4. Iowa State (9-0)
When this Iowa State team was in Las Vegas last week, they absolutely felt slighted, as the strange tiebreakers of the Players Era Festival kept them from competing for the prize money. Regardless, the Cyclones continued a perfect start to the season with impressive showings against St. John’s, Creighton, and Syracuse in consecutive days. Somehow, what they accomplished this week was even more incredible.
We’re not specifically talking about Wednesday’s performance, but that 132-68 win over Alcorn State certainly showcased their offense at its best. The Cyclones were a mind-boggling 22 of 30 from beyond the arc, getting 27 points from Milan Momcilovic, 26 points from Jamarion Batemon, and a 24-point, 10-assist day from Joshua Jefferson. Enough about that, as the real standout was Saturday’s shocker, upsetting #1 Purdue in a laugher 81-58 on the road. Momcilovic starred again with 20 points and the Cyclones’ defense was suffocating against the Boilermakers.
Suddenly we’re pairing one of the best defenses in the nation with a team that can drop 130 points on a SWAC foe and look deadly against top-ranked opposition. Iowa State expected big things this season but few thought this team would look this great just a few weeks into the season. You cannot argue that the Cyclones haven’t been tested as that road win will age marvelously. Rival Iowa comes to town in just a few days, with these Cyclones hoping to make yet another statement in nonconference play.