NCAA Basketball: North Carolina, Kentucky, Auburn rise in latest top 25 power rankings
By Joey Loose
6. Iowa State (24-7)
There’s a whole lot to like about this group of players in Ames. At the beginning of the season, there wasn’t some big time name for the Cyclones that was getting all the buzz. This has been a bunch of very talented basketball players coming together and playing some fantastic basketball on both ends. They stockpiled fantastic home wins all season long and it’s fitting that they grabbed one more on Senior Night.
The Cyclones’ final home game was back on Wednesday and they secured a 68-63 win over a tough BYU team that beat them by 15 points back in January. Tamin Lipsey continued a brilliant season with 19 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 steals while Curtis Jones had 18 points off the bench. Unfortunately, Iowa State heads into the postseason with a sour taste in their mouth, falling 65-58 at Kansas State on Saturday despite a 16-point effort from Jones.
All five of Iowa State’s losses in league play came away from home, and most had been against top-level teams until this weekend. The Cyclones boast one of the nation’s most impressive defenses, though it’s fair to start asking questions about this offense. This team has already been challenged and answered many questions, but the challenges won’t let up in the Big 12 Tournament, especially for a team that hasn’t surpassed 68 points in two weeks.