fans will have a tough time supporting the team financially. If he does get us to the tournament, and we have a great year, then my confidence in him will be restored greatly, knowing full well that it may be another year or two before we’re back in the mix again.

Projected Starters:

Below are the guys that I think would start, based on what I know and have heard. Obviously this can change, and we will have a better idea after the two scrimmages. Usually during the first scrimmage, everybody plays, as the rotation is scripted. It gives the coaches another look at different player groupings. I will be at that and watching all of the guys on the floor closely. Often times the second scrimmage is played more like a game situation. The rotation gets deeper as the game goes on because you’re typically scrimmaging a team you’re going to blow out. Based on these, my thoughts on the roster may change, and I'll do another update prior to the first game that counts.

G: Diante Garrett – Hasn’t realized his full potential, but has made some strides and looks like he’s ready to make another breakthrough. He takes care of the ball well, and him starting really isn’t in doubt.
G: Lucca Staiger – I worry about Lucca’s knee. Realize that he played about 50 organized basketball games this past summer and fall. If he’s healthy, I think he will do a better job at shooting and moving when he doesn’t have the ball. If he struggles, I’d look for both Scott Christopherson and Chris Colvin to cut into some playing time.
F: Marquis Gilstrap – Pretty obvious. He’s a JUCO stud that can score from anywhere on the floor, and can hopefully help with rebounding as well.
F: Craig Brackins – Obvious as well. Looking forward to see how he plays with all of the attention he will now garner, along with having a better supporting cast around him
F: LaRon Dendy or Justin Hamilton - Whomever starts depends on the matchup I would think. Dendy is built similar to Brackins, but may be a little more athletic. He can block shots, and move up and down the court. If we’re trying to run and get points, I think we go with Dendy. With Hamilton, he’s the only true Center that ISU has, and would be someone you put out there if you’re going at a slower tempo. He works hard, but I don't know if he's there yet. I feel like he got a lot of PT, mostly because of how thin we were in the frontcourt last year. With basketball, I always prefer the more athletic guy, especially if you don’t have to rely on him as a top scorer. Most teams do not have a true center anyways, and that’s OK.

I think a lot of people previewing this Iowa State team, think a lineup has to have 2 guards, 2 forwards, and 1 center. In reality, it’s way more flexible as you play to your strengths in college basketball. You can have lineups of 3 guards, 2 forwards; 2 guards, 3 forwards; 1 guard, 3 forwards, 1 center; etc. Heck, Oklahoma State basically played 5 guards at times last year, and they did pretty well!

The Reserves:

G: Scott Christopherson – could see him as our first scorer off the bench. If the team needs a spark, he’s the guy to go to here. After redshirting for a year, he should have a good handle on the system and know what to do.

F: Jamie Vanderbeken – He’s injured at the moment, so he’ll be slow starting. He’ll go in for any of Gilstrap, Brackins, Dendy/Hamilton. He’s a legit 3 point shooter, and I think he would do better playing more from the outside offensively. Defensively, he’s shown he can rebound and block shots I’d expect it all to depend on matchups and game situation, but he’ll get some PT when healthy.

G: Chris Colvin – I would think we’d see more of him at the 2 to start the year. From all accounts McDermott’s system is the hardest to learn for a point guard. Colvin is a scorer, and could probably benefit more with moving without the ball.

G: Dominique Buckley – I would expect him to relieve Garrett when needed to start the season. I look at him more as a point guard, and with a year under his belt, I’d expect to see him more comfortable out there.

G/F: Charles Boozer – He plays hard. How much he gets to play depends on how much he’s improved offensively. He is definitely a hustle guy, and a jack of all trades guy. He’s the guy you out there when the team needs a lift, intensity-wise. His style of play is contagious, even if he himself is somewhat limited. Last year, I thought he played well down the stretch, and for some reason McDermott scratched him, which I thought was a horrible call. If he can shoot better, I can’t see how he wouldn’t play more, even if this team is deeper.

F: L.A. Pomlee – Coming off a redshirt, he has a lot of upside. But with the team focused on winning now, I don’t see how he’ll get a lot of clock outside of garbage time.

F: Alex Dorr – He’s gotta be the 13th guy off the bench right now. I don’t know a lot about him, but he’s a walk-on. I think he’ll probably do a good job helping the team in practice, but I’m guessing we’ll see him as much as Clinton Mann and/or Cam Lee last year.

G: Antwon Oliver – He’s 2 inches taller than DG, but 15 lbs lighter. That screams redshirt to me. Needs to put on some size, if he’s going to play in the Big 12.

G: Bubu Palo – Like Alex Dorr, another walkon, and ditto the similar comments about practice. If the coaches think he could develop into a player down the road, or if they like the way he prepares the team during practice, you may see a redshirt on him. Otherwise, I wouldn’t think there is a need to use it.

Noteable Non-Conference Opponents:

The non-conference is improved over what I thought was almost a joke last year. Below is a listing of the teams we’re facing in the non-conference that you may be wondering about, or should keep a watch out for:

@ Drake: Only because we’ve lost 3 straight. The Missouri Valley coaches, have put them at 8th in the conference, so I’m hoping we finally beat this team!

Notre Dame: We will either play Notre Dame or Northwestern in Chicago over Thanksgiving weekend. I have a feeling we will play Notre Dame as they should be the better team. They are lead by Two-time All-American and Preseason Big East POY in Luke Harangody. They’re projected by the coaches to finish 8th in the Big East. In a lot of ways they are similar to ISU, in that they have some talented players but feel like they’re being underrated a little.

UNI: They got some votes in the Preseason Top 25, and are expected to win the Valley this year. They will likely be improved from last year and are a likely NCAA team, yet again.

@ California: Cal is currently ranked #10 in the Preseason Top 25 and the favorite to win the Pac 10. It’s going to be a tough, tough game.

Iowa: Shouldn’t be too concerned here. They are expected to finish last in the Big 10, and it’s being played at our place.

Houston: Expected to compete for the C-USA title and could find themselves in the NCAA tournament as well.

Duke: Enough said

North Dakota State: An NCAA team last year, but lost some guys and isn’t expected to be as good.

Overall, I don’t think it’s too tough of a schedule, as I wouldn’t expect more than 2-3 losses, but I like that we’re playing some tougher teams like Cal and Duke, as it should prepare the team for the tough conference schedule. If we could beat one of those two teams, it would do wonders for our RPI if we indeed did become a bubble team.

Other Basketball News:

Brackins is on the preseason Naismith Watch List.
It sounds like Coach McDermott has been happy with the way his team has been practicing, as he tweeted a couple of days ago.
The team has new uniforms. I think these have changed every year the past few years.
Be on the lookout for my writeup on the scrimmage on November 3rd. If any news about the team breaks, I’ll post it in the meantime.

I’m really excited to see what this team does, and can’t wait to set foot in Hilton for the first scrimmage of the year, which is on Monday, November 2nd at 7pm against Black Hills State!

What are your thoughts and expecatations as we tip off the 2009-2010 season?

KNOW THY ENEMY: Iowa State Cyclones

BracketCat — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 17:00:25 -0000

I'm starting to see pumpkins everywhere, and you know what pumpkins always remind me of? Basketballs.

That's right, hoops season is just around the corner. Practice begins Oct. 16 in most places, which means it's time to start previewing the Big 12. Now, I haven't packed it in on the football season yet, by any means. But let's be honest: We all knew coming into 2009-2010 that football was just gonna be the appetizer. We're going to have a nationally ranked squad this year, and it's getting close enough to tipoff that I think the time has come to begin getting officially psyched up.

But to keep this on a semi-football-related plane, at least for the duration of the season, I will endeavor to keep these loosely linked to our football opponent of the week past. Which means it's time to venture up to Ames and see what Farmageddon on the hardwood might look like this year...

Normally these will publish at noon on Mondays, but as usual, the first one always is the most time-consuming because all the formatting has to be done from scratch. Anyhow, click the jump for the most comprehensive preview of the Cyclone hoopsters you'll find this side of Clone Chronicles.

The Coach

Greg McDermott
Fourth Season

44-51 (14-34) at Iowa State
265-178 (85-89) overall

McDermott's Cyclone teams consistently have ranked in the upper half of the Big 12 in scoring defense and in three-point shooting in his three seasons in Ames. In just three seasons, McDermott has coached four players who have earned all-conference recognition, including Craig Brackins, who was the first Cyclone since 2001 to earn first-team All-Big 12 honors, in 2009.

The Departures

Starters

Bryan Petersen (30.1 minutes per game, 6.6 points per game, 3.7 rebounds per game)

Reserves

Wes Eikmeier (11.3 minutes per game, 0.8 point per game, 2.9 rebounds per game)
Sean Haluska (15.7 minutes per game, 1.0 point per game, 2.5 rebounds per game)
Cameron Lee (3.2 minutes per game, 0.7 point per game, 0.4 rebound per game)
Clinton Mann (2.4 minutes per game, 0.4 point per game, 0.7 rebound per game)
Alex Thompson (14.1 minutes per game, 2.6 points per game, 2.4 rebounds per game)

The Veterans

		#1 Dominique Buckley Sophomore Guard 6-2 \| 205 Detroit, Mich. Buckley played in 25 games as a reserve point guard, averaging 1.3 points and 0.8 assists. He logged a career-high 19 minutes vs. Texas A&M, and tallied five points vs. SIU-Edwardsville and Colorado. Buckley also handed out three assists vs. Iowa, Jacksonville State and SIU-Edwardsville.

		#4 Charles Boozer Junior Guard 6-3 \| 195 Raleigh, N.C. Boozer competed in 23 games, giving Iowa State a lift from the bench. He averaged 2.5 points and 1.6 rebounds; shot 37.2 percent from the field, 29.6 percent from 3-point range and 75 percent from the free-throw line; tallied a career-high 11 points vs. Missouri; and grabbed a career-high seven rebounds while logging a career-high 19 minutes vs. Kansas State. (And no, your eyes do not deceive you. Charles is Carlos Boozer's younger brother.)

		#5 Lucca Staiger Junior Guard 6-5 \| 225 Blaustein, Germany Big 12 Rookie of the Week (12/15/08 and 01/12/09) Staiger started 27 games last season, averaging 8.2 points and 2.2 rebounds. He was Iowa State's top long-range shooter, making a team-high 74 treys in 192 attempts. His 74 3-pointers rank seventh on ISU's single-season 3-pointers made list. Staiger averaged 2.3 3-pointers made per game to rank sixth in the Big 12 and seventh on ISU's single-season list. He made a 3-pointer in 26 of 32 games and had 14 games with three or more treys. Staiger had a streak of 16 consecutive games with a 3-pointer, tying for the third-longest stretch in school history. He scored 14 points behind a 4-of-8 effort from downtown vs. Oregon State and poured in a career-high 24 points on 8-of-11 shooting from 3-point range vs. Drake. His eight treys in that game tie for second on ISU's single-game record chart. Staiger tied a Big 12 mark by making seven treys in the first half vs. Drake, tallied 15 points in his Big 12 debut at Texas, drilled six 3-pointers en route to 18 points vs. Nebraska, posted 14 points behind a 4-of-10 effort from long range at Oklahoma State, and was 5-of-9 from downtown and scored 17 points at Nebraska. His 74 treys already rank 18th in school history.

		#10 Diante Garrett Junior Guard 6-4 \| 185 Milwaukee, Wis. World Vision Classic All-Tournament (2008) NSCA All-American (2008) Garrett was one of the Big 12's top playmakers, ranking third in the league and 36th nationally in assists. He totaled 161 assists to rank 14th on Iowa State's single-season assist chart. One of two players to start all 32 games, Garrett was second on the team in scoring and averaged 3.3 rebounds. He led the team in steals with 30, shot 70.7 percent from the free-throw line, ranked 10th in the Big 12 in assist/turnover ratio, handed out five or more assists in 17 of 32 games, led or tied ISU in assists in 22 of 32 games, recorded two double-doubles and four double-digit assist games, and posted a career-high 26 points at Hawai'i, going 10-for-10 from the free-throw line and marking the 16th time in school history where a Cyclone was perfect from the charity stripe with at least 10 attempts. Garrett dished out a career-high 11 assists vs. Loyola Marymount and Missouri, posted a double-double with 17 points and 10 assists against Oklahoma, notched 17 points vs. Texas Tech and made a career-high three treys vs. UW-Milwaukee, en route to 17 points. He currently ranks 18th on ISU's career assist chart.

		#21 Craig Brackins Junior Forward 6-10 \| 230 Palmdale, Calif. First Team All-Big 12 (2009) First Team USBWA All-District VI (2009) First Team NABC All-District 8 (2009) Basketball Times First Team All-Midlands (2009) AP Honorable Mention All-American (2009) Collegehoopsnet.com HM All-American (2009) Kansas City Star All-Big 12 Improved (2009) Big 12 Player of the Week (2009 - three times) MVP of World Vision Classic (2008) Brackins recorded one of the greatest seasons in Iowa State history, earning first-team all-Big 12 and first-team all-District honors from the NABC, USBWA and Basketball Times. He was named honorable mention All-American by the AP, was the first Cyclone to earn first-team all-Big 12 honors since Curtis Stinson in 2006 and was named Big 12 Player of the Week three times. Brackins averaged 20.2 points, ranking second in the Big 12 and 22nd nationally, and 9.5 rebounds to rank third in the Big 12 and 26th nationally. Along with Blake Griffin and Luke Harangody, he was one of three players in the country to rank in the top 30 nationally in both scoring and rebounding. In Big 12 games, Brackins averaged a double-double, scoring 20 or more points in 11 of 16 conference games. He scored a league-high 348 points in Big 12 games, the 10th-best single-season scoring total in league history; posted 19 20-point games and three 30-point outings; tallied 12 20-point/10-rebound games; led ISU in scoring in 21 of the last 23 games and paced the Cyclones in rebounding in the final 18 games; tallied 15 double-doubles to rank fourth in the Big 12; and ended the season ranking in ISU's single season top 11 in four categories: field goals, points, rebounds and double-doubles. Brackins is only the third player in school history to record 600 points and 300 rebounds in a season. His 645 points as a sophomore ranks second on ISU's class list behind Jeff Grayer, who tallied 684 points in his sophomore campaign. He became the 27th member of the 1,000-point club and just the fifth Cyclone in school history to record 1,000 points in their first two seasons. Brackins scored 18 or more points in a half eight times and tallied a double-double by halftime three times. He scored a career-high 42 points vs. Kansas, making 11 of 19 shots from the floor, 3 of 5 from beyond the arc and 17 of 21 from the charity stripe. The 42 points tie for the sixth-best effort by a Big 12 player in league history and are the fourth-best scoring effort in ISU history. His 17 free throws made tie for third best in ISU history. Brackins registered 38 points, including 23 in the second half, on 15-of-23 shooting from the floor at Houston. His 15 field goals made are tied for third-best all-time by a Big 12 player. He scored 32 points in an overtime victory at Northern Iowa and grabbed a career-high 17 boards vs. Jacksonville State.

		#23 Jamie Vanderbeken Senior Forward 6-11 \| 245 Belleville, Ontario Kansas City Star's Big 12 All-Newcomer Team (2009) Iowa State's top reserve in the post, averaging 5.5 points and 3.0 rebounds in 31 games, Vanderbeken led ISU in 3-point percentage, making 35 of 86 shots from beyond the arc. He averaged 6.3 points in Big 12 play, was second on the team in blocks with 21, made 23 of his 35 treys in the last 14 games, had four games with three or more treys, tallied a double-double in his debut with 14 points and 10 boards vs. UC Davis, was 5 of 7 from the field and scored 12 points vs. Oklahoma, tallied 14 points at Kansas State, posted career highs in points and 3-pointers at Kansas, and was 4 of 5 from 3-point range en route to 12 points vs. Oklahoma State in the Big 12 Championship.

		#41 Justin Hamilton Sophomore Center 6-11 \| 255 Alpine, Utah Hamilton had a solid freshman campaign, averaging 4.2 points and 2.9 rebounds. He started 18 games, played in 32 contests and led the Cyclones in field-goal percentage, hitting 57 of 100 shots from the floor. His 57-percent clip from the floor ranks 15th on Iowa State's single-season record chart and second on ISU's freshman list. Hamilton tallied 17 blocks last season. In his first career start, he scored eight points and grabbed a career-high 12 boards in a win at Houston. Hamilton posted a career-high 16 points vs. SIU-Edwardsville and scored 13 points on 6-of-9 shooting from the field at Missouri. He recorded eight points and 10 rebounds at Texas, and posted a career-high three blocks vs. Colorado.

The Redshirts

#11 Scott Christopherson
Sophomore Guard
6-3 | 205
LaCrosse, Wis.

Christopherson sat out the 2008-09 season as a redshirt after transferring from Marquette, where he appeared in 18 games as a freshman, all as a reserve. He missed the first five games of the regular season after undergoing arthroscopic surgery on his right knee, but netted a career-high six points on 2-of-3 shooting from the floor vs. Savannah State.

Christopherson averaged 1.3 points and 0.7 rebounds per game at Marquette, and shot 42.1 percent from the field and 40 percent from 3-point range.

#34 L.A. Pomlee
Freshman Forward
6-8 | 235
Davenport, Iowa

Pomlee sat out the 2008-2009 season as a redshirt. He was ranked as the 38th-best power forward in the class of 2008 by Scout.com, was a first-team Class 4A all-state selection by both the Iowa Newspaper Association and The Des Moines Register as a senior, and also was a Quad City Times all-Metro pick.

Pomlee averaged 15.4 points and led the Mississippi Athletic Conference in both rebounding and field-goal percentage as a senior. His Central team went undefeated in the conference and 23-3 overall, and advanced to the state championship game, falling to Iowa City High 64-54 in the Class 4A state title game, in which he scored 14 points and grabbed 12 boards.

Pomlee missed his entire junior season after developing a blood clot in his leg, but was a third-team all-state selection in his sophomore campaign after averaging 14.2 points and 10.1 rebounds. He chose Iowa State over West Virginia and Wisconsin.

The Newcomers

		#2 Chris Colvin Freshman Guard 6-2 \| 195 Chicago, Ill. One of the best guards in the Class of 2009, Colvin was ranked as the 99th-best player in the nation and the 15th-best point guard nationally in the Rivals.com rankings. Scout.com ranked him as the 10th-best point guard in 2009 and he was ranked at No. 77 in the ESPNU final ratings. Colvin was named second-team Class 4A all-state a senior by the AP, and averaged 12.3 ppg and 6.2 assists on one of the best and most balanced prep teams in the nation. His Whitney Young team defeated Waukegan 69-66 in the state championship game to finish the season at 26-9 and win the 2009 Illinois Class 4A state title. He had seven points and a team-high six assists in the state championship game, and scored 14, 20, 12 and 17 points in the four previous postseason tournament games. Colvin averaged 14.1 ppg as a junior, earning all-state honors, and started three years at Whitney Young. He was named as one of the best players at the 2008 Reebok All-American Camp and chose Iowa State over Baylor, Florida State, Illinois, Kentucky, Marquette, Providence, USC and Washington State.

		#3 Marquis Gilstrap Senior Forward 6-6 \| 210 Covington, Ga. Gilstrap emerged as one of the best junior college players in the nation in his one season at Gulf Coast, averaging 22.6 points and 10.1 rebounds for one of the biggest surprise teams in junior college. He earned honorable mention All- America honors by the NJCAA, was rated as the 26th-best player in the class of 2009 by ESPN.com, and ranked 10th nationally in scoring and 20th in the nation in rebounding in the final NJCAA statistical rankings. Gilstrap shot 48.3 percent from the field, 40.9 percent from 3-point range and 74.8 percent from the free-throw line at Gulf Coast, was named Panhandle Conference Player of the Year and first-team team all-Panhandle Conference, and was a first-team All-FCCAA honoree. He led his team to a 24-9 overall record and a spot in the state final, where GCCC lost to No. 1-ranked Chipola JC 68-65 to miss out at a chance for the national tournament. Gilstrap also scored 27 points to help his squad defeat No. 3 Miami Dade in the first round of the state playoffs, and averaged 24.6 points and 10.3 rebounds to earn FCCAA All-Tournament team honors. He had seven 30+ scoring games and participated in the 2009 NJCAA All-Star Basketball Classic.

		#12 Alex Dorr Freshman Forward 6-7 \| 215 Norwalk, Iowa Dorr joins the Cyclones as a recruited walk-on. He averaged 20.2 points and 9.3 rebounds while earning Class 3A first-team all-state honors from both the Iowa Newspaper Association and The Des Moines Register as a senior. Dorr led Norwalk to its first-ever state championship game in 2009. The team finished the season with a 24-3 record. He scored 23 points and grabbed nine boards vs. Dubuque Wahlert in the first round of the state tournament, and averaged 18.9 points and 11.2 rebounds as a junior, earning second-team all-state honors.

		#15 Antwon Oliver Freshman Guard 6-5 \| 175 Racine, Wis. Oliver earned honorable mention all-state and third-team all-area honors as a senior, and developed into one of the best players in Wisconsin in his last year, leading his Horlick team to the Division 1 state championship game. He was ranked as the 13th-best player in the state of Wisconsin and averaged 16.3 points, 6.4 rebounds, 3.0 assists and hit 45 treys as a senior. Horlick went 24-2 and lost in the state final to Madison Memorial, 56-41. Oliver led his team with 13 points in the state championship game and was invited to play in the 2009 Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association Boy's All-Star game. He averaged 12.5 points as a junior and 5.1 points as a sophomore.

		#22 LaRon Dendy Junior Forward 6-9 \| 225 Greenville, S.C. Dendy played two years at Indian Hills Community College in Ottumwa, Iowa, and was rated as the 57th-best player in the preseason 2008-09 Juco Junction rankings. He averaged 8.5 points and 6.3 rebounds as a freshman, earning honorable mention All-Region XI honors, but suffered a stress fracture in his sophomore season and saw limited action, averaging 8.1 points and 4.1 rebounds and shooting 63.3 percent from the field in nine games. Ranked as one of the top post players in the Class of 2007, Dendy was rated as the 63rd-best player in the nation and the 17th-best power forward in the Rivals.com Class of 2007, and was the seventh-best player in the Southeast Region in 2007. He originally committed to Clemson, but opted to go to junior college.

		#25 Bubu Palo Freshman Guard 6-1 \| 175 Ames, Iowa Palo is a recruited walk-on. He was the starting point guard on Ames' 2009 Class 4A state championship team, which finished the season with a perfect 26-0 mark. Palo started his last two seasons at point guard, averaged 9.1 points as a senior to earn second-team All-CIML honors, had a 3.34 assist/turnover ratio and shot 52.0 percent from the field. He scored 11 points in Ames' state championship game win over Linn-Mar and was an honorable mention all-conference pick as a junior.

My thanks to the Iowa State sports information department for the photos and most of the information for the bios.

The Analysis

It's possible that my judgment has been colored by staring at these stats and bios for too long, but at least on paper, the Cyclones appear to have a much improved team. Thanks largely to the return of future NBA player Craig Brackins, Iowa State returns 77.9 percent of its scoring and 72.5 percent of its rebounding from a team that set school marks for 3-pointers made (236) and fewest turnovers (12.1 per game) in a season.

There were few notable departures, as most of the graduated seniors were little-used reserves. The biggest loss is starting wing Bryan Petersen, although there is reason to believe there will be little drop-off at that position. Also gone from last year's team is Sean Haluska, who chipped in quite a few minutes off the bench.

But the Cyclones return their other four starters, and add some significant pieces to challenge them for playing time. In the frontcourt, I expect Diante Garrett to retain his starting spot and continue growing as one of the premier point guards in the league, but Chris Colvin will push him to the max. Colvin is one of the most highly touted recruits Iowa State has signed (other than Brackins, of course) and turned down programs such as Marquette and USC to go to Ames. He could be the latest in a long line of talented Chicago point guards who have made in impact in the Big 12.

All Lucca Staiger did was come in and set a bunch of Iowa State records shooting the three-ball. Pretty impressive, considering he battled a lingering injury for at least part of the season. He will be complemented by Scott Christopherson, a transfer from Marquette who sat out last year per NCAA rules. The guard spots are bolstered by sophomore Dominique Buckley and veteran journeyman Charles Boozer.

Antwon Oliver is a promising prospect fresh out of high school, but will have a tough time finding minutes in such a deep, experienced backfield. Look for him to redshirt, along with preferred walk-ons Bubu Palo and Alex Dorr.

The frontcourt begins and ends with Brackins. One of the best players in the Big 12, he needs no introduction to the rest of the conference, but what he does need is help, especially with Petersen leaving. Well, help is on the way in the form of Marquis Gilstrap, a Top-50 juco player who has just one season to make an impact. At 6-6 and 210, Gilstrap has good size to hold down the 3 spot. Another exciting player for Cyclone fans to watch is juco transfer LaRon Dendy, a former Clemson commit who was in the Rivals Top 75 for 2007.

Justin Hamilton and Jamie Vanderbeken will man the post. Hamilton is considered the returning starter, but Vanderbeken pulled a few starts as well. It's really irrelevant, as both will rotate a lot in the paint in order to spell each other. Vanderbeken has an added dimension in that he is an excellent 3-point shooter, a talent that makes it hard for teams to pack it in against him and Brackins.

A wild-card player is L.A. Pomlee, who redshirted last season. He has a pretty good pedigree, given that he was a Scout Top 50 player and passed up a chance to play for Bob Huggins at West Virginia. Pomlee might make his biggest impact as a 4 whenever the Cyclones go with a small lineup, a formation that usually sees Brackins rotate into the post.

So, what we have here is a team with one of the best players in the conference, four returning starters and several more experienced veterans, and it loses very few impact players, but adds one of the best prep players in the country, as well as two talented juco players and a Big East transfer. That sounds like a recipe for dramatic improvement, which Greg McDermott better deliver, or the pressure might start to turn up on him. It's Year 4, and Iowa State needs to show some serious signs of breaking out of the basement now that the administration has built him a new practice facility.

But this year will be the most stacked the Big 12 ever has been, and the Cyclones still have a major weakness in their frontcourt: Other than Brackins, they don't have any truly athletic posts. When you look at a team like Kansas or Texas, you see multiple big, athletic matchup nightmares. Iowa State doesn't really have more than one or two of those guys. Hamilton and Vanderbeken are traditional centers who aren't nearly as talented as Cole Aldrich. The season could swing on whether Gilstrap can overcome past injuries and step up to be the third scoring threat the Clones need to keep defenses honest and free up Brackins to do some serious damage.

Projected Starting Lineup


Diante Garrett	Lucca Staiger	Marquis Gilstrap	Craig Brackins	Justin Hamilton
1	2	3	4	5

Projected Top Reserves


Chris Colvin	Scott Christopherson	LaRon Dendy	L.A. Pomlee	Jamie Vanderbeken
1	2	3	4	5

The Final Verdict

Although ISU has a pretty good backcourt, I think they're going to resemble the 2008-2009 Wildcats in a lot of ways when they hit the meat of league play. They'll be improved, but with Kansas, Kansas State and Missouri to contend with in the North, breaking into the top half of the conference might be too much to ask. An NIT berth would be a solid season for this squad, although it seems like a lame ending for a great player such as Brackins.

Predicted finish: 9th

Best-case scenario: 7th

MBB Recruiting Retrospective: Class of 2008

CrossCyed — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 01:22:50 -0000

In the first part of a series that I hope to continue, I'm going to take a look at the recent recruiting classes under Greg McDermott and Wayne Morgan. Recruiting is a big part of winning in the Big 12 these days, so it makes sense to analyze that part of a coach's job as much as what happens on the court. Of course, starting tonight with the class of 2008, conclusions are obviously incomplete. However, we can draw form some preliminary observations.

G Dominique Buckley
Buckley, perhaps the most heralded member of this six-man class, started out slow and has just now been seeing more minutes. It's often been said that Greg McDermott's offense is the toughest on point guards, and that it takes a while to pick up. Buckley has shown flashes, including against Iowa, but a combination of inexperience and a lack of trust from the coaching staff has limited his minutes. His playing time is truly dependent on what Diante Garrett is doing. Minutes will also be a challenge next season, with the highly regarded Chris Colvin coming in.

G Wes Eikmeier
A prodigious scorer in the Nebraska high school ranks, has been slowed by injury most of the year. While he does have a nice shot, he can't yet create it at the college level. Also has the deer in the headlights look whenever he has the ball. Also needs to keep up in the weight room. At the beginning of the season, he looked like he could have a serious impact by draining the longball, but he's been largely MIA up until the Baylor game. A guy that really could have used a redshirt year. I'm not giving up hope on him, but one wonders if he's going to be little more than a John Neal-type with a lot less defense and just a little better shooting.

C Justin Hamilton
Hamilton was a guy that I thought was the biggest reach, but he's also shown the biggest flashes this year. A one year starter in high school, he moved into the starting lineup at midseason, and showed that he has potential to be a serviceable center. The fact that he's the only true center on the team means that his minutes will be there in the future if he continues his progression. McDermott said he doesn't have a lot of bad habits, and that seems true. He just needs to keep working hard. He's a very good shooter for a big man, and he has shown the ability to rebound at times. He's ahead of where I thought he'd be.

F Clint Mann
Mann has functioned as the end of the bench guy this year, and likely could have used a redshirt. One has to think if he was in any way able to contribute, he'd have played, but he's receiving the least minutes out of all the scholarship and walkon players. Maybe he has Cory Johnson syndrome....except Johnson was a pretty decent shooter. Probably got one too many stars from Rivals.

F LA Pomlee
Redshirted. May be in line to see post minutes next year with the departure of Alex Thompson. Was a good rebounder in high school, which is something this team sorely needs.

F Jamie Vanderbeken
If you're going to recruit JUCO, the guy has to produce. Vanderbeken has done so in spurts this year, and will likely be leaned on heavily next year if Craig Brackins does indeed go pro. It may bother some that a 6-11 guy leads our team in three point shooting at just under 40%, but he really is our best shooter. It'd be nice if he could have more of a post impact, but he has contributed. Probably needs to shoot more.

The 2008 class has been a little underwhelming at first glance, with limited impact from Eikmeier, Hamilton and Vanderbeken.....none of which ever really came at the same time. If Craig Brackins ends up going pro, these guys will need to step up in the next year or two in an effort to save their coach's job.

A KenPom Preview: Iowa State (Again)

rockchalk — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 04:25:49 -0000

As always, these previews heavily use Ken Pomeroy's statistics page. Iowa State's can be found here. For further reference, check the first KP preview of the Cyclones here. It was done prior to the first matchup with the Clones, an 82-67 victory for the Jayhawks. For more information on Iowa State, make sure and check out SB Nation blog Clone Chronicles, the place to go if you ever want to learn more about the team from Ames.

Opening Thoughts

This is a game we can't afford to lose. Simple as that. It shouldn't be terribly difficult to win (KP gives us a 95% chance of winning, afterall), but a win still must occur. A loss loses moentum, loses ground in the Race for the Big 12 Title, makes people across the nation wonder. It wouldn't be fun.

But of course, all of you know that. So, all that's left to do is to actually go out and win. No national TV (for the first time, including ABC regional broadcasts, since the conference-opener against K-State on January 13th), just an opportunity for us to, relatively, sneak under the radar and pick up a decent win.

That's all. Just dont' blow it.

The Background

Frankly, the Clones are playing for little, currently. I suppose the CBI could come calling at the end of the season, but that doesn't seem to be something that would provide an incredible amount of motivation. Of course, this is college basketball, so they won't roll out and lay over. But, it won't be anything like our two most recent contests, where we had two rivals out for the kill. They've lost 7 of their last 8 games, with their lone win being a conference home game against Colorado; a game where the Buffs were held to all of 9 points in the first half. 5 of the last 6 since we last played 'em, with the aforementioned CU victory.

There isn't the same Hilton Magic to deal with as the trip up to Ames, and we really shouldn't lose this game.

Nevertheless, some semblance of a preview after the jump...

The Offense -- 183rd (Adj. O Rating)

Overall, the Clones' offense is terrible. Besides a 91-point explosion against SIU-Edwardsville, a 3-12 Independent team, they've yet to hit 80. In conference play, their high has been 70 points; in their 28-point victory over the Buffs. Of course, some of this can be explained away by their tempo; they are the 244th slowest team in CBB. So, naturally, their point totals tend to be lower. But, the tempo-free stats don't tell any prettier of a story.

Four Factors

Effective FG% (123rd) -- Better than their overall ranking, and is probably their second-biggest offensive strength. Basically, they aren't incredibly dangerous, but you can't just freely give up open looks and expect to get away with it. Their eFG% was 40% in our first game, and that included Brackins' explosion and the home crowd being on their side. This time, assuming Brackins doesn't have another Durant-esque performance in him, that number should plummet. So, crash goes their chances.
Turnover % (38th) -- Get excited. No, really. It's all they're good at, at least offensively. Being a slow-it-down team, it isn't terribly surprising that Greg McDermott stresses holding on to the ball. It's pretty much their skill. They did better-than-average last time against us, and that's why they were able to stay so close for so long. Let's turn 'em over more, this time.
Offensive Rebounding % (340th) -- Non-existent. Don't worry 'bout it. Godawful. All of these phrases/words apply to the Clones' offensive rebounding efforts. Part of this is attempting to limit fast breaks, in line with their whole slow-it-down thinking, and part of it is they don't have an offensive rebounder. Brackins is so often the one fifteen feet away shooting, and the next-best is Justin Hamilton. Youch.
FTA/FGA (337th) -- This partly makes sense, from what I've seen, and partly doesn't. On one hand, they shoot an inordinate amount of longballs, and that's not the way to get more attempts at the free throw line. On the other hand, though, they have Craig Brackins. And, as good as he is, you'd figure he'd get to the line himself more than the 13 times-or-so they average as a team. Whatever. Of course, they shot 27 freebies last time they played us (including 21 by Brackins himself), so who knows if this stat means anything.

Miscellaneous

Three. Point. Shooting. It's what they do, up in Ames, with that mid-major-with-a-star offense McDermott runs. 40% of their shots are threes, but they actually aren't that awesome at it; only 34.4% as a team. That could be why they suck.

The Defense -- 60th (Adj. D Rating)

In typical mid-major fashion, they play better D than O. It isn't incredible or nothing, but 60th in the country ain't bad. They'll get up on you and play you tough, almost always in man-to-man, but they aren't a team of Brady Morningstars, or anything. They have some weak spots, too, (i.e. Jamie Vanderbeeken and Lucca Staiger), so some of the lesser known players could explode.

Four Factors

Effective FG% (54th) -- Like I said, they'll play you tough, but they aren't unbeatable. Our ball movement should get us open looks on the perimeter, not even considering Sherron's out-of-this-world driving ability. The key, naturally, is actually hitting your open shots. Just in case you were wondering, we were 6-13 from three last game (Reed and Brady shot 4-6). I'd take that again, I suppose, but I think we can do better, too.
Turnover % (337th) -- While their D is pretty good, they rarely turn you over. We turned it over 11 times in our trip up to Ames, which is actually about their average, to a tee. I hate these type of teams, though. Because, with as turnover-prone as we are, if we turn it over a bunch then their D becomes stellar. And if their D becomes stellar, they stand a chance. So, Sherron and Company, just don't turn it over.
Offensive Rebounding % (11th) -- While they completely abandon the offensive glass, in an effort to limit the fast breaks, they all crash the defensive glass, as they aren't interested in pushing the ball up the floor anyways. So, Morris twins, if we're interested in getting second-chance points, we're going to have to work for it. Big time. But again, like the Turnover %, it's a double-edged sword to be really good/bad at something. Because, if we can be a factor on the offensive glass, then their D becomes below-average, and combining that with a close-to-awful O is the makings for a blowout.
FTA/FGA (36th) -- They don't foul you a bunch, but you will get your chances at the free throw line. We shot 18 last game, but a lot of those came at the end with the intentional fouls. Nothing else to mention, really; keep on playing like always, and if they foul you they foul you. Simple as that.

Miscellaneous

While they never turn you over, they steal it even less (which, obviously, is a part of turning you over). They are, literally, the worst thieving team in the country; they steal it less than anyone else. No, really. It's quite incredible. Another interesting tidbit; they don't give up a whole heckuva lot three-point attempts. So, while I still think we'll get them, it isn't like they will be just giving away open looks.

The Players

Not to toot my own horn, but I thought I did a really good job last time previewing the Clone players. So, while the statistics are surely different (if only slightly, hopefully), I figure you'll still get the general picture. So, here is last time's preview of the players:

The Players

When you are discussing Iowa State basketball, the first two words out of your mouth should be "Hilton Coliseum". And then, when asked to name something about this year's squad, you should quickly say "Craig Brackins". Everything, just about, goes through Brackins. He isn't the whole team, though, and they have a couple other, solid pieces. But, if we lose, it'll be because of Brackins. Book it.

Craig Brackins PF -- Damn. The Cyclones run their offense through Brackins on about a third of their possessions. No, seriously. That is good enough for 17th in the entire country. He is, literally, the key to their offense. Which, given his position and height (6'10"), is nerveracking. We ain't sticking Cole on him and letting him pick up fouls, so it'll be on the Morris twins and, perhaps, Mario Little some to contain him. It's possible, and if they can accomplish it, we're essentially assured victory, but it scares me. A lot. Oh, and Brackins takes a helluva lot of shots, too. Nearly 36% of the team's shots, or 13th in the country. Damn. He's the only good player on their team at drawing the contact and getting to the free throw line, too, so there's that. Combining that with the Morris' incredible ability to foul, and that's dangerous.

Lucca Staiger SF -- Dude's a three-point specialist; that's all. No, seriously. He's shot 24 two-pointers, and 110 three-pointers. He's really good at the long ball, though, (43%), so he's worth watching. He's taken all of six free throws all year long, showing how much he drives to the basket. One would imagine Brady would be assigned to simply follow him around everywhere, but who knows.

Diante Garrett PG -- Garrett is a tall-ass point guard, standing at 6'4". He isn't a terribly efficient shooter, though, and isn't a three-point threat. He's a pretty solid distributor, though, and never, ever fouls on the defensive end. I wouldn't be surprised if he ended up guarding Sherron, and his length could pose Sherron some problems. However, on the offensive end, we should be fine. Stick TyTay on him, and he shouldn't get much done. If he can consistently get in the lane, though, we could be in big trouble. He is really good at driving and either scooping it in to Brackins or kicking it out to a three-point shooter, most likely Staiger. Keep him out of the lane, and you shouldn't have a problem stopping their entire offense.

Bryan Petersen SG -- Petersen is the senior, the veteran leader. He's capable of handling the ball if he must, but isn't particularly good at anything. He is their second best three-point shooter, though, so we can't sleep on him out on the perimeter.

Alex Thompson C -- Well, he's really tall. That's about all I've got. He is a pretty good shot-blocker inside, and is an above average defensive rebounder. Besides that, there isn't much else to say. He isn't a very good player, is virtually non-existent on the offensive end. Should provide Cole some leeway to go over and help out on Brackins, because I don't think anyone is too worried Thompson is going to blow up in everyone's face and change the course of the game.

The Rest of the Bunch -- Besides that starting five, the Cyclones use four other players, primarily. You've got senior Sean Haluska, who is another fine shooter from the outside (35% from three), as well as freshman Wes Eikmeier. Eikmeier is even better from the outside (33%, but in twice the shots), although he turns the ball over twice as often as the veteran, Haluska, does. Then, you have another pair of highly similar players. One is junior Jamie Vanderbeken. The other is freshman Justin Hamilton. Well, they really aren't similar in anything, except for the fact that they both stand 6'11". Vanderbeken, being a foreigner, likes to think of himself as a three-point specialist, and he might be right. In limited attempts, he is shooting 40%. However, he is also a pretty good defensive rebounder, and is significantly better than Thompson on the offensive glass. Hamilton is better than both on the offensive end (in fact, according to OR %, he's the best offensive rebounder on the team) and is another soild defensive rebounder. Hamilton's offensive exploits, however, are more limited.

The Keys

Turnovers -- Either way the turnover battle tilts, that team will get a big advantage. If we turn them over, consistently, they don't really stand a chance of winning. If we turn the ball over a bunch, then the game will be incredibly low-scoring, likely, and a poor shooting performance from us (or a really good shooting performance from them) could lead to a gigantic upset. So, just don't screw up the turnover battle. Please.
The Law Firm -- These three, Morris Morris & Little, all could play huge roles. They are the trio that will be assigned Craig Brackins, and hopefully they do a better job of it than they did last time. All three could also play a big role on the offensive glass. Remember, the Clones are hellbent on not giving up second chance points, so if any of the Law FIrm can step up and get second chance points, our offense will just be that much better. Lastly, the Cyclones really don't have that good of a defensive stopper to stick on any of them. Actually, it'll almost assuredly be Brackins. So, if they can either blow up on Brackins, or at the very least draw some foul trouble, that'll be a positive. So many opportunities to do something positive, and all it takes is one, really, and we're going to win. Not a terribly difficult task, but a very important one.

Really, that's all. Those two things happen, in some form, and we win. If not, as long as they don't go too far south, we probably still end up leaving with a W. Just a closer, scarier one.

OGT coming tomorrow.

ISU 70, CU 42

Mark Kieffer — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 03:33:46 -0000

Final - 2.11.2009	1	2	Total
Colorado Buffaloes	9	33	42
Iowa St. Cyclones	37	33	70

Complete Coverage >

That isn't a typo, CU had 9 points at the half. The funny part is that only one of their guys, Thorne, had all 9 of their points at the half!

The story here was the fact we could score. CU had no answer for Brackins as he scored 26 points in 22 minutes. Lucca, Petey, Boozer, and Vanderbeken all had a good day shooting.

As you can see, the difference in the game was in the first half. Did ISU play stellar D? Not exactly, but we played them into their weaknesses. CU did a good job of dribble-penetrating, setting up open jumpers. ISU would collapse and put 2-3 guys on the guy driving, allowing for wide open shots. Fortunately, CU went 4 of 23 in the first half including 0 for 9 from 3. I'd have to think 7 of those 9 were uncontested. When you are able to shoot over 50% in a half, and the other team is shooting 17-18%, you're going to get a big lead.

Not really much to add. It was fun to see the team establish such a big lead that the game is out of reach by the half. Our guys have been playing much harder the past several games and they got a much deserved win. Hopefully they can carry this over into getting a few more wins down the stretch.... We'll see...

[Note by CrossCyed, 02/12/09 12:56 AM CST ] I wish I could have seen this game (curse you Iowa State University and your night classes!). I predicted a few games back that our "best" total game of the year would come against CU in a game I would not be able to attend. Anywho, check out this gloriousness:

Stats by StatSheet.com

Pretty, huh? The game was essentially totally out of reach by just after the first TV timeout in the second half.

In other news, Sean Haluska has 32 fouls on the year, against 19 made field goals.

Also, to heck with freeing Lucca. Free Wes Eikmeier! He logged just 3 minutes tonight in blowout action, and his minutes have steadily decreased.

Stats by StatSheet.com

Who cares if he's having trouble adjusting to the Big 12? His defense may not be the greatest, and his shot may be off as of late, as well as turnover issues, but I want to use my new acronym.....

WELP

The Wes Eikmeier Liberation Project.

via www.journalstar.com, because it's hard to find one of him playing here.

Free these amber waves of hair from the purgatory of the end of the bench. I don't know if Clone Chronicles is the official blog of Wes Eikmeier, but Wes Eikmeier is the official baller of Clone Chronicles.

WELP!

A KenPom Preview: Iowa State #1

rockchalk — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 07:26:54 -0000

Here we go, the fourth go-around of a KenPom preview. I like 'em, and will try and keep on doing them for every game. We'll see how original we can make the content the second time we play these teams (we'll have to figure out soon, considering we play Colorado a week from Saturday), but for now, I like how they work. If you have any suggestions, drop 'em in the comments or email me. My email is at the top of the page on the left sidebar, or at the very bottom in the bottom left corner when you click on that cute, little email image.

For reference purposes, here is Iowa State's KenPom page...

Opening Thoughts

OK, these are the games I hate. Hate, hate, hate. The ones where you know you should win, you know you're the better team. And yet, going in, you find a way to freak yourself out. Going in, you become petrified that, somehow someway, your team will lose.

And, more than anything, games played in the Hilton Coliseum fit in that category. Well, I suppose they didn't fit when Jamal Tinsley and Marcus Fizer and those eighteen, annoying look-a-like white players and Tim Floyd were all up there. Then, it was a legitimate game, a game to get excited about. But not anymore. Now, it's just that one scary venue that you know you could lose at, but you also know you shouldn't.

I hate these games.

Plenty more if you just click on "Continue reading this post >>"...

The Background

The Iowa State Cyclones aren't a good basketball team. They aren't a terrible one, aren't a godawful one. But, they certainly aren't a good one. Mediocre is probably the word that most accurately describes their ability. They lost to a terrible Hawaii team, although it was on the islands and it was only by a point. They lost at home to a much worse Drake squad, and lost by seven at home to South Dakota State. But then, there have been some positive flashes, as well. They beat a pretty damn good Houston ballclub, won on the road against the Valley's best team this year (Northern Iowa in OT) and travelled down to Austin to only lose by eight. Plus, they beat Nebraska, and while at home, Nebraska is better than just about anyone expected. So, that's nice.

But, honestly, this team is not that good. They are incredibly young, though, and certainly could become a good team in another year or two. Three of their top four minute-earners are only sophomores (senior Bryan Peterson being the exception), and all of their depth (not named Alex Thompson or Sean Haluska, that is) are freshmen and sophomores. A team on the rise? Sure. But right now, not a team who is going to be terribly tough. Of course, at home, with all of that Hilton Magic and shit, they can beat a lot of teams.

The Offense

The Cyclones, as KJ-IBT points out, like shooting the three. A lot. 39 percent of their field goal attempts are fired from behind the arc, and the trey accounts for nearly 35 percent of their total scoring. However, when it comes to the Four Factors (nine times out of ten, the factors that determine games; eFG%, Turnover%, Off. Reb%, FTa/FGa -- explanation here), they are terribly hot-and-cold. They are decently effective at shooting the ball, and are really good at not turning the ball over. However, they never-ever get fouled, or at least never shoot free throws, and don't have an offensive rebounding game at all. So, I suppose that's good; my sixth-grade little brother's team could keep these guys off the offensive glass, and heaven knows how much we've struggled with that stuff so far this year.

As far as other extremes go, they are good at picking up assists with their field goals, and it's damn-near impossible for someone to block a shot. Well, we'll see how they do against Cole Aldrich.

Overall, though, they aren't a good offensive team. They are effective enough at making shots and not turning the ball over that they aren't terrible, but their lack of second-chance points and getting to the free throw line essentially forces them to be good at the former two. If they ever have an off night shooting-wise or turn the ball over more than they are used to, they're toast. That's what happened against Missouri; they couldn't hit the broad side of the barn, so they fell behind and just got demolished.

The Defense

Unsurprisingly, they are a much better defensive team than offensive team. Again referring to the Four Factors, they are actually excellent at three of 'em. They are very good at eFG%, meaning they force tough shots. They are incredible at limiting offensive rebounds and they don't foul very often at all. All of this combined with an average performance in turning you over would lead to one of the country's better defenses. Problem is, they are one Division 1's worst at forcing turnovers; forcing them on only 17% of their possessions. They are so good at everything else, though, that they can get by. But, again, this pretty much means they have to be spot-on at everything else. If they're going to win, and not turn you over, that means that they then must completely shut you down on the offensive glass, can't send you to the free throw line very often and can't let you consistently make shots. Any of those things happen, and things aren't looking very hot for the Clones.

Looking at the non-Four Factor stats, nothing jumps out at you. Naturally, given their low turnover-causing percentage, they don't steal the ball, like, ever. And, again expected given their very impressive effective FG%, they are incredible against the two-pointer. They are more forgiving on the three, but they really lock you down inside the arc. This leads their opposition to favor the long ball, as their opponents are shooting, on average, 31 threes a game (NCAA average is 27.6).

Overall, if they win any more games in the League, the D will be why. But unless they can start forcing some turnovers, they won't be able to beat anybody truly good. That offensive rebounding %, though, is scary. We are going to have to hit our shots, because, more often than usual, Cole won't be there to pick us up and give us extra chances.

The Players

When you are discussing Iowa State basketball, the first two words out of your mouth should be "Hilton Coliseum". And then, when asked to name something about this year's squad, you should quickly say "Craig Brackins". Everything, just about, goes through Brackins. He isn't the whole team, though, and they have a couple other, solid pieces. But, if we lose, it'll be because of Brackins. Book it.

Craig Brackins PF -- Damn. The Cyclones run their offense through Brackins on about a third of their possessions. No, seriously. That is good enough for 17th in the entire country. He is, literally, the key to their offense. Which, given his position and height (6'10"), is nerveracking. We ain't sticking Cole on him and letting him pick up fouls, so it'll be on the Morris twins and, perhaps, Mario Little some to contain him. It's possible, and if they can accomplish it, we're essentially assured victory, but it scares me. A lot. Oh, and Brackins takes a helluva lot of shots, too. Nearly 36% of the team's shots, or 13th in the country. Damn. He's the only good player on their team at drawing the contact and getting to the free throw line, too, so there's that. Combining that with the Morris' incredible ability to foul, and that's dangerous.
Lucca Staiger SF -- Dude's a three-point specialist; that's all. No, seriously. He's shot 24 two-pointers, and 110 three-pointers. He's really good at the long ball, though, (43%), so he's worth watching. He's taken all of six free throws all year long, showing how much he drives to the basket. One would imagine Brady would be assigned to simply follow him around everywhere, but who knows.
Diante Garrett PG -- Garrett is a tall-ass point guard, standing at 6'4". He isn't a terribly efficient shooter, though, and isn't a three-point threat. He's a pretty solid distributor, though, and never, ever fouls on the defensive end. I wouldn't be surprised if he ended up guarding Sherron, and his length could pose Sherron some problems. However, on the offensive end, we should be fine. Stick TyTay on him, and he shouldn't get much done. If he can consistently get in the lane, though, we could be in big trouble. He is really good at driving and either scooping it in to Brackins or kicking it out to a three-point shooter, most likely Staiger. Keep him out of the lane, and you shouldn't have a problem stopping their entire offense.
Bryan Petersen SG -- Petersen is the senior, the veteran leader. He's capable of handling the ball if he must, but isn't particularly good at anything. He is their second best three-point shooter, though, so we can't sleep on him out on the perimeter.
Alex Thompson C -- Well, he's really tall. That's about all I've got. He is a pretty good shot-blocker inside, and is an above average defensive rebounder. Besides that, there isn't much else to say. He isn't a very good player, is virtually non-existent on the offensive end. Should provide Cole some leeway to go over and help out on Brackins, because I don't think anyone is too worried Thompson is going to blow up in everyone's face and change the course of the game.
The Rest of the Bunch -- Besides that starting five, the Cyclones use four other players, primarily. You've got senior Sean Haluska, who is another fine shooter from the outside (35% from three), as well as freshman Wes Eikmeier. Eikmeier is even better from the outside (33%, but in twice the shots), although he turns the ball over twice as often as the veteran, Haluska, does. Then, you have another pair of highly similar players. One is junior Jamie Vanderbeken. The other is freshman Justin Hamilton. Well, they really aren't similar in anything, except for the fact that they both stand 6'11". Vanderbeken, being a foreigner, likes to think of himself as a three-point specialist, and he might be right. In limited attempts, he is shooting 40%. However, he is also a pretty good defensive rebounder, and is significantly better than Thompson on the offensive glass. Hamilton is better than both on the offensive end (in fact, according to OR %, he's the best offensive rebounder on the team) and is another soild defensive rebounder. Hamilton's offensive exploits, however, are more limited.

The Gameplan

Here is the newest addition to the KenPom Preview slate; the Gameplan. Basically, these are some of the tactical things I would do if I were so lucky to be NCHCBS. That's National Champion Head Coach Bill Self, if you couldn't follow along. With all of that said, let's get Gameplannin':

Defense

Stick Brady on Lucca -- If the Clones beat us, it'll be either because (A) we can't do shit on offense (we'll get how to do some shit in a second), or (B) they go ballistic from three. The simplest and easiest way to prevent (B) from happening would be to stick your best defensive player, Brady Morningstar, on their primary threat from three. Dur. Now, if the rest of the players step up and have career days, well, then, whatever. But Lucca can certainly drain the threes, so just stick Brady on him and have him run around with him. Follow him through screens, stick his hand in Lucca's face. All of that fun stuff. And, when Brady sits out, pray Tyrel can do a good enough job while Brady rests. I know it's fun to hate on Brady and his deficiencies, but dude is one of the most important players to this team. We need him out on the floor as many minutes as he can go.
Double the Hell out of Brackins -- OK, as much as I love the Morris twins and Mario LIttle, they don't provide a fair match with Brackins. We all know this. So, while I agree with leaving Cole over there on Thompson or Hamilton or Vanderbeken or whoever, Cole should come over and double all of the time. And when he doubles, he needs to reject the hell out of one of Brackins' shots. For fun, you know. Seriously, though, we stop Brackins, they don't know where to go.
TyTay on Diante Garrett = No Lane Access -- I love Tyshawn Taylor. And I realize that he is number 15, and so was Mario Chalmers. But he isn't the same player, folks. Honestly, he might be a better on-ball defender than Mario. Probably night, at least right now, but I would bet in a second he will be better by the start of next year. People forget, with all of the ridiculous steal totals Super Mario posted, that he was almost always assigned to the third-best perimeter player on the other team. His main strength was jumping the passing lanes, and there were few, if any, better at him than that. But, TyTay has all the skills to be a RussRob-type defender, and if he can keep Garrett from driving the lane, the game's basically over right there. Much of their offense is based off the drive-and-kick or the drive-and-dump-to-that-one-good-player-we-have, and if there is no drive, the rest of the hyphenated word can't happen.

Offense

Hit Your Open Threes -- When teams that aren't as talented you matchup, they have to give up some element. And, like in every other game we've played all year, they aren't going to give up some dunks by Cole. No, they'll pack in the lane, and make our perimeter shots beat them. It's not a bad strategy. We aren't bad from behind the line, but we certainly aren't good enough to give up one-on-ones with Cole for fear of us hitting the open three. Brady, who hasn't had a big offensive game in awhile, and Tyrel need to step up on Saturday. Mario Little and Marcus Morris have both shown flashes, and if either one can build off of Monday's performance and show up behind the arc, then great. And we all know Sherron's good for three or four. But one of the white boys has to hit a couple, or the game will be closer than it should.
No Turnovers -- Like we mentioned earlier, the Clones just can't turn you over. Can't do it. Haven't been able to do it all year, except against like SIU-Edwardsville, or random-ass teams like that. Against anyone halfway-competent, they won't take it from you. And with how good the rest of their defense is, it will be damn-near impossible to win against them, particularly in Hilton Coliseum and all of that Hilton Magic junk they've got going on, if you consistently turn the ball over. With our young team, it could be an issue, but I expect the two main ball-handlers, Sherron and TyTay, to be fine. Sure, we'll turn the ball over some, but we might need to keep it under ten. Unless we play really good defense, at least.

OK, that's all. After doing that Gameplan section, there isn't too much room left for keys. I'll try to think of some way to combine the two, or something. Oh, well.

All final thoughts, and a prediction, coming tomorrow in the Open Game Thread. I'll be there, and so should you. Show up.

		#1 Dominique Buckley Sophomore Guard 6-2 \| 205 Detroit, Mich. Buckley played in 25 games as a reserve point guard, averaging 1.3 points and 0.8 assists. He logged a career-high 19 minutes vs. Texas A&M, and tallied five points vs. SIU-Edwardsville and Colorado. Buckley also handed out three assists vs. Iowa, Jacksonville State and SIU-Edwardsville.

		#4 Charles Boozer Junior Guard 6-3 \| 195 Raleigh, N.C. Boozer competed in 23 games, giving Iowa State a lift from the bench. He averaged 2.5 points and 1.6 rebounds; shot 37.2 percent from the field, 29.6 percent from 3-point range and 75 percent from the free-throw line; tallied a career-high 11 points vs. Missouri; and grabbed a career-high seven rebounds while logging a career-high 19 minutes vs. Kansas State. (And no, your eyes do not deceive you. Charles is Carlos Boozer's younger brother.)

		#5 Lucca Staiger Junior Guard 6-5 \| 225 Blaustein, Germany Big 12 Rookie of the Week (12/15/08 and 01/12/09) Staiger started 27 games last season, averaging 8.2 points and 2.2 rebounds. He was Iowa State's top long-range shooter, making a team-high 74 treys in 192 attempts. His 74 3-pointers rank seventh on ISU's single-season 3-pointers made list. Staiger averaged 2.3 3-pointers made per game to rank sixth in the Big 12 and seventh on ISU's single-season list. He made a 3-pointer in 26 of 32 games and had 14 games with three or more treys. Staiger had a streak of 16 consecutive games with a 3-pointer, tying for the third-longest stretch in school history. He scored 14 points behind a 4-of-8 effort from downtown vs. Oregon State and poured in a career-high 24 points on 8-of-11 shooting from 3-point range vs. Drake. His eight treys in that game tie for second on ISU's single-game record chart. Staiger tied a Big 12 mark by making seven treys in the first half vs. Drake, tallied 15 points in his Big 12 debut at Texas, drilled six 3-pointers en route to 18 points vs. Nebraska, posted 14 points behind a 4-of-10 effort from long range at Oklahoma State, and was 5-of-9 from downtown and scored 17 points at Nebraska. His 74 treys already rank 18th in school history.

		#10 Diante Garrett Junior Guard 6-4 \| 185 Milwaukee, Wis. World Vision Classic All-Tournament (2008) NSCA All-American (2008) Garrett was one of the Big 12's top playmakers, ranking third in the league and 36th nationally in assists. He totaled 161 assists to rank 14th on Iowa State's single-season assist chart. One of two players to start all 32 games, Garrett was second on the team in scoring and averaged 3.3 rebounds. He led the team in steals with 30, shot 70.7 percent from the free-throw line, ranked 10th in the Big 12 in assist/turnover ratio, handed out five or more assists in 17 of 32 games, led or tied ISU in assists in 22 of 32 games, recorded two double-doubles and four double-digit assist games, and posted a career-high 26 points at Hawai'i, going 10-for-10 from the free-throw line and marking the 16th time in school history where a Cyclone was perfect from the charity stripe with at least 10 attempts. Garrett dished out a career-high 11 assists vs. Loyola Marymount and Missouri, posted a double-double with 17 points and 10 assists against Oklahoma, notched 17 points vs. Texas Tech and made a career-high three treys vs. UW-Milwaukee, en route to 17 points. He currently ranks 18th on ISU's career assist chart.

		#21 Craig Brackins Junior Forward 6-10 \| 230 Palmdale, Calif. First Team All-Big 12 (2009) First Team USBWA All-District VI (2009) First Team NABC All-District 8 (2009) Basketball Times First Team All-Midlands (2009) AP Honorable Mention All-American (2009) Collegehoopsnet.com HM All-American (2009) Kansas City Star All-Big 12 Improved (2009) Big 12 Player of the Week (2009 - three times) MVP of World Vision Classic (2008) Brackins recorded one of the greatest seasons in Iowa State history, earning first-team all-Big 12 and first-team all-District honors from the NABC, USBWA and Basketball Times. He was named honorable mention All-American by the AP, was the first Cyclone to earn first-team all-Big 12 honors since Curtis Stinson in 2006 and was named Big 12 Player of the Week three times. Brackins averaged 20.2 points, ranking second in the Big 12 and 22nd nationally, and 9.5 rebounds to rank third in the Big 12 and 26th nationally. Along with Blake Griffin and Luke Harangody, he was one of three players in the country to rank in the top 30 nationally in both scoring and rebounding. In Big 12 games, Brackins averaged a double-double, scoring 20 or more points in 11 of 16 conference games. He scored a league-high 348 points in Big 12 games, the 10th-best single-season scoring total in league history; posted 19 20-point games and three 30-point outings; tallied 12 20-point/10-rebound games; led ISU in scoring in 21 of the last 23 games and paced the Cyclones in rebounding in the final 18 games; tallied 15 double-doubles to rank fourth in the Big 12; and ended the season ranking in ISU's single season top 11 in four categories: field goals, points, rebounds and double-doubles. Brackins is only the third player in school history to record 600 points and 300 rebounds in a season. His 645 points as a sophomore ranks second on ISU's class list behind Jeff Grayer, who tallied 684 points in his sophomore campaign. He became the 27th member of the 1,000-point club and just the fifth Cyclone in school history to record 1,000 points in their first two seasons. Brackins scored 18 or more points in a half eight times and tallied a double-double by halftime three times. He scored a career-high 42 points vs. Kansas, making 11 of 19 shots from the floor, 3 of 5 from beyond the arc and 17 of 21 from the charity stripe. The 42 points tie for the sixth-best effort by a Big 12 player in league history and are the fourth-best scoring effort in ISU history. His 17 free throws made tie for third best in ISU history. Brackins registered 38 points, including 23 in the second half, on 15-of-23 shooting from the floor at Houston. His 15 field goals made are tied for third-best all-time by a Big 12 player. He scored 32 points in an overtime victory at Northern Iowa and grabbed a career-high 17 boards vs. Jacksonville State.

		#23 Jamie Vanderbeken Senior Forward 6-11 \| 245 Belleville, Ontario Kansas City Star's Big 12 All-Newcomer Team (2009) Iowa State's top reserve in the post, averaging 5.5 points and 3.0 rebounds in 31 games, Vanderbeken led ISU in 3-point percentage, making 35 of 86 shots from beyond the arc. He averaged 6.3 points in Big 12 play, was second on the team in blocks with 21, made 23 of his 35 treys in the last 14 games, had four games with three or more treys, tallied a double-double in his debut with 14 points and 10 boards vs. UC Davis, was 5 of 7 from the field and scored 12 points vs. Oklahoma, tallied 14 points at Kansas State, posted career highs in points and 3-pointers at Kansas, and was 4 of 5 from 3-point range en route to 12 points vs. Oklahoma State in the Big 12 Championship.

		#41 Justin Hamilton Sophomore Center 6-11 \| 255 Alpine, Utah Hamilton had a solid freshman campaign, averaging 4.2 points and 2.9 rebounds. He started 18 games, played in 32 contests and led the Cyclones in field-goal percentage, hitting 57 of 100 shots from the floor. His 57-percent clip from the floor ranks 15th on Iowa State's single-season record chart and second on ISU's freshman list. Hamilton tallied 17 blocks last season. In his first career start, he scored eight points and grabbed a career-high 12 boards in a win at Houston. Hamilton posted a career-high 16 points vs. SIU-Edwardsville and scored 13 points on 6-of-9 shooting from the field at Missouri. He recorded eight points and 10 rebounds at Texas, and posted a career-high three blocks vs. Colorado.

		#2 Chris Colvin Freshman Guard 6-2 \| 195 Chicago, Ill. One of the best guards in the Class of 2009, Colvin was ranked as the 99th-best player in the nation and the 15th-best point guard nationally in the Rivals.com rankings. Scout.com ranked him as the 10th-best point guard in 2009 and he was ranked at No. 77 in the ESPNU final ratings. Colvin was named second-team Class 4A all-state a senior by the AP, and averaged 12.3 ppg and 6.2 assists on one of the best and most balanced prep teams in the nation. His Whitney Young team defeated Waukegan 69-66 in the state championship game to finish the season at 26-9 and win the 2009 Illinois Class 4A state title. He had seven points and a team-high six assists in the state championship game, and scored 14, 20, 12 and 17 points in the four previous postseason tournament games. Colvin averaged 14.1 ppg as a junior, earning all-state honors, and started three years at Whitney Young. He was named as one of the best players at the 2008 Reebok All-American Camp and chose Iowa State over Baylor, Florida State, Illinois, Kentucky, Marquette, Providence, USC and Washington State.

		#3 Marquis Gilstrap Senior Forward 6-6 \| 210 Covington, Ga. Gilstrap emerged as one of the best junior college players in the nation in his one season at Gulf Coast, averaging 22.6 points and 10.1 rebounds for one of the biggest surprise teams in junior college. He earned honorable mention All- America honors by the NJCAA, was rated as the 26th-best player in the class of 2009 by ESPN.com, and ranked 10th nationally in scoring and 20th in the nation in rebounding in the final NJCAA statistical rankings. Gilstrap shot 48.3 percent from the field, 40.9 percent from 3-point range and 74.8 percent from the free-throw line at Gulf Coast, was named Panhandle Conference Player of the Year and first-team team all-Panhandle Conference, and was a first-team All-FCCAA honoree. He led his team to a 24-9 overall record and a spot in the state final, where GCCC lost to No. 1-ranked Chipola JC 68-65 to miss out at a chance for the national tournament. Gilstrap also scored 27 points to help his squad defeat No. 3 Miami Dade in the first round of the state playoffs, and averaged 24.6 points and 10.3 rebounds to earn FCCAA All-Tournament team honors. He had seven 30+ scoring games and participated in the 2009 NJCAA All-Star Basketball Classic.

		#12 Alex Dorr Freshman Forward 6-7 \| 215 Norwalk, Iowa Dorr joins the Cyclones as a recruited walk-on. He averaged 20.2 points and 9.3 rebounds while earning Class 3A first-team all-state honors from both the Iowa Newspaper Association and The Des Moines Register as a senior. Dorr led Norwalk to its first-ever state championship game in 2009. The team finished the season with a 24-3 record. He scored 23 points and grabbed nine boards vs. Dubuque Wahlert in the first round of the state tournament, and averaged 18.9 points and 11.2 rebounds as a junior, earning second-team all-state honors.

		#15 Antwon Oliver Freshman Guard 6-5 \| 175 Racine, Wis. Oliver earned honorable mention all-state and third-team all-area honors as a senior, and developed into one of the best players in Wisconsin in his last year, leading his Horlick team to the Division 1 state championship game. He was ranked as the 13th-best player in the state of Wisconsin and averaged 16.3 points, 6.4 rebounds, 3.0 assists and hit 45 treys as a senior. Horlick went 24-2 and lost in the state final to Madison Memorial, 56-41. Oliver led his team with 13 points in the state championship game and was invited to play in the 2009 Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association Boy's All-Star game. He averaged 12.5 points as a junior and 5.1 points as a sophomore.

		#22 LaRon Dendy Junior Forward 6-9 \| 225 Greenville, S.C. Dendy played two years at Indian Hills Community College in Ottumwa, Iowa, and was rated as the 57th-best player in the preseason 2008-09 Juco Junction rankings. He averaged 8.5 points and 6.3 rebounds as a freshman, earning honorable mention All-Region XI honors, but suffered a stress fracture in his sophomore season and saw limited action, averaging 8.1 points and 4.1 rebounds and shooting 63.3 percent from the field in nine games. Ranked as one of the top post players in the Class of 2007, Dendy was rated as the 63rd-best player in the nation and the 17th-best power forward in the Rivals.com Class of 2007, and was the seventh-best player in the Southeast Region in 2007. He originally committed to Clemson, but opted to go to junior college.

		#25 Bubu Palo Freshman Guard 6-1 \| 175 Ames, Iowa Palo is a recruited walk-on. He was the starting point guard on Ames' 2009 Class 4A state championship team, which finished the season with a perfect 26-0 mark. Palo started his last two seasons at point guard, averaged 9.1 points as a senior to earn second-team All-CIML honors, had a 3.34 assist/turnover ratio and shot 52.0 percent from the field. He scored 11 points in Ames' state championship game win over Linn-Mar and was an honorable mention all-conference pick as a junior.