NCAA Basketball: Kansas State, Providence on the rise on latest top 25 power ranking
By Joey Loose
15. Iowa State (12-2)
Despite a 12-0 start last season, it took the Cyclones eight games to get their third Big 12 win. This year, they’re already sitting pretty with three conference wins in three attempts and this team might be even better than last year’s Sweet Sixteen squad. They’ve put rough performances against Connecticut and Iowa behind them and have had a remarkable run in recent weeks.
There was no letdown after a big win against Baylor, as Iowa State started the week with a 63-60 road win over Oklahoma. Caleb Grill’s 20-point, 4-steal performance led the Cyclones to their first road win of the season, but it certainly wasn’t their last. Just three days they survived another tough battle on the road, holding on for a 69-67 win at #17 TCU. Gabe Kalscheuer had 15 points to lead five Cyclones in double figures, with the team shooting 52% from the field in the win.
Two tough road wins and a trouncing of Baylor is no fluke and a 3-0 start in conference play is well deserved. The Big 12 is an absolute bloodbath and there’s no doubt that the Cyclones will start dropping some of these games in the coming weeks. For now, Iowa State is playing some of their best basketball at the right time. Next week’s challenges are a winnable home date with Texas Tech and a really tough road date in Lawrence with the Jayhawks.