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Previewing Iowa State Basketball

Iowa State, like Oklahoma, isn't one of the Big 12's top teams this year but just how good they may be is still a bit uncertain when you take a look at their conference schedule. They've got home losses to Texas and Kansas and a road loss at Texas Tech. Their lone conference win this season game at Nebraska earlier this month. The Cyclones have a 12-7 overall record and a 1-3 mark in the Big 12.


Cyclones Basketball Schedule

Next 5 Games

@ Oklahoma Wed 01/27 8:00 PM CST
Colorado Sat 01/30 8:00 PM CST
@ Baylor Wed 02/03 6:30 PM CST
Kansas St. Sat 02/06 1:00 PM CST
@ Missouri Wed 02/10 6:30 PM CST

Last 5 Games

Kansas Sat 01/23 L 61 - 84
@ Texas Tech Wed 01/20 L 71 - 78
@ Nebraska Sat 01/16 W 56 - 53
Texas Wed 01/13 L 83 - 90
North Dakota St. Sat 01/09 W 73 - 71


FG 3PT FT Rebounds Misc
G M M A Pct M A Pct M A Pct Off Def Tot Ast TO Stl Blk PF PPG
Craig Brackins 19 34.3 5.8 13.1 44.2 0.9 2.1 43.6 3.5 4.8 73.6 1.9 5.9 7.8 2.6 1.9 0.6 1.3 1.8 16.0
Marquis Gilstrap 19 29.6 5.3 11.2 46.9 1.3 2.8 44.4 3.3 5.1 65.6 2.6 6.6 9.2 1.3 2.5 0.6 1.0 2.2 15.1
Lucca Staiger 17 26.5 3.0 7.1 42.5 2.8 6.6 42.5 0.5 0.7 75.0 0.2 1.6 1.8 1.5 1.4 0.5 0.1 1.6 9.4
Diante Garrett 19 29.5 3.2 7.4 42.9 0.4 1.1 35.0 1.3 1.9 67.6 0.4 2.1 2.5 5.4 2.6 1.4 0.3 1.8 8.0
LaRon Dendy 14 16.6 2.9 5.3 55.4 0.0 0.1 0.0 1.8 4.2 42.4 1.9 2.0 3.9 0.4 0.7 0.6 1.6 1.7 7.6
Scott Christopherson 19 22.3 2.5 5.2 48.5 1.2 2.4 50.0 0.8 1.0 78.9 0.1 1.8 1.9 0.9 1.1 0.4 0.1 1.4 7.1
Justin Hamilton 18 17.8 2.1 2.9 71.7 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.1 1.7 63.3 1.7 2.1 3.7 0.4 0.8 0.2 1.0 1.9 5.3
Jamie Vanderbeken 10 13.2 1.5 2.5 60.0 0.8 1.6 50.0 0.3 0.9 33.3 0.6 2.2 2.8 0.4 0.5 0.1 0.9 1.4 4.1
Charles Boozer 16 9.7 1.1 2.8 40.0 0.3 1.3 23.8 0.9 1.5 62.5 0.7 0.8 1.5 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.1 0.6 3.5
Chris Colvin 16 12.6 1.1 3.1 34.7 0.1 0.4 16.7 0.7 1.6 44.0 0.4 0.8 1.1 2.1 2.1 0.6 0.1 1.3 2.9
Dominique Buckley 14 7.1 0.6 1.6 39.1 0.4 0.9 46.2 0.3 0.4 66.7 0.1 0.5 0.6 1.1 0.6 0.2 0.0 0.8 2.0
L.A. Pomlee 8 4.0 0.4 0.6 60.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.6 20.0 0.5 0.6 1.1 0.1 0.3 0.1 0.1 0.8 0.9
Alex Dorr 11 2.6 0.3 0.5 60.0 0.0 0.1 0.0 0.3 0.4 75.0 0.4 0.2 0.5 0.1 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.2 0.8

Iowa State averages 75 points per game (8th in the Big 12) and are shooting 47% from the floor (5th in the Big 12). They are making 42% of their 3-point shots (1st in the Big 12) which should strike fear in the hearts of a Sooner team that has struggled to defend the perimeter. However, the loss of guard Lucca Staiger to a professional league in Germant last week could significantly hurt the Cyclones from long range. Staiger had been a starter who led the team with 48 three-point shots made and was good for 43% from long range. The Cyclones are relatively weak from the charity stripe where they only converting 62% (11th in the Big 12) of their free throw opportunities.


FG 3PT FT Rebounds Misc
G M M A Pct M A Pct M A Pct Off Def Tot Ast TO Stl Blk PF PPG
2009 - Craig Brackins 19 34.3 5.8 13.1 44.2 0.9 2.1 43.6 3.5 4.8 73.6 1.9 5.9 7.8 2.6 1.9 0.6 1.3 1.8 16.0

 

Junior forward Craig Brackins and senior forward Marquis Gilstrap lead the Cyclones in scoring and rebounding. Brackins is living up to his preseason All-American status by leading the team with 16.0 points per game and is second on the squad with 7.8 rebounds per game.  For the year Brackins has scored in double figures in all but two game this season and has recorded six double-doubles. Meanwhile, Gilstrap averages 15.1 points per game and leads the team with 9.3 boards per game. In conference play he's leading the Big 12 in rebounds per game with 12.3 and his 18 points per game in conference play gives him a double-double average.  Oklahoma could catch a break here though because Clone Chronicles is reporting that Gilstrap is questionable. In the backcourt, junior point guard Diante Garrett is averaging 8.0 points per game and leads the team in assists (5.4) and steals (1.4) per game. 

As disappointing as the season has been for the Sooners a top four finish in the conference is still within Oklahoma's grasp at this point. There is very little room for error though and the OU must protect the home court. Texas A&M and Texas Tech were winnable games for the Sooners last week but they just couldn't close them out on the road. So far that hasn't been the case at home this year where OU remains perfect. This is a game that the could win, it's a game that they need to win and it's a game that they should win.

Category Oklahoma Iowa State
Record 11-8 12-7
Points Per Game 74.2 75
Points Allowed 70.9 67.9
Rebounds Per Game 36.3 38.2
Opponents Rebounds 35.6 36.5
Field Goal Percentage .436 .466
Opponents Field Goal % .428 .409
3-Point Percentage .346 .420
Opponents 3-Point % .361 .339
Free Throw Percentage .740 .624
Fouls Per Game 15.9 15.2
Assists Per Game 12.7 15.5
Turnovers Per Game 12.6 13.8
Blocked Shots Per Game 2.9 5.5
Steals Per Game 5.7 5.3