I’m about to put myself out there Fanatics. Here is how I see the rest of the men’s basketball season going, on a game-by-game basis. Feel free to post yours as well. Let’s have some fun.
Mississippi Valley State – W
Tennessee State – W
VS. St. Louis in Chicago – W
VS. Notre Dame in Chicago – I predict this to be Iowa State’s first loss but in all reality, it’s a game that could go either way. A lot will depend on how healthy LaRon Dendy is. He’s supposed to be ready by then. We’ll see.
Northern Iowa – W, Iowa State by anywhere from 10-15.
@ California – L – Although, this team may not be as good as people originally thought.
Iowa – W, for mature audiences only. This one gets ugly in a hurry.
Bradley – W
North Dakota – W
Houston – W
VS. Duke in Chicago – L
North Dakota State – W
END OF NON-CONFERENCE SCHEDULE I have Iowa State going 12-3 in the non-conference portion of their schedule. The only one that I really struggled with was Notre Dame. That’s a game that will depend on circumstances. I was tempted to pick Iowa State over Duke but realistically, 12-3 would be a great start. Most fans would be thrilled with that.
Big 12 Play
TEXAS – W – I’m picking the upset here. My good friend Jon Miller convinced me that Texas is overrated earlier this week. Hilton Magic will be hopping on Jan. 13.
@ Nebraska – W – It is always fun beating up on the lowly Husker basketball program isn’t it?
@ Texas Tech – This might be the worst team in the league this year. Your welcome Colorado. W.
KANSAS – Too much talent. I anticipate a great game though. This one could go either way. Hilton will be nuts and I think that Kansas is on the verge of having some serious chemistry problems. L.
@ Oklahoma – Not this year…not on the road. L.
COLORADO – No question about this one. W.
@ Baylor – Tough because it’s a road game but Iowa State is simply a better basketball team from a talent perspective. I see a slight slip up here though. L.
KANSAS STATE – W.
@ Missouri – L.
@ Kansas – L.
OKLAHOMA STATE – W. See the trend? Hilton Magic is alive!
TEXAS A&M – W.
NEBRASKA – W. Three home wins in a row will give the Clones a ton of momentum heading into the month of March.
@ Colorado – As long as Iowa State is conscious, this shouldn’t be a problem. Those ridiculous clouds do worry me though. W.
MISSOURI – W.
@ Kansas State – L.
So I have Iowa State going 12-3 in the non-conference and 10-6 in league play. That’s a 22-9 regular season record. It seems pretty ambitious doesn’t it?
I realize that.
I just love the depth of this basketball team. I think that will really play out come late February and into March. The Cyclones will have fresher legs than the competition. Guard play is what will dictate the season though. If Diante Garrett keeps playing like he has over the past few weeks, 23-8 isn’t crazy. If his play starts to slip, so will Iowa State’s record.
Big 12 Tournament I see Iowa State losing in the semi-finals.
NCAA Tournament What the heck. Let’s give the Clones a 5-seed and have them losing in the Sweet 16.
Should be a fun year! Feel free to pick these apart. Be gentle.
