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NCAA Basketball: 2021 NIT Season Tip-Off preview and predictions

By Jason Burgess

FRISCO, TEXAS - MARCH 28: The Memphis Tigers celebrate after defeating the Mississippi State Bulldogs during the 2021 NIT Championship at Comerica Center on March 28, 2021 in Frisco, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
FRISCO, TEXAS - MARCH 28: The Memphis Tigers celebrate after defeating the Mississippi State Bulldogs during the 2021 NIT Championship at Comerica Center on March 28, 2021 in Frisco, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) /
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Iowa State guard Tyrese Hunter NCAA Basketball
Iowa State guard Tyrese Hunter NCAA Basketball /

Iowa State Cyclones

Record: 4-0

T.J. Otzelberger decided to bolt from UNLV and head to Ames to take over for Steve Prohm at Iowa State. The Cyclones were picked to finish last in the Big 12, and while they will likely struggle once they get into the meat of their schedule, they are off to a 4-0 start heading into the NIT Season Tip-Off. They have been able to get off to such a quick start thanks to wins over Oregon State, Kennesaw State, and a pair of SWAC teams.

Also aiding them has been a couple of transfers, Gabe Kalscheur from Minnesota and Izaiah Brockington who came over from Penn State. The duo is netting 24.5 points and pulling down 9.1 rebounds so far this season. Caleb Grill is the team’s 4th leading scorer and is back where it all began, at Iowa State and with the coach who recruited him out of high school to South Dakota State.

Tyrese Hunter is a 6-1 freshman guard who may very well end up being the Big 12 Freshman of the Year by season’s end, through the four games Hunter has stuffed the stat sheet with 12.8 points, 3.8 rebounds, and a team-high six assists. The Cyclones may struggle this year but Hunter is a guy that they can build around and could put on quite a show on a bigger stage in Brooklyn.

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