3. Iowa State (9-1)
If you’re a fan of the Cyclones, you’re feeling pretty good about how the first few months of the season are treating your team. Iowa State’s only blemish was a 2-point loss against an Auburn team that might be the best in the nation at maximum capacity. Aside from that, they’ve used an elite and efficient offense to power their way into this fine position, now riding after a six-game winning streak after this past week’s result.
We most recently saw the Cyclones in action way back on Sunday, coasting to an easy 83-51 win over Omaha. While not against the strongest opponent, this was one of Iowa State’s best defensive performance while the Cyclones also made 53% of their field goal attempts. Keshon Gilbert led the charge with 16 points while Joshua Jefferson and Milan Momcilovic added 13 points apiece.
Moving forward, Iowa State is in fantastic position to be the top team in the Big 12 though they’ll obviously have to prove it on the court. They showed their value in wins over Dayton and Marquette, with a tremendous offense posing a significant challenge to their conference mates in the weeks ahead. It’s still too soon to worry about the Big 12, though this team’s final nonconference game is a likely laugher against Morgan State on Sunday.