Thursday, January 31, 2008

Bench mark

Impressed with the play of freshman Cameron Lee Tuesday? What didn't show up in any of the box scores was what the guard was playing with, two sprained ankles. Lee, who has been nursing the injured ankles for about a month now, shot 2-of-2 from the field with six points. Still no word on the status of sophomore Wesley Johnson who left Tuesday's game after re injuring his ankle. The guard, who leads the team in scoring, averaging 13.9 points per game, will travel with the team to Nebraska Saturday but his playing status is still up in the air.

Tuesday, January 29, 2008

Big loss

For most of the week, I spoke with Iowa State players about how important it was to get junior Sean Haluska shooting. Right about now, they're realizing how important it was to have sophomore Wesley Johnson who appears to be out for the remainder of Tuesday's game with Colorado. How big of a loss is this and do you think their offense can survive such a loss (again)?

Tuesday, January 22, 2008

A shot at history

Here's a stat for you. Cyclone's coach Greg McDermott is 0-2 against the Kansas Jayhawks, including an overtime loss to the men in blue last year. If your expecting an upset, consider this. The Cyclones have a 69-196 record against ranked opponents. The last time Iowa State beat a ranked team was on Feb. 5, 2006, against No. 25 Colorado.
As if there wasn't already enough attention being brought to this game, Wesley Johnson said that while the team bus was arriving at Allen Fieldhouse last season, there was a line as, "long as a rollarcoaster."
"It was crazy," said Johnson.

Monday, January 21, 2008

This is Kanas still

A lot's changed since media day, but the one thing Cyclones' coach Greg McDermott was clear about who would be guarding Kansas guard Brandon Rush-senior Rahshon Clark. The senior will have the task of having to post up with the 6'6 junior who is averaging 11.8 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 1.9 assists per game. Clark, who left Saturday's game for a short period of time, said he had an ankle sprain. Monday he said he was, "aight." McDermott said he thinks he should be able to start Wednesday, something that hasn't changed for nearly three years.

Wednesday, January 16, 2008

Encore performance

Freshman Craig Brackins can only see the No. 21 on his back. Asked if he tought there was a big X on his back following his 33 point performance agaainst Baylor on Saturday, Brackins said he didn't think so.
"No not really," Brackins said. "It was a good game. I guess it was just one of those days. Hopefully I can continue to stay consistant."
He won't be expected to put up the numbers he did against the Bears when connected on eight three pointers in the game. He will get more chances down low, when the Cyclones take on a Missouri team that ranks No. 10 in the nation in steals and puts a lot of pressure play on opposing guards.
"It's going to be more focused on a big part of me, Jiri (Hubalek), and at AT (Alex Thompson), and at CJ (Cory Johnson)," he said. "We're going to have to pretty much bring it to help our team win."

Tuesday, January 15, 2008

The blame game

They passed it, shot it, and dribbled it. It was also every way the Cyclones gave up a turnover to Baylor Saturday.
"We turned it over in just a variety of ways," Cyclones coach Greg McDermott said. "There was no one thing that we were doing. Just from bad decisions to just having the ball taken out of our hands."
Those bad decisions resulted in 19 turnovers against the Bears. With the exception of their pre-season game with Centenary on Nov. 10, every time the Cyclones have that many turnovers or more, they have lost. During their 79-44 loss to Drake on Dec. 5, they gave up the ball 21 times.
Tomorrow, they'll face a Missouri team that ranks No. 9 in the nation in turnovers and tight defense like Baylor's.
"They (Baylor) put on a little bit more pressure then we had seen in the last couple of gmaes," said junior point guard Bryan Peterson. "We just didn't handle it very well."

Monday, January 14, 2008

The best in the country?

Missouri coach Mike Anderson thinks Iowa State freshman Craig Brackins could be the best freshman in the nation.
"It changed a lot of things in my mind," Anderson said during his weekly teleconference call.
Most of his thoughts about Brackins changed after he watched the freshman drain a season high 33 points against Baylor Saturday.
Anderson thinks he could be the best, who do you think it is?

Wednesday, January 9, 2008

Barry Stevens

Between watching Jeff Grayer hit jump shots and Jared Homan slam down dunks, I remember looking towards the rafters at Hilton Coliseum during the celebrity basketball game this summer and wondering why Barry Stevens' jersey was not up there. On January 16th, it'll happen when the Cyclones honor the late forward by retiring his No. 35.
"I was fortunate to have had the opportunity to play against Barry Stevens,” said Iowa State head coach Greg McDermott in a press release. “He is one of the main reasons you see the unbelievable crowd support we have today in Hilton Coliseum. He is one of the best ever to put on a Cyclone uniform and he is certainly worthy of this honor.”
It'll also give younger fans a chance to learn who he was. Stevens, whose 2,190 points rank him second in school history, is credited with starting "Hilton Magic," with his 40 point performance against Missouri on February 8, 1983. The forward nailed a jumper as time expired giving the Cyclones a 73-72 overtime win.
Now, when I look up at the rafters, that's something I remember seeing the highlights of.

Tuesday, January 8, 2008

Injury report

Wesley Johnson says his ankle is fine, Jiri Hubalek said he's good to go, and Sean Haluska will return to the Cyclones' rotation after nursing an injuried back for the past two games. The one Cyclone who is hurt has enough injuries for two players though. Freshman guard Cameron Lee has two sprained ankles. Iowa State coach Greg McDermott said Lee should be available for Saturday's game at Baylor though.

Monday, January 7, 2008

Out of the office

Talk about a juggling act. After spending Monday preparing for his team's first Big 12 game of the year, Cyclones' coach Greg McDermott hit the recruiting road this afternoon. Iowa State travels to Baylor Saturday after winning seven of their last eight game.

Sunday, January 6, 2008

North Dakota vs. Iowa State recap

I know all you die hard bloggers were dying to read last night's recap. Due to some problems with the Daily's web site, it was unable to be posted. Because I didn't make it into the game, I did write a story. Here it is.

By: Tommy Birch
Daily Staff Writer
There were no lions, tigers, or bears, in Hilton Coliseum Saturday, just Cyclones.

The (10-5, 0-0) Cyclones closed out their non-conference schedule with a 77-51
victory over (10-4, 0-0) North Dakota at Hilton Coliseum.

"I thought that first half we didn't look like a circus in transition, where
we're throwing the ball all over the place" said Cyclones' coach Greg McDermott.
"Our passing was pretty precise."

And pretty accurate. In the first half, the Cyclones forced 16 turnovers on the
Sioux before an announced crowd of 13,104. The zero turnover margin was marked by a 7-0 run to start the first half,capped off by a Wesley Johnson jump shot to make it 7-0.

On Wednesday the Cyclones turned the ball over 17 times against USC-Upstate.

"We felt like we needed to control the ball a little bit more," said senior
forward Rahshon Clark. "Take pride in our possessions and that's what we did
tonight."

They also made the best of their times with the ball. Following a Travis Bledsoe
basket, Johnson answered back with a three to put the Cyclones up 16. They would
eventually build a 26 point lead by the half and added on to that with a 12-0
run to open the second half.

"We always talk about how important the first five minutes are of each half and
I really felt that in each halves we executed to start the game and to start the
half second half on both ends of the floor," McDermott said.

The execution stopped any offensive runs North Dakota tried to put together,
holding the Sioux scoreless for the first three and half minutes of the game.
Their 51 points tied a season low they set on December 11 against Upper Iowa.

"We knew what they were going to do and we tried our best to stop them from
getting back door layups and easy passes," Clark said. "Our scout team did a
terrific job with that."

Most of the easy baskets came from Iowa State. The Cyclones built up a 40 point
lead with 13:59 remaining in the second half when junior Alex Thompson connected
on a three pointer from the top of the key.

Thompson finished with six points while Johnson steadied the offense shooting
4-of-6 from the field in the first half. He finished the night with game high 13
points and showed some of his explosiveness from last year, driving to the lane
for a layup to put the Cyclones ahead by 11 in the first half.
"It's finally starting to show itself in practice with some of the tip dunks
he's had or plays that he's made in transition," McDermott said.

The Cyclones travel to Baylor January 12 for their first Big 12 conference game
of the year, winning seven out of their last eight games following a 79-44 loss
at Drake.

"I think we've made progress," said senior center Jiri Hubalek. "We've got
better every game. I think that was the main thing."

Saturday, January 5, 2008

North Dakota vs. Iowa State, 2nd half

Cyclones coach Greg McDermott has gone pretty deep to his bench bringing in Mike Smith, Mark Currie, and Brock Jacobson. If he goes any deeper, I'll be heading out there. Unfortunately for me and North Dakota, I have a story to write. Check out a recap of tonight's game at www.iowastatedaily.com.

North Dakota vs. Iowa State, 1st half

Here's a stat to sum of the first half. 12-0. North Dakota 12 turnovers, Iowa State 0. In related news, Iowa State leads 48-22 at the half.

North Dakota vs. Iowa State, 1st half

On a personal note, I was surprised to see freshman Charles Boozer could pass up a three. The freshman guard was wide open right side of the wing but gave it up to freshman Diante Garrett. Not a bad idea. Garrett drained a three from the top of the key.
Iowa State 40, North Dakota 18.

North Dakota vs. Iowa State, 1st half

I guess that's the home field advantage there. North Dakota players dribbled around the top of the key endlessly not knowing the shot clock was going to expire. It did without a Sioux shot.
Iowa State 37, North Dakota 18.

North Dakota vs. Iowa State, 1st half

It's the Wesley Johnson show. The sophomore has 13 points and 4-of-4 from the field. He's also pulled down three rebounds. The only thing he has done yet? Mop the floors with the ball boys.
North Dakota 11, Iowa State 27.

North Dakota vs. Iowa State, 1st half

Pistol Petey has arrived. Junior Bryan Petersen hit a three to open the game and another just three minutes later to give ISU a 10 point lead.
North Dakota 3, Iowa State 12

The final push

The Cyclones will be making their final push before the start of the Big 12 season Saturday hosting North Dakota. They've won five straight but once again will be without junior Sean Haluska who is still nursing an injured back. Cyclones' coach Greg McDermott confirmed freshman Cameron Lee is a little banged up as well.
I'll be blogging from press row periodically throughout the game.

Thursday, January 3, 2008

One more to go

One more game to go until the Big 12 schedule starts. Besides a spurt at the end of the first half and the start of the second half, the Cyclones’ defense is playing as well as it has been all season. They held USC-Upstate to under 50 points for the first time this season. Wesley Johnson is finally getting back to health. The sophomore connected on a first half dunk and completed it, in what looked like pain free fashion. With only one game left until the Big 12 season begins for ISU, how impressed have you been so far with this team?

Check out a recap of last night's game at: http://www.iowastatedaily.com/home/index.cfm?event=displayArticle&ustory_id=5dff9052-2896-4fc2-8464-cfe30ab83a4f

Wednesday, January 2, 2008

USC-Upstate vs. Iowa State, 2nd half

Freshman Charles Boozer has hit a pair of three pointers. It's almost OFFICIALLY over. Read the recap of the game at www.iowastatedaily.com

USC-Upstate-1st half

Iowa State and USC-Upstate have spent the majority of the first half playing hot potatoe with the basketball. The Spartans have nine turnovers while the Cyclones have given the basketball away eight times.
USC-Upstate 9, Iowa State 25.

USC-Upstate-Pre-game

Lucca Staiger will have some company on the bench today. Junior Sean Haluska is nursing a sore back and will be unavailable for tonight's game.