2011 Iowa State Basketball Season Predictions


October 25, 2011 | Posted By Larry Cook

2010 Review

Not much was expected out of Iowa State last year. Almost every person figured they could be last within the Big 12 conference with just two players back from the 2009-10 season, but the Cyclones ended up being sort of a surprise. Generally, it can be difficult for folks to be energized about a .500 season, but it was the first time Iowa State didn’t have a losing record since the 2005-6 campaign.

In Fred Hoiberg’s very first season, Iowa State completely adjusted their identity. Moving from a slow it down and grind it out group to one that ran far more and spread the floor.  That transformation of pace helped the Cyclones rank fifth in the conference and 39th in the country in offense at 74.8 points each contest.

Iowa State also shot the three-ball particularly effectively last year, hitting 275 (8.6 every game) of their shots from beyond the line. That was plenty to lead the conference and rank 13th within the nation.

2011-12 Preview

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

Last year Iowa State wasn’t extremely deep, so they performed a far more conservative half-court defense. With extra talent on this year’s roster you can bet they will likely be far more aggressive in utilizing pressure to drive turnovers.  View the entire 2011-12 Iowa State basketball schedule here.

Backcourt

Iowa State is going to have to seek out a approach to replace Dainte Garrett’s production. He was a top quality point guard who notched his name all through Iowa State’s record books for both assists and points.

There’s still a whole lot of talent from the Cyclone backcourt. Scott Christopherson is a quite talented shooter who has made 131 career 3-pointers already. He nailed 86 last year, ending up 2nd within the Big 12 and 33rd around the nation at 2.8 for each contest. His 44.1 three-point percentage was ranked him 11th in the nation and he’s buried a trey in 34 consecutive contests. Christopherson doesn’t turn the ball over, works hard, and should not need to log countless minutes this season because of the team’s depth.

You may probably see Iowa State working with lots of 3-guard sets as a result of having so much talent in the backcourt. Transfers Chris Allen, Chris Babb, and Tyrus McGee are reliable shooters. Allen and Babb ended up being Big Ten starters and the two averaged just less than 10 points for each game back in 2009-10. McGee is coming through from Cowley Community College.

Chris Allen brings 3 seasons of expertise from his time at Michigan State. He has performed in 14 tournament games and two Final Fours. He can not merely shoot from the outside, but is also a defensive stopper.

Chris Babb drained 69 3-point shots in his last season at Penn State and averaged 10.2 ppg in Big 10 action.

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

Two additional players to keep an eye on are Bubu Palo and Tavon Sledge. Palo played all 32 games last season and proved capable of playing the one spot. Sledge may be the player with the most potential. He’s incredibly fast and was ranked as the third best player in New York City following averaging 25.3 points and 5.2 dimes in his senior season.

Frontcourt

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

Ejim experienced an incredibly productive freshman season last season for Iowa State. The Canadian put up 10.3 points and 6.7 rebounds per game. He was only the 12th freshman in school history to average double figures. Despite his significant production, Hoiberg thinks Ejim is going to be even far better this year. Ejim is far more of a small forward, but was compelled to play down low last year thanks to the team’s lack of depth.

Royce White was an extremely highly touted recruit two years ago, but failed to participate in a game for the Minnesota Golden Gophers and then he sat out last season right after transferring to Iowa State. White is strong and is an excellent passer. He’ll be starting at power forward and could possibly be the star of this team.

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

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