SB Nation - Drake Bulldogs

RPI WATCH: 12/12/09

BracketCat — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 22:30:20 -0000

RPI should continue to rise, with our opponents going 2-1 Friday night. And so far, everything is going our way today, as well — more on that in tomorrow's installment of RPI WATCH.

Results after the jump.

Current Kansas State Record = 8-1

Current Kansas State RPI = 6

Current Kansas State SOS = 8

Great Wins (RPI 1-50) = Loyola, Dayton

Solid Wins (RPI 51-100) = IUPUI, Xavier

Bad Losses (RPI 100 or greater) = none

Loyola (5-2, 1-1) | RPI = 30
Western Illinois (4-5, 0-2) | RPI = 307
Boston (3-6) | RPI = 156
Ole Miss (7-1) | RPI = 18
Dayton (7-2) | RPI = 24: Win over Old Dominion (58-50)
IUPUI (7-3, 2-0) | RPI = 60
No. 22* FHSU (7-1)
Washington State (7-2) | RPI = 151
Xavier (5-3) | RPI = 68
No. 24 UNLV (7-0) | RPI = 12
Alabama (6-2) | RPI = 82
UAPB (0-6) | RPI = 273
Cleveland State (3-6, 0-2) | RPI = 222
South Dakota (5-4) | RPI = 119: Loss at Drake (96-81)
Missouri (5-3) | RPI = 99
No. 16 Texas A&M (8-1) | RPI = 21
Colorado (6-4) | RPI = 229
No. 2 Texas (7-0) | RPI = 3
Oklahoma State (7-1) | RPI = 26
Baylor (7-1) | RPI = 105
No. 1 Kansas (8-0) | RPI = 45
Nebraska (6-2) | RPI = 192
Iowa State (7-3) | RPI = 155: Win over Iowa (81-71)
Oklahoma (6-3) | RPI = 210
No. 23 Texas Tech (9-0) | RPI = 18

*Division II Top 25

Defend That, Digger! Week 1 (and a non-conference update)

BoilerTMill — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 02:55:49 -0000

More photos » by Keith Srakocic - AP

Big East basketball fever: Where offensive ineptitude happens. The 22 combined points were the fewest in a first half of a Division I game since the shot clock era began in 1985, when there was a 45-second clock, rather than the 35-second clock adopted in 1993. The teams broke the previous record held by Mississippi (15 points) and South Carolina (13 points), which combined for 28 points on Jan. 8, 2003. South Carolina ended up winning that game 55-49, but Pittsburgh won this one, 47-32. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)

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As promised, it is the premier of what will hopefully be a pretty regular weekly feature. Defend That, Digger is meant to make fun of our Big East and ACC brethren, showing them that defense is not a bad thing and that they aren't exactly the greatest teams in the country because the Worldwide Leader in Hyperbole says they are. Here is this week's exhibit A:

Pittsburgh 47, New Hampshire 32 - I thought the Big East was all about offense? Don't they have so much talent they can score 100 on anyone in the country? Pittsburgh was a #1 seed in last season's tournament (one of three from the all-powerful Big East). Now they are struggling against the Wildcats of New Hampshire. New Hampshire is one of the oldest teams in college basketball, yet they have never made an NCAA or NIT Tournament. In this game they scored just seven points in the first half, yet trailed by eight.

That's right, the halftime score was 15-7.

No, this was not football.

I know Pittsburgh is racked with injuries, but 15-7? From a former number one seed? Defend That, Digger!

Exhibit B:

Connecticut - The Huskies get called not for one game, but four. They have struggled with the NCAA powers Harvard (79-73) Hofstra (76-67), and William & Mary (75-66) this year. That is sure going to prepare them for the grueling Big East schedule. They are also currently ranked 13^th, though something tells me when they play real teams that won't last long. Defend That, Digger!

Exhibit C:

William & Mary 78, Wake Forest 68 - This is the second appearance by the Tribe on here, so they might be a legitimately good team. Still, there is absolutely no excuse for Wake Forest, who was #1 at one point last season, to trail by double digits for most of a game at home against William & Mary. Wake is a legitimately good team. I have seen them in person now. But there is no defense for this. Defend That, Digger!

Exhibit D:

Illinois 76, Clemson 74 - A prime example here. Illinois used, imagine this, solid second half defense to overcome a 23 point deficit and give the Big Ten the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. Oh, and they did it on the road in an imposing ACC gym. There is no excuse for ever blowing a 23 point second half lead at home. Ever. Clemson, you are a pretend ACC program. You always will be. Defend That, Digger!

Exhibit E:

UNC-Charlotte 87, Louisville 65 - The Big East's third number one seed from last season lost by 22 at home. This isn't UNC. This is UNC-Charlotte, a State-City school that while decent, should never beat a #16 team on its home floor by 22 points. Maybe Rick Pitino should watch some game film of the 49ers instead of boinking Louisville-area waitresses. At least he gets a slight discount at Applebee's. Defend That, Digger!

Exhibit F:

Notre Dame - Because playing a "National Schedule" of North Florida, St. Francis (PA), Long Beach State, Liberty, Kennesaw State, Idaho State, and Central Florida is much better than developing "tradition" and "natural rivalries." I though the Irish valued tradition. Defend That, Digger!

The comments are now open for Big East and ACC bashing

Enough laughing at the greatest conferences in the world. Let's see what our own non-conference opponents are doing to help our resumes.

Cal State Northridge (4-4) - The Matadors have played quite a vagabond schedule as a low-major. They have played just twice in their home gym so far, but are a respectable 4-4. Among their wins is a 95-93 win over Idaho. The Vandals responded by crushing Portland by 20 (the same Portland that made a big run in the '76 classic over UCLA and Minnesota). Northridge's most recent game was a respectable 8-point loss at Washington.

South Dakota State (3-5, 1-1 Summit) - The Jackrabbits have already begun conference play with a 1-1 record. The beat Western Illinois, but lost by 22 at conference leader IUPUI. The Western Illinois win was their first since before heading to the Virgin Islands.

St. Joseph's (3-4) - Since starting the year 3-0 and upsetting Boston College in the Paradise Jam the Hawks haven't done much. They followed up their loss to us with a loss to DePaul. They then dropped consecutive road contests to Rider and Cornell by a combined 20 points. They could do us a big favor in their next game by upsetting #3 Villanova Wednesday night.

Tennessee (6-1) - The Volunteers are maintaining their ranking, but they haven't played anyone. College of Charleston and East Tennessee State are their latest victims, but us and maybe DePaul remain their only true competition.

Central Michigan (3-5) - The Chips had a dominant 78-40 win at home against Chicago State, but lost 75-62 at Illinois State this weekend. Expect the losses to pile up. They don't play at home against until January 13^th against Ball State.

Wake Forest (5-2) - I thought the losses would pile up a bit after the underwhelming performance against William & Mary, but Wake followed up their loss to us with a very nice 77-75 win at Gonzaga. Going cross-country like that is not an easy trip. Beating the Bulldogs in their house is even tougher. They have interesting non-conference games coming up against Xavier and a tough Richmond squad.

Buffalo (3-3) - We all know what happened in their last game. They get a regional rivalry this week against a tough low-major in Niagara. Sadly, that may be the best team they have left on the schedule.

Valparaiso (3-5, 0-1 Horizon) - Valparaiso may have played the toughest schedule in the country lately. We're the fourth preseason top 10 team they will play. Their only Division 1 win was over Georgia Southern, but they played North Carolina to an 11 point game. They also lost to Michigan State by 30 and Butler by 17. Watch out for Kokomo Wildkat Brandon Wood, who averages 22 per game and had 30 against North Carolina.

Alabama (6-2) - This is shaping up to be an interesting game. The Crimson Tide dropped its opener to Cornell (who also beat St. Joseph's). They also lost a neutral site game to a decent Florida State team. Their best win? 68-66 over Michigan. Stay tuned for more this week on them and Valpo with appropriate previews this week.

Ball State (2-3) - The Cardinals haven't played in a week, but have lost three straight to Butler, UC Davis, and Temple. They do have wins over common opponents Valparaiso and SIU-Edwardsville.

Southern Illinois-Edwardsville (2-6) - The Cougars have played the vagabond schedule of an independent, but they won two in a row over Drake and Texas-Arlington after an 0-6 start. This is easily the weakest team on our schedule. They opened the year with a 96-69 loss at Illinois.

West Virginia (5-0) - The Mountaineers are ranked just behind us in the AP poll. They won the '76 Classic against an impressive field (though Texas A&M was their toughest game). Like us, they open conference play with a home game (Marquette) before our New Year's Day game. A very interesting trip to a dangerous Cleveland State on December 19^th could stand between them and an unbeaten record when they face us.

RPI WATCH: 11/23/09

BracketCat — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 01:00:13 -0000

Well, it's officially basketball season here at BOTC, so I'm going to try and get some basketball-related stuff on here on a more consistent basis. Big 12 Outlook will return after New Year's, but in the meantime, I need to resume the Big 12 previews and shift them into overdrive a little in order to make up for lost time.

The other thing I want to do is update you on all of our opponents on a daily basis. I'll look at how they performed in yesterday's games and maybe track the RPIs a little, too. The idea is to get a general picture, on a day-to-day basis, of how strong our non-conference schedule is, because I've seen some concern from various corners of late.

For a more detailed discussion, hit the jump. But here's a short preview: We did ourselves a lot of good in Puerto Rico.

Here's how our opponents have performed to date, in order to provide a baseline comparison and bring everyone up to speed. (After all, not everyone has been paying attention to hoops like I have, given our North-contending football team and what have you.)

Kansas State RPI = 28

Great Wins (RPI 1-50) = Dayton

Good Wins (RPI 51-100) = Loyola

Bad Losses (RPI 100 or greater) = none

Loyola (2-1) | RPI = 64: Loss at Kansas State (92-54), Win over Canisius (89-69), Win at Holy Cross (76-73)
Western Illinois (2-2) | RPI = 112: Loss at Arizona State (87-35), Loss at Kansas State (82-50), Win over Truman State (71-59), Win at Central Arkansas (56-46)
Boston (1-4) | RPI = 141: Loss at Iona (82-73), Loss to George Washington (69-59), Loss to Kansas State (80-70), Win over Indiana (71-67), Loss to No. 21 Georgia Tech (85-67)
Ole Miss (4-1) | RPI = 76: Win over UALR (92-64), Win over Alabama State (90-53), Win over Indiana (89-71), Win over Kansas State (86-74), Loss to No. 5 Villanova (79-67)
No. 18 Dayton (2-2) | RPI = 32: Win over Creighton (90-80), Win over No. 21 Georgia Tech (63-59), Loss to No. 5 Villanova (71-65), Loss to Kansas State (83-75)
IUPUI (4-1) | RPI = 75: Win at Drake (88-82), Win at Eastern Illinois (69-66), Win over Austin Peay (77-63), Loss at Auburn (80-65), Win over Georgia State (67-56)
Fort Hays State (2-0) | RPI = N/A (D-II): Win over Friends (82-46), Win over Central Christian College (85-66)
Washington State (3-0) | RPI = 140: Win over MVSU (94-66), Win over Eastern Washington (67-61), Win over IPFW (89-70)
Xavier (3-0) | RPI = 79: Win over Youngstown State (83-57), Win over Bowling Green (101-57), Win over Sacred Heart (105-65)
UNLV (3-0) | RPI = 1: Win over Pittsburg State (91-52), Win over Nevada (88-75), Win over Southern Illinois (78-69)
Alabama (2-1) | RPI = 186: Loss to Cornell (71-67), Win over Jackson State (86-69), Win over Providence (84-75)
UAPB (0-3) | RPI = 166: Loss at Colorado (88-72), Loss at Denver (75-56), Loss at UTEP (70-52)
Cleveland State (3-1) | RPI = 260: Loss at St. Bonaventure (72-62), Win over Wilmington (99-74), Win over Florida A&M (78-64), Win over Sam Houston State (80-65)
South Dakota (2-2) | RPI = N/A (D-I transition): Loss at Texas Tech (88-49), Loss to Oregon State (62-47), Win over TAMUCC (76-73), Win over Mayville State (99-67)
Missouri (2-0) | RPI = 280: Win over UT Martin (83-68), Win over UTPA (100-64)
Texas A&M (3-0) | RPI = 135: Win over Angelo State (88-69), Win at SMU (80-68), Win over Samford (68-49)
Colorado (3-0) | RPI = 128: Win over UAPB (88-72), Win over Coppin State (82-58), Win over Texas Southern (88-77)
No. 3 Texas (2-0) | RPI = 17: Win over UC Irvine (89-42), Win over Western Carolina (73-41)
Oklahoma State (3-0) | RPI = 21: Win over Seattle (86-64), Win over Southern (93-61), Win over North Texas (82-68)
Baylor (4-0) | RPI = 60: Win over Norfolk State (86-58), Win over Hartford (71-69), Win over Southern (61-45), Win over Hardin-Simmons (106-45)
No. 1 Kansas (3-0) | RPI = 46: Win over Hofstra (101-65), Win over Memphis (57-55), Win over Central Arkansas (94-44)
Nebraska (2-1) | RPI = 134: Win over SCUU (76-49), Loss at Saint Louis (69-55), Win over TCU (90-77)
Iowa State (4-0) | RPI = 188: Win over Idaho State (88-68), Win over Chicago State (72-50), Win at Drake (90-70), Win over MVSU (96-55)
No. 17 Oklahoma (2-1) | RPI = 65: Win over Mount St. Mary's (95-71), Win over UL Monroe (72-61), Loss at VCU (82-69)
Texas Tech (5-0) | RPI = 86: Win over South Dakota (88-49), Win over TAMUCC (66-59), Win over Oregon State (64-60), Win over Northwestern State (94-75), Win over Lamar (77-54)

My plan is to update this daily with the games are played the previous day, and I'll probably start looking at RPIs some time after Thanksgiving (they're pretty meaningless before that point due to the disparity in scheduling).

Update: Got bored and added the RPIs around midnight. I'll save the analysis for tomorrow's edition.

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

29 days 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.

MBB '09-'10 Game #3: Drake Preview

Mark Kieffer — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 03:53:23 -0000

Drake, Drake, Drake. I can tell you something. I absolutely HATE that we have lost three straight games to this program. It makes me sick. A couple of years ago when Drake was magical and we sucked? Ok fine, but that should be every-once-in-a-while, not every fricking year!

The game tips off at 7:00pm at the Knapp Center, and can be seen on Mediacom Connections Channel 22. It's going to look like a high school game feed, but it's better than nothing. You can also pony up some $$ and watch the game on Clone Zone.

Josh Young may miss this game, but that doesn't mean Drake would have no chance. Drake did drop 82 points without him. It was against IUPUI, but still. We are going to have to play more like Friday than we did on Sunday.

Still, it's early in the season with Drake having played one game, and they have a lot of young players. It's hard to say if this team is a good offensive team, or if it was just one good game in that respect. A guy to watch for is Arkansas-State transfer Ryan Wedel. He scored 23 and went 4 of 6 from beyond the arc.

Also, Dendy is out until the Chicago Tournament. It stinks because he's a high energy guy, and that's the type of guy you want to have playing on your team on the road.

What I'm going to be looking for is how this team starts to begin the half. Both games thus far we've gotten off to a slow start, and that is a recipe for bad things when you're playing away from home. Also, we've been pretty sloppy at times. All of these things can be corrected. It's just based on focus, and not trying to do too much. Do what the coaching staff is telling you to do, play your game, and the rest of it will be taken care of.

I have confidence that these guys will be ready to go. I'm sure guys like Brackins and DG are tired of losing to this team every year they've been in the program. I hope to see some improvement, and also to see the Knapp Center full of ISU fans. I will be there doing my part, and hopefully some of you are too!

Go Cyclones!

Mid-Major Coach Sit Down: Kareem Richardson - Drake University

aGent37 — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 13:00:26 -0000

Mid-Major Madness sits down with Drake University assistant coach Kareem Richardson this week to get inside the mind of a MVC coaching veteran.

MMM: What are the expectations for the Drake basketball program heading into the 2009-10 season?

Kareem: We are trying to cultivate a very high standard for our guys and program here at Drake. We want to strive for perfection to achieve excellence while maintaining the standard of our personal and collective best in everything we do. Our expectation is excellence or at worse case each individual player's best each game. If we can get that done then at the end of the year, we as a team, will meet our expectations.

MMM: What's the one player on the team who, if steps up and plays at his best, will propel your team to success this season?

Kareem: Entering this season we will have ten guys on our roster that have never played a college basketball game. We will need our four seniors to demonstrate an outstanding amount of leadership. Also, we need our new players to be able to accept the senior leadership and have great preparation and focus during practices. We aren't counting on one player to propel us to success; we are counting on a collective effort.

MMM: Are there any parallels between your days as a player and now, as a coach?

Kareem: The biggest parallel between my days as a player and now as a coach is the competitive fire! I love competition and the preparation that goes into playing an upcoming opponent.

MMM: What was it like playing in an NCAA Tournament? Coaching in one?

Kareem: There hasn't been a better feeling or satisfaction in college basketball than playing and coaching in the NCAA Tournament! The experience of being an active participant in arguably sports most exciting time of the year is really indescribable.

MMM: What motivated you to get into coaching and has your experience in the business changed your outlook on the profession?

Kareem: My Dad played basketball and then eventually coached basketball when I was growing up so it seemed almost inevitable that I would coach basketball. It really excites me to share my knowledge of the game of basketball to others. I have a tremendous love and passion for the game so when the opportunity to share my knowledge of the game and to help influence young men in a positive manner coaching became a no brainer.

Now in my 13th year in college basketball there have been different experiences that I've learned from whether those experiences have been good or bad. College basketball as whole is somewhat different from when I first started in the profession but it hasn't changed my outlook on the profession. My outlook still remains the same, if I can continue to share my basketball knowledge and continue to be a positive influence to young men then everything else will take care of itself.

Preseason Mid-Major Top 25 via CollegeInsider.com

aGent37 — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 14:19:23 -0000

Less than one week after being ranked No. 10 in the Associated Press Poll, Butler earns the top spot in the preseason Mid-Major Top 25.

The Bulldogs, who finished last season with a 26-6 record and a No. 4 ranking in the final Mid-Major poll of the season, received 28 of the 31 first place votes. No. 2 ranked Gonzaga received two first place votes and No. 3 ranked Siena received the other. Rounding out the top five are Northern Iowa and Western Kentucky.

Old Dominion, which won the inaugural CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament, headlines the next five, followed by Creighton, Akron, Wright State and Niagara.

The Horizon League, Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference and Missouri Valley Conference each boast two teams among the top 10, while the Colonial Athletic Association leads all conferences with four teams ranked in the first Top 25 of the season.

The MAAC, Missouri Valley and West Coast Conference have three teams in the rankings.

"I'm excited to be a part of the top 25 panel and want to ensure that all the deserving teams are recognized as the season unfolds," says Santa Clara coach Kerry Keating. "With a number of teams already considered among the country's best heading in, this promises to be a great year for teams across the country."

Keating has been named as the chairman of the voting panel, which includes eight new voters. Rick Byrd (Belmont), Anthony Evans (Norfolk State), Mike Gillian (Longwood), Dick Hunsaker (Utah Valley), Eddie Jackson (American), Rick Scruggs (Gardner-Webb), Wayne Tinkle (Montana) and Ernie Zeigler (Central Michigan) will each cast a weekly vote during the 2009-10 season.

Teams considered for the Mid-Major Top 25 come from 23 conferences or leagues including the Great West Conference and the Independents.

		Record	Points	Previous
1.	Butler (28)	0-0	770	-
2.	Gonzaga (2)	0-0	699	-
3.	Siena (1)	0-0	699	-
4.	Northern Iowa	0-0	612	-
5.	Western Kentucky	0-0	585	-
6.	Old Dominion	0-0	580	-
7.	Creighton	0-0	568	-
8.	Akron	0-0	444	-
9.	Wright State	0-0	377	-
10.	Niagara	0-0	366	-
11.	VCU	0-0	313	-
12.	George Mason	0-0	304	-
13.	Northeastern	0-0	298	-
14.	Oakland	0-0	288	-
15.	Portland	0-0	285	-
16.	Illinois State	0-0	236	-
17.	College of Charleston	0-0	230	-
18.	Cornell	0-0	215	-
19.	Rider	0-0	190	-
20.	Long Beach State	0-0	171	-
21.	South Alabama	0-0	166	-
22.	Boston University	0-0	114	-
23.	St. Mary's	0-0	105	-
24.	Davidson	0-0	102	-
25.	Radford	0-0	99	-

OTHERS RECEIVING VOTES: North Texas 84, Cleveland State 82, Troy 77, Kent State 76, Jacksonville 72, UC Santa Barbara 69, Southern Illinois 64, Morehead State 61, Wichita State 58, Sam Houston State 57, Holy Cross 50, Weber State 50, Buffalo 44, Vermont 44, Morgan State 38, Mount St Mary's 38, Wisconsin Milwaukee 36, Bradley 24, Stephen F Austin 15, American 14, East Tennessee State 14, Denver 13, Murray State 13, North Dakota State 14, Middle Tennessee State 11, UW-Milwaukee 10, Miami 9, Montana State 9, Portland State 9, San Diego 9, UNC Asheville 9, Western Carolina 9, Wisconsin Green-Bay 8, Appalachian State 7, Norfolk State 7, Cal State Northridge 6, Indiana State 6, South Dakota 6, South Carolina State 5, Montana 4, St Peters 4, Belmont 3, Lehigh 3, Arkansas Little Rock 2, Chicago State 2, Princeton 2, Santa Clara 2, SE Louisiana 2, Central Michigan 1, Detroit 1, Jackson State 1, Longwood 1, Quinnipiac 1, Texas A&M CC 1, Texas San Antonio 1, Wofford 1.

VOTING PANEL: Randy Bennett (St. Mary's), Will Brown (Albany), Rick Byrd (Belmont), Dave Calloway (Monmouth), Kermit Davis (Middle Tennessee), Steve Donahue (Cornell), Anthony Evans (Norfolk State), James Fox (Davidson), Mike Gillian (Longwood), Steve Hawkins (Western Michigan), Dick Hunsaker (Utah Valley), Eddie Jackson (American), Kerry Keating (Santa Clara) *, Billy Kennedy (Murray State), Tod Kowalczyk (UW-Green Bay), Jim Larranaga (George Mason), Jim Les (Bradley), Mike Lonergan (Vermont), Bob Marlin (Sam Houston State), Gregg Marshall (Wichita State), Tom Moore (Quinnipiac), Jimmy Patsos (Loyola MD), Tom Pecora (Hofstra), Vann Pettaway (Alabama A&M), Rick Scruggs (Gardner-Webb), John Shulman (Chattanooga), Brad Stevens (Butler), Gary Stewart (UC Davis), Scott Sutton (Oral Roberts), Wayne Tinkle (Montana), Ernie Zeigler (Central Michigan)

* Santa Clara head coach Kerry Keating is the chairman of the Top 25 voting panel for the 2008-09 season.

BtB 2009-10 Missouri Valley Conference Preview

Chris Dobbertean — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 17:00:26 -0000

Northern Iowa was the only Valley team to make the NCAAs last season. Drake, in their only season under Keno Davis, was the only MVC squad to make it in 2008. For those of you (like me) who keep track of this kind of stuff, that's not a good trend for a conference that's used to multiple bids.

"Wait!," you say. "The Valley is a one-bid league. 2006 was an aberration."

If you look at the numbers, they tell a very different story.

In the first decade of the new century, the only two seasons when the MVC received a single bid were the last two. Sure, in some cases, one of the two bids was a bid thief who deprived a bubble team of a slot, most notably UNI's entry as 14 seed in 2004. But in most years, the Valley's entrants repaid the Committee's faith in the conference, with MVC teams recording a single win in 2001 and 2005 and multiple victories in 2002, 2006, and 2007.

The Valley even started building a reputation in the final years of the 20th century. The MVC earned multiple bids in '94, '95, '96, and '99, finishing with a .500 mark in all of those years, except for '96. Former league member Tulsa represented the conference in the Regional Semis in '94 and '95, while Missouri State reached that stage in 1999.

So, over the past 16 tournaments ('94-'09), the MVC has been a multi-bid league 12 times. The challenge for this year is to make it 13 out of 17. To help reach this goal, the conference has even entered into a challenge series with the Mountain West this year in a bid to schedule some exciting matchups and generate more attention for both leagues. (Go here to see the matchups.)

More on the teams who will attempt to make the Valley a multi-bid league again after the jump.

Let's begin with a look at the final 2008-09 Missouri Valley standings.

Missouri Valley Conference Standings

(updated 3.31.2009 at 10:55 PM EDT)

	Conf		Overall
	W	L	W	L
Creighton Bluejays	14	4	27	8
Northern Iowa Panthers	14	4	23	11
Illinois St. Redbirds	11	7	24	10
Bradley Braves	10	8	21	15
Evansville Aces	8	10	17	14
Wichita St. Shockers	8	10	17	17
Southern Illinois Salukis	8	10	13	18
Drake Bulldogs	7	11	17	16
Indiana St. Sycamores	7	11	11	21
Missouri St Bears	3	15	11	20

Now here are my picks for the 2009-10 season, presented in reverse order.

Evansville (last NCAA: 1999) The Aces climbed their way up to the middle of the Valley pack after spending most of the decade in the bottom three, but it looks very much like Marty Simmons' team will sink right back down to the bottom due to some significant losses. Most of the Aces offense has moved on, double-figure scorers Shy Ely, Jason Holsinger, and Nate Garner graduated, and freshman point guard Kaylon Williams, a truly talented passer, transferred. So, Simmons' two newcomers with experience, Valparaiso transfer Bryan Bouchie, a 6-10 center, and 6-0 point guard Monie Hudson, a late JC signee, will have to contribute immediately for UE to avoid the basement. The Purple Aces don't face a BCS school this year, but they host Butler and visit Western Kentucky.

Drake (last NCAA: 2008) The Bulldogs went from winning 15 regular season MVC games, sweeping the league's regular season and tournament crowns, and losing to WKU on a buzzer beater in the first round of the NCAAs in '08 to losing 11 league games, falling out of the MVC tournament in the first round, and losing to Idaho in the dying moments of the CollegeInsider tournament in '09. Second-leading scorer and leading rebounder Jonathan Cox (12.5 ppg, 8.5 rpg) is gone, but the backcourt is solid with seniors Josh Young (15.4 ppg) and Craig Stanley (7.9 ppg, 3.8 apg) back. They'll be supported by two intriguing newcomers, Arkansas State transfer Ryan Wedel (15.1 ppg in '07-08) and point guard Frank Wiseler, a point guard from (wait for it) Luxembourg. The frontcourt is a major area of concern for Mark Phelps, however. He'll need more out of 6-6 Adam Templeton (5.5 ppg, 3.8 rpg) and will have to plug in 6-8 freshman Ben Simons immediately. Besides hosting Iowa State and traveling to Iowa, the Bulldogs will participate in the Glenn Wilkes Classic. They'll host IUPUI and take on Akron, UCF, and Georgia Statein Daytona Beach.

Missouri State (last NCAA: 1999) The Bears opened up their new arena, the JQH Center, with a new coach at the helm, Quonzo Martin. The highlight of the year was an upset of Arkansas to christen the new building, but the rest of the season was disappointing, as Missouri State only managed to win 10 more times. Forwards Chris Cooks and Wayne Knapp, who combined to average over 21 points and 10 boards a game are gone, but the Bears have a lot of hope thanks to a good mix of newcomers and returnees. The National JC Player of the Year, Nafis Ricks, a 6-2 guard who averaged over 17 points a game and nearly 6 assists per contest is now on board, as are Eastern Kentucky transfer Adam Leonard, a 3-point sharpshooter; Jermaine Mallett, another JC transfer who can score; and 7-foot center Caleb Patterson, a transfer from Colorado. They'll join key returnees F Kyle Weems (10.2 ppg, 4.9 rpg), G Justin Fuehrmeyer (4.7 ppg, 2.8 apg), C Will Creekmore (7.7 ppg, 5.7 rpg), G Cardell McFarland (6.9 ppg), and F Ryan Jehle (4.9 ppg). If Martin can get some more production out of his returnees (especially on the offensive end, where they struggled) and integrate the newcomers quickly, the Bears could really surprise. Missouri State welcomes Auburn to the JQH Center this year.

Indiana State (last NCAA: 2001) Kevin McKenna's side 2008-09 campaign started badly, as they dropped 19 of their first 23. But there were two glimmers of hope during that span, a double OT win over UNI in Cedar Falls and a home win over Illinois State. The Sycamores ended up winning 7 of their last 9, completing the sweep over the Redbirds, sweeping Missouri State, and winning a game in the Valley tournament. Indiana State may be able to carry that momentum into this year, as four starters return, led by the backcourt of Rashad Reed (11 ppg) and Harry Marshall (13.6 pgg). They'll get some help from the addition of Louisiana Tech transfer Dwayne Lathan. McKenna has some issues in the frontcourt as 6-8 Jay Tunnell (12.5 ppg, 6.2 rpg) has graduated. 6-5 swingman Carl Richard showed he can be a force, but ISU may need 6-10 Brant Leitnaker, 6-8 Isiah Martin, or 6-11 Josh Crawford to step up inside. The Sycamores are in the NIT Season Tip-Off where they're in a challenging regional. They face hosts LSU first, then either Milwaukee or WKU.

Wichita State (last NCAA: 2006) The Shockers finished at .500 overall last year, 8-10 in the MVC, but it could have been a much better season. They were doomed by a 0-6 start to the Valley season, granted most of those losses weren't close. Still, a two-point home loss to Bradley and a five-point away loss to Drake are games Gregg Marshall's team wishes they had back (as is the 13-point loss at Missouri State). It wasn't a good start for a team that actually knocked off Siena at the Old Spice Classic, one of the most thrilling games I saw all year. However, the Shockers recovered enough to win a game in the Valley tournament (over Missouri State) and in the CBI (over Buffalo). Marshall brings back most of his key performers from last season, including his starting backcourt of Clevin Hannah (11.2 ppg, 4.3 apg) and Toure' Murry (11 ppg, 3.8 rpg). The frontcourt is a bit thin on experience, but the presence 6-7 J.T. Durley (8.9 ppg, 4.4 rpg) provides a solid foundation. The Shockers' scorelines show their main issue, plenty of defense, but not enough scoring. If Marshall can get more points, they'll contend for a tourney bid. WSU will open their season in the CBE Classic. They'll face Pitt in Kansas City, then either Iowa or Texas.

Bradley (last NCAA: 2006) Typical of teams who finish their league seasons at 10-8, Jim Les' Braves lacked consistency last season. They only managed two sweeps, Indiana State and Wichita State, while they were swept by Creighton and Northern Iowa. Still, 10 league and 18 overall wins got the Braves into the CollegeInsider tournament, where they fell to Old Dominion in the final. Now, Bradley must try to improve on that showing without last year's leading scorer Theron Wilson (14 ppg, 7.3 rpg). His departure leaves the frontcourt thin (which is a common thread in the Valley this year). That means 6-6 Taylor Brown and 6-9 Will Eglof, who's coming off an ACL injury, will have to be more productive this season. The backcourt, led by Sam Maniscalco (12.6 ppg, 3.1 apg) and Andrew Warren (13.2 ppg) , who's returning from a stress fracture in his foot, is in much better shape. The Braves will be challenged by a schedule that features a trip to BYU for the MVC/MWC Challenge, and games against Oklahoma State and either Illinois or Utah at the Thanksgiving Las Vegas Invitational.

Southern Illinois (last NCAA: 2007) Last year, the Salukis not only missed the NCAAs for the second year in a row, after a streak of six straight tournaments from 2002-07 (which included two Sweet 16 appearances), they suffered their first losing season since 1998. They did win 8 Valley games, but much like in the case of Wichita State, they could've done so much more, particularly in a span from January 31 to February 21 when they dropped 5 of 6 league contests and a BracketBuster against Illinois-Chicago. Chris Lowery's side will have to try to rebound without two key starters forward Tony Boyle (9.4 ppg, 5.4 rpg) and defensively-minded guard Bryan Mullins. The Salukis get their two leading scorers, sophomore guard Kevin Dillard (12.2 ppg) and 6-8 F Carlton Fay (10.4 ppg, 4.6 rpg), back, and they'll be joined by some interesting newcomers, led by Iowa transfer Tony Freeman, who will help Dillard out in the backcourt, and 6-9 C Gene Teague. SIU will need his help to get a boost in their inside scoring to rise up the standings. SIU travels to Las Vegas twice, once to face UNLV, and again to face San Diego and San Francisco in a neutral site event.

Creighton (last NCAA: 2007) I actually had the Blue Jays as my "Last Team In" last season, figuring the Committee would pull an "Air Force in '06" and surprise us all with the last 12 or an at-large 13. If I would've stuck with my own numbers, I would've put Arizona in and been perfect on at-larges for two years in a row. C'est la vie. This year, the Jays look like a team who could be on the bubble again. Dana Altman has two significant holes to fill, as not only is point guard Josh Dotzler (3 ppg, 3.5 apg) gone, but Booker Woodfox (15.8 ppg, 47.6% from 3) is no longer there to make pressure shots for Creighton. Expect P'Allen Stinnett, who averaged 12.5 points per game last year, to have an even bigger impact this season, along with swingman Justin Carter (8.1 ppg, 5.5 rpg)--one of the better defenders on the team, sharpshooter Kaleb Korver (3.7 ppg), Cavel Witter (7.7 ppg), and Antoine Young (4.9 ppg). The frontcourt is a bit thin on experience, especially as backup center Kenton Walker transferred after last year. Starting C Kenny Lawson (8.5 ppg, 4.8 rpg) can be a force, while 6-6 JC transfer Wayne Runnels, 6-7 frosh Ethan Wragge, and 6-8 senior Chad Millard will need to provide substantial levels of support to take the scoring load off the perimeter players. The Jays travel to Disney World for the Old Spice Classic, where they open against Michigan, with Marquette or Xavier to follow in their second game. Creighton also visits Dayton and George Mason, in what should in an interesting non-BCS triangular series.

Illinois State (last NCAA: 1998) The Redbirds have been close to breaking down the Tournament doors the past two years, but their non-conference schedule has been criticized heavily during both seasons. Last year, Illinois State skidded at the end of the year, losing badly at Niagara in a BracketBuster, then dropping two heartbreakers to their main league rivals. They recovered to make the Valley final, where, despite Osiris Eldridge's best efforts, UNI again broke their hearts in OT. The Redbirds closed their season with a close loss at Kansas State in the NIT. While Tim Jankovich lost two starters, guards Emmanuel Holloway (10.3 ppg, 2.8 apg) and Champ Oguchi (15.2 ppg, 5.4 rpg), Eldridge (14 ppg, 6.2 rpg, 2.4 apg) is back and so is Lloyd Phillips (10.6 ppg, 3.6 apg), meaning the backcourt is still in good shape. 6-8 center Dinma Odiakosa, who averaged nearly 9 points and 8 boards a game last year, will be the key man in the frontcourt, and he'll get support from 6-6 Bobby Hill, who's coming off a knee injury, 6-7 JC transfer Tony Lewis, and 6-8 Blake Mishler, who transferred from East Tennessee State. Eldridge will hope to carry his team to the Dance, but he'll need a lot of help from the redesigned frontcourt to get there. The non-league schedule should again provide a lot of wins, as a home date with Central Michigan and back-to-back December road trips to Ohio and Utah are the biggest hurdles.

Northern Iowa (last NCAA: 2009) The Panthers hold the top spot as they return all five starters off a team that won both the MVC regular season and tournament crowns before falling to Purdue in a close, but ugly game in the first round of the NCAAs. Junior guard Kwadzo Ahelegbe (11.8 ppg, 3.1 apg) runs the offense, and he's helped out in the backcourt by sharpshooters Ali Farokhmanesh (9.6 ppg) and Johnny Moran (8.4 ppg). In a league where many teams are frontcourt-challenged, the combo of 6-9 Adam Koch (12.1 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 2 apg) and 7-foot center Jordan Egelseder (10.2 ppg, 6.4 rpg) is hard to get around. Koch's younger brother, Jake, who's also 6-9, should also see action this year after redshirting last season. UNI also finished last year first in the league in field goal percentage and second in field goal percentage defense, and they should remain a solid team all-around. The Panthers face DePaul in their first game at the Paradise Jam. If they win that, they'll probably face Tennessee in the semifinals. UNI also welcomes Iowa and Siena to Cedar Falls, while they travel to Iowa State.

The Panthers are my pick to win the Valley's auto bid this season, so they'll appear in my Final Preseason Bracket, which I'll release on Monday, November 9. Now, to wrap up this preview, here is my preseason All-MVC team, featuring the best returning players from last season.

Preseason All-MVC Team

Player of the Year: Osiris Eldridge, 6-3 G/F, Sr. (Illinois State)

Remainder of the Team
Kwadzo Ahelegbe, 6-2 G, Jr. (Northern Iowa)
Jordan Egelseder, 7-0 C, Sr. (Northern Iowa)
Adam Koch, 6-9 F, Sr. (Northern Iowa)
P'Allen Stinnett, 6-3 G, Jr. (Creighton)

Poll

Who is your pick to win the MVC this season?

Bradley

89 votes

Creighton

12 votes

Drake

4 votes

Evansville

1 votes

Illinois State

8 votes

Indiana State

1 votes

Missouri State

1 votes

Northern Iowa

14 votes

Southern Illinois

29 votes

Wichita State

8 votes

167 votes | Poll has closed

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

		#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.