Welcome to The Sports Bank’s second annual college basketball season preview series. Last year we looked at 99 teams in 99 days. This year, we are being slightly more aggressive and expanding to 111 teams in 111 days. We will rank the 74 power conference teams and top 37 mid-majors in reverse power ranking order. We’ll break down rosters, non-conference schedules, and pick a player to watch for each team.
It has already been an interesting beginning to the Fred Hoiberg era at Iowa State. Year one was filled with struggles as the Mayor began the resurrection of his former program. With three Big Ten castoffs becoming eligible this season, the Cyclones should be more competitive in the Big 12.
For the Iowa State football preview go here
IOWA STATE CYCLONES
Last Season: 12th, 3-13 in Big 12, 16-16 overall
Predicted Big 12 Finish: 7th
Projected Depth Chart
F/C: Royce White (So)/Jordan Railey (So)/Percy Gibson (Fr)
F: Melvin Ejim (So)/Anthony Booker (Jr)
G/F: Scott Christopherson (Sr)
SG: Chris Allen (Sr)/Chris Babb (Jr)
PG: Tyus McGee (Jr)/Bubu Palo (So)/Tavon Sledge (Fr)
Gone: PG-Diante Garrett, SG-Jake Anderson, C-Jamie Vanderbeken, G-DeMarcus Phillips (transfer), F-Eric McKnight (transfer-Florida Gulf Coast), SF-Calvin Godfrey (transfer-Howard JC)
2011-2012 Outlook:
In losing three seniors and three players via transfer, there will be a lot of turnover for Hoiberg. However, four transfers become eligible this season so the Cyclones reload rather quickly.
The most highly anticipated of the transfers is Royce White. The 6-8 power forward has faced his off-the-court issues but brings a lot of talent to the floor. 6-6 Sophomore Melvin Ejim is an athletic forward coming off a terrific freshman season. Those two should form the starting frontcourt which will be slightly under-sized.
There are solid options off the bench though. Southern Illinois transfer Anthony Booker is a physical power forward while 6-11 Jordan Railey and newcomer Percy Gibson will try to work their way into the rotation.
ISU will feature a smaller starting frontcourt because they will likely go with a three guard starting line-up. Scott Christopherson is the team’s top returning scorer and can stroke it from deep as he hit 44% of his triple tries a year ago. Experience certainly shouldn’t be an issue with transfers Chris Allen of Michigan State and Penn State’s Chris Babb likely battling for another starting spot.
Hoiberg could decide to start Christopherson, Babb, and Allen with the former MSU Spartan playing slightly out of position and running the point. More than likely though, he will choose between JUCO transfer Tyus McGee and last year’s back-up, Bubu Palo to be the starting point guard. McGee is more of a scorer than distributor who can also light it up from deep. 5-9 freshman Tavon Sledge will more than likely be the odd man out.
Hoiberg also secured a pair of transfers for the future in Michigan State point guard Korie Lucious and Utah wing Will Clyburn who will both sit out this season but be able to participate in practice.
Options are never a bad thing for a coach to have but uncertainty is. The Cyclones boast more talent on their roster than a year ago but how quickly the team can jell together will determine where Iowa State finishes in the Big 12.
Player to Watch: Royce White
The former Minnesota commit should be entering his junior season of college basketball but has to play an actual game due to off-the-court issues and his transfer. He led team in rebounding and assists on their summer trip to Italy while also averaging double digit points per game which is a positive sign. If White can live up to the hype he had two years ago, the Cyclones could be a sleeper.
Key Non-Conference Games:
11/25 vs. Providence (South Padre Invitational)
11/26 vs. Rice (South Padre Invitational)
11/30 vs. Northern Iowa
12/3 at Michigan
12/9 vs. Iowa
OTHER 111 IN 111’S
#75 Creighton Bluejays
#76 USC Trojans
#77 Weber State Wildcats
#78 Maryland Terrapins
#79 Tulsa Golden Hurricane
#80 Minnesota Golden Gophers
#81 Western Michigan Broncos
#82 Dayton Flyers
#83 Stanford Cardinal
#84 Yale Bulldogs
#85 Georgia Bulldogs
#86 Rutgers Scarlet Knights
#87 Richmond Spiders
#88 Ball State Cardinals
#89 Utah State Aggies
#90 Arizona State Sun Devils
#91 Marshall Thundering Herd
#92 Oregon State Beavers
#93 Washington State Cougars
#94 Iowa Hawkeyes
#95 Ole Miss Rebels
#96 Nebraska Cornhuskers
#97 Oklahoma Sooners
#98 South Florida Bulls
#99 LSU Tigers
#100 Colorado Buffaloes
#101 DePaul Blue Demons
#102 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
#103 Wake Forest Demon Deacons
#104 Seton Hall Pirates
#105 Providence Friars
#106 Auburn Tigers
#107 South Carolina Gamecocks
#108 Texas Tech Red Raiders
#109 Penn State Nittany Lions
#110 Boston College Eagles
#111 Utah Utes
David Kay is a senior feature NBA Draft, NBA, and college basketball writer for the Sports Bank. He also heads up the NBA and college basketball material at Walter Football.com and is a former contributor at The Washington Times Communities. David has appeared on numerous national radio programs spanning from Cleveland to New Orleans to Honolulu. He also had the most accurate 2011 NBA Mock Draft on the web.
You can follow him on Twitter at DavidKay_TSB.