Busting Brackets
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Big 12 Basketball power rankings: Kansas, Baylor clear above others

By Tristan Freeman

MORGANTOWN, WV - FEBRUARY 10: Lindy Waters III #21 of the Oklahoma State Cowboys reacts after hitting a three pointer against the West Virginia Mountaineers at the WVU Coliseum on February 10, 2018 in Morgantown, West Virginia. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)
MORGANTOWN, WV - FEBRUARY 10: Lindy Waters III #21 of the Oklahoma State Cowboys reacts after hitting a three pointer against the West Virginia Mountaineers at the WVU Coliseum on February 10, 2018 in Morgantown, West Virginia. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images) /
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AMES, IA – NOVEMBER 12: Tyrese Haliburton #22 of the Iowa State Cyclones drives the ball as Tyler Cochran #23 of the Northern Illinois Huskies puts pressure on in the second half of play at Hilton Coliseum on November 12, 2019 in Ames, Iowa. The Iowa State Cyclones won 70-52 over the Northern Illinois Huskies. (Photo by David Purdy/Getty Images)
AMES, IA – NOVEMBER 12: Tyrese Haliburton #22 of the Iowa State Cyclones drives the ball as Tyler Cochran #23 of the Northern Illinois Huskies puts pressure on in the second half of play at Hilton Coliseum on November 12, 2019 in Ames, Iowa. The Iowa State Cyclones won 70-52 over the Northern Illinois Huskies. (Photo by David Purdy/Getty Images) /

6-3. . Cyclones . 7. team. 461.

Cyclone fans should enjoy Tyrese Haliburton while they can because this is definitely going to be his last season in college. The sophomore guard is having his anticipated breakout season, averaging 16.2 ppg, 8.2 rpg and 6.0 apg, while shooting over 50% from the field and 40% from three-point range. He was an assist shy of a triple-double against Alabama and has multiple 10+ assist games already.

Besides the projected top-10 NBA Draft pick, there have been other good signs for Iowa State. After receiving a waiver to play this season, Penn State transfer Rasir Bolton has been very effective, second on the team with 15.3 ppg. And reserve big man George Conditt has been outstanding when on the court, producing 24.1 ppg, 12.2 rpg and a whopping seven blocks per 40 minutes. His play has helped alleviate the disappointing senior campaign so far from Michael Jacobson.

The offense for the Cyclones has been very good but the defense has struggled. Against five power-conference opponents, the team has surrounded on average around 80 ppg, losing three of them. Iowa State did get revenge on Seton Hall this past weekend but it comes with a bit of an asterisk considering that the Pirates were without their second-leading scorer and top rebounder Sandro Mamukelashvili. They’ll have another tough test against Iowa this week, one that should be a shootout.

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