MBB: Iowa State (14-13, 5-8) at No. 6 Kansas (24-4, 11-2)

[Jeremy]

MBB: Iowa State (14-13, 5-8) at No. 6 Kansas (24-4, 11-2)
Media Relations

Feb. 24, 2007 • 5 p.m. • Lawrence, Kan. • Allen Fieldhouse (16,300)
Radio: Cyclone Radio Network; John Walters (pxp), Eric Heft (color)
Television: ESPN; Ron Franklin (pxp), Fran Fraschilla (color)

Gameday Quick Facts

Iowa State (14-13, 5-8) travels to No. 6 Kansas (24-4, 11-2) to face the Big 12 leader...KU is ISU’s fifth ranked team it will face this season, owning a 0-4 mark against ranked foes...the last time ISU defeated a ranked opponent on the road was on Feb. 19, 2005 when the Cyclones defeated No. 2 Kansas, 63-61 (ot) in Allen Fieldhouse.

Cyclone-Jayhawk Quick Facts

Kansas leads the all-time series against Iowa State at 161-58 and has an 82-15 edge over the Cyclones in games played in Lawrence...since the Big 12 formed in 1996-97, KU is 79-7 against league competition in Allen Fieldhouse...ISU is responsible for three of the seven losses (2000, 2001, 2005)...KU head coach Bill Self is 5-2 against Iowa State...ISU head coach Greg McDermott is 0-1 vs. KU and Bill Self-coached teams...ISU almost knocked off Kansas in the earlier game this season in Hilton Coliseum (Jan. 13), falling 68-64 in overtime...the Cyclones held a 3-point lead with under a minute in regulation, but Brandon Rush hit a trey to tie the game and force overtime...ISU shot just 8-of-19 (42.1 percent) from the free-throw line in the game...freshman Wesley Johnson had 14 points and 11 boards to pace the Cyclones...Self played against ISU a number of times while he was a member of Oklahoma State basketball team from 1981-85...KU sophomore Brandon Rush had both of his older brothers compete against Iowa State in their respective collegiate careers...Jaron Rush played at UCLA, losing to Iowa State in the NCAA Sweet Sixteen, 80-56 in 2000...is other brother, Kareem, played three seasons at Missouri from 2000-02..ISU junior Rahshon Clark and KU junior Russell Robinson are both from the New York area...Clark is from Queens and Robinson is from the Bronx.

Cyclone Update

Iowa State (14-13, 5-8) held its first lead with 2:35 left in the game and hung on to defeat Colorado, 55-53 Wednesday night in Hilton Coliseum...the Buffs held a 15-point lead (28-13) at one time in the first half, but a 13-2 run to close out the half kept ISU within reach...ISU missed seven of its first eight shots from the field to fall behind early...the Cyclones shot 36.8 percent for the game, the seventh time in 13 league games where ISU did not hit above 40 percent from the field...Wesley Johnson’s basket with 2:35 remaining gave ISU a 53-51 lead and Cyclones withstood several final Buffalo chances to tie or win the game to hang on for their fifth conference victory...Corey McIntosh was instrumental in the win...McIntosh tallied just his second double-figure scoring outing of the season and the first in league play with a career-high 13 points...McIntosh hit a trey at the closing seconds before intermission and scored eight of ISU’s first 12 points of the second half to keep ISU close...he finished the game with a career-high three 3-pointers...Mike Taylor nailed a pair of treys en route to 12 points, his 17th consecutive double-digit scoring effort...Taylor has now hit a 3-pointer in a school-record 23 consecutive games...his 68 treys on the season ranks sixth on the ISU single-season 3-pointers made chart...Taylor currently ranks ninth in the Big 12 in scoring (16.5 ppg) and sixth in the league in assists (4.52 apg)...Wesley Johnson was one rebound shy of a double-double, scoring 10 points and grabbing nine rebounds...Johnson is second in the Big 12 in rebounding (8.3 rpg) and double-doubles (11)...the Cyclones made their first six free-throws, but faltered down the stretch, missing four of their last five, including a front end of a one-and-one by Jiri Hubalek that would have sealed the game with :10 seconds left...ISU has improved immensely from the charity stripe in its last six games, however, making 66-of-83 (79.5 percent) shots at the free-throw line.

No. 6 Kansas (24-4, 11-2)

No. 6 Kansas (24-4, 11-2) will be ISU’s fifth-ranked opponent this season, as the Jayhawks are tied for first place in the Big 12...KU is fresh off a 71-62 victory over Kansas State Monday night in Bramlage Coliseum, winning for the 24th-straight time in Manhattan...KU shot 51.0 percent from the floor and held the Wildcats to 32.3 percent from the field...the Jayhawks were paced by Sherron Collins, who came off the bench to score 20 points (8-11 FG)...KU has five players averaging in double figures, led by sophomore Brandon Rush...the 2006 Big 12 Freshman of the Year is a preseason first-team all-Big 12 choice and leads KU in scoring at 14.1 ppg...Rush has made a team-high 53 3-pointers at a 40.5 percent clip...Julian Wright is one of the top centers in the Big 12, averaging 11.6 ppg and a team-high 8.0 rebounding average, which ranks third in the league...freshman forward Darrell Arthur, a 2006 McDonald’s All-American, has had a fantastic start to his Jayhawk career...Arthur is averaging 10.8 ppg and 5.0 rpg...Arthur ranks fifth in the Big 12 in blocked shots at 1.54 bpg...sophomore Mario Chalmers is one of the best guards in the country...the point guard leads the team and Big 12 in steals at 2.61 spg...Chalmers, who has a 11.4 scoring average, has hit 41 3-pointers...Chalmers’ backcourt mate is junior Russell Robinson, who is one of two Jayhawks who has started every game this season...Robinson averages 6.6 ppg and leads the team in assists (4.68 apg), ranking fourth in the Big 12 Conference...Collins has been impressive since Big 12 play began, averaging 12.9 points and making 57.4 percent from the field in league games...he is 21-of-45 from 3-point range (46.7 percent) in Big 12 play...KU’s defense is one of the best in the country, ranking second in the Big 12 in opponent field goal percentage at 37.3 percent...on the offensive end, KU ranks second in the league in field goal percent (49.3 pct.).

Iowa State Team Quick Facts

• Iowa State has just four returning scholarship players from last season.
• Of the 13 players that were alloted scholarships and were scheduled to return after the 2005-06 season, only five are currently on the roster (Hubalek, Clark, Marsden, Gray, Cory Johnson).
• 63.1 percent of the minutes played (3425) this season are by newcomers on the roster.
• 65.4 percent of ISU’s points this season (1130) are from players who did not play a minute last year.
• ISU’s 6-0 start tied for the fifth-best start in school history...only nine teams had won its first six games.
• ISU head coach Greg McDermott is one of two coaches in ISU history to win his first six games at the helm.
• ISU head coach Greg McDermott is the first native Iowan to coach the Cyclone men’s basketball team since Clayton Sutherland (1948-54)...McDermott is from Cascade; Sutherland was from Nashua.
• McDermott entered the season with the 41st-best winning percentage among active Division I coaches.
• Wesley Johnson broke Will Blalock’s school-record for standing vertical leap at 34 inches...Blalock’s record was at 33 1/2 inches...Johnson also had a 41-inch step vertical leap to break the school record.
• ISU head coach Greg McDermott is in his first season with the Cyclones, but he is already the seventh-longest tenured coach in the Big 12...of the six new coaches in the league (Mike Anderson, Missouri; Bob Huggins, Kansas State; Doc Sadler, Nebraska; Jeff Capel, Oklahoma; Sean Sutton, Oklahoma State; Greg McDermott, Iowa State), McDermott was the first to be hired.
• ESPN.com picked Hilton Coliseum as the "Hot Arena" in the Big 12...coaches in the league noted that, "regardless of talent, the Cyclones have a home court like no other."
• Fans voted Iowa State and Hilton Coliseum as the nation’s No. 1 team in regards to school spirit in a poll duing ESPN’s "student spirit" week.
• Iowa State’s student spirit group for men’s basketball is called "Cyclone Alley"...a record number of over 3,000 students are members of Cyclone Alley, where the students sit behind both ends of the baskets.
• ISU held Louisiana-Monroe to 27.3 percent from the field, the first time a Cyclone opponent was held under 30 percent shooting since Dec. 31, 2002 (Arkansas-Pine Bluff).
• 12 different Cyclones have made a 3-pointer this season.
• ISU tied the school record by making 13 treys (13-25, 52.0 percent) vs. SEMO, including 11 in the first half.
• ISU has recorded six games with 10 or more 3-pointers this year.
• ISU ranks fifth in the Big 12 in 3-pointers per game (6.56 3FG).
• ISU tallied a season-high nine blocks vs. Northern Iowa, the most since blocking 10 against Drake (11-23-04).
• ISU has made a 3-pointer in 59 consecutive games.
• ISU ranks seventh in the Big 12 in rebounding margin (+2.6).
• ISU has outrebounded 14 of its last 20 opponents.
• ISU has been outrebounded just five times in Big 12 play (Kansas, Colorado-2, Missouri, Kansas State).
• ISU has outshot its opponents from the free-throw line, 327-218 in home games...but is getting outshot at the charity stripe, 200-115 in away games.
• Only 10 teams (Northern Iowa, Drake, Iowa, Bradley, Ohio State, Southeast Missouri State, Colorado, Texas A&M, Missouri, Texas) have scored 70 or more points against ISU this season...22 teams scored 70 or more points against ISU last season.
• ISU ranks 22nd nationally in least amount of fouls per game (15.9)...only seven teams (Northern Iowa, Iowa, Kansas, Colorado, Kansas State, Oklahoma State, Texas) have committed less fouls than ISU in a game this year.
• ISU is 10-0 when outshooting its opponent.
• Only two Big 12 opponents have shot above 46.0 percent against ISU this season (Missouri. Texas).
• ISU’s ranks sixth in the league in field goal percentage defense (42.1 percent).
• In ISU’s 13 Big 12 games, the Cyclones are averaging 9.3 turnovers (121) in the first half and 5.7 turnovers (74) in the second half.
• ISU is 2-3 when having the lead at the half in Big 12 games...ISU is 3-5 when its opponents have the lead at the half in Big 12 games.
• ISU is last in the Big 12 in FG percentage (40.9 percent) and is shooting just 39.0 percent in league games.
• In league games only, ISU’s top three players (Mike Taylor, Wesley Johnson, Jiri Hubalek) have combined for 69.7 percent (543/779) of its scoring and 65.2 percent (467/716) of its field goal attempts.
• ISU is shooting 79.5 percent from the free-throw line in its last six games (66-83 FT).
• Mike Taylor has scored 20 or more points in a game nine times...only one other Cyclone (Jiri Hubalek) has reached 20 points in a game this year.

ISU/McDermott Against Rated Opponents

ISU is 68-195 all-time against ranked opponents (ranked at tip)...ISU is 0-4 against ranked opponents this season (0-3 on the road; 0-1 at home)...ISU’s last win against a ranked opponent was a 96-79 win over No. 25 Colorado on Feb. 5, 2006...25 of ISU’s 68 wins vs. ranked opponents have occurred against top-10 teams...ISU is 7-98 vs. ranked teams on the road and 46-58 vs. ranked opponents at home...ISU’s last win against a ranked team on the road was a 63-61 overtime victory over Kansas on Feb. 19, 2005...ISU head coach Greg McDermott is 0-4 vs. ranked opponents while at Iowa State...his all-time record vs. ranked opponents as a Division I head coach is 6-9.

Don’t Foul!

Keeping fouls at a minimum has allowed ISU to have an advantage at the free-throw line this season...the Cyclones currently rank 22nd nationally in fewest fouls per game at 15.9...the Cyclones have had just four players foul out of a game this season compared to last year when a Cyclone fouled out 22 times...in 54 halves this season, the Cyclones have allowed their opponents to just 14 double-bonus situations (10 fouls) at the free-throw line...only seven teams this season (Northern Iowa, Iowa, Ohio State, Kansas, Kansas State, Oklahoma State, Texas) have tallied less fouls than ISU.

ISU’s Big Three

The majority of ISU’s production comes from its Big Three, Mike Taylor, Wesley Johnson and Jiri Hubalek...the trio are all averaging over double figures in scoring and are responsible for 69.7 percent (543/779) of its scoring production and 65.2 percent (467/716) of its field goal attempts in Big 12 action...the triumvirate are also responsible for 56.0 percent (255/455) of ISU’s rebounding in league play...all three are averaging over 12.0 ppg in league action...the next-best scoring average is 5.9 ppg by Rahshon Clark.

Hitting The Boards

Iowa State has made a vast improvement in rebounding compared to last year when the Cyclones were outrebounded 19 times...ISU currently has a +2.6 margin (36.4-33.9) over its opponents in rebounding to rank seventh in the league...the Cyclones have only been outrebounded nine times this season (UC Riverside, Eastern Illinois, Northern Iowa, Ohio State, Kansas, Colorado-2, Missouri, Kansas State) and just five times in league play (Kansas, Colorado-2, Missouri, Kansas State)...ISU has outboarded 14 of its last 20 opponents...ISU has not finished a season with a positive rebounding margin since 2003-04.

3-Point Attack

Iowa State currently ranks fifth in the Big 12 in 3-pointers made per game at 6.56 3FG per game...six times this season the Cyclones have made 10 or more 3-pointers in a game, including a school-record-tying 13 against Southeast Missouri State...the Cyclones are on pace to break the school mark of 3-pointers made in a season set by last year’s team with 201...ISU currently has 177...the 2005-06 squad tallied 10 or more 3-pointers in a game six times...ISU has made seven or more 3-pointers in a game 12 times this season.

Second Half Comebacks

Iowa State has won two road games this season (Minnesota and Missouri), both in dramatic fashion, rallying from double-digit second half deficits...in the Minnesota game, ISU rallied from a 10-point deficit at the 16:58 mark in the second period...Mike Taylor scored 25 points after intermission to aid the comeback...against Missouri, the Cyclones were down by 16 points (44-28 with 15:14 left in the game) before staging their second-best second-half comeback in school history...it ranks second to ISU’s come-from-behind win against No. 2 Oklahoma State (84-83 ot) on Feb. 15, 1992...freshmen Dodie Dunson and Wesley Johnson were the keys to the comeback against Mizzou...Dunson scored 16 and Johnson tallied 12 points in the second half.

Improved Free-Throw Shooting Helping Cyclones

Iowa State has shot 70.0 percent from the line this season, but its efficiency from the charity stripe in recent games has been superb...ISU has shot 79.5 from the foul line (66-83 FT) in its last six games...ISU has not shot over 70 percent from the line during a season since 2001-02 (74.8)...here is a look at ISU’s five starters and their free-throw percentages during that span.

70 Is The Magic Number

Keeping the opposition from getting into a high-scoring game increases ISU’s chances of winning...ISU is 13-4 this season when its opponents score under 70 points...ISU has given up 70 points 10 times to its opponents this season, going 1-9 in those games.

Clark Is The Leader

Junior Rahshon Clark, now in his third-year as a starter and first year as team captain, is ISU’s most experienced and most seasoned player...he brings to the table incredible athleticism and jumping ability...the junior has improved his rebounding, ranking third on the team at 6.0 rpg, which ranks 14th in the Big 12...his long arms and quick jumping ability allows him to outrebound bigger and stronger opponents...Clark has tallied eight or more rebounds 10 times this season, including four double-digit rebounding efforts (12-Eastern Illinois, 11-Minnesota, 10-Northern Iowa, 11-Iowa)...he has two double-doubles on the season.

Taylor Made

Mike Taylor’s high-energy style of play and outstanding shooting has excited ISU fans this season...he can stretch the defense with his range and explode to the hoop with his quickness...he tallied one of the greatest second halves in ISU history vs. Minnesota, recording 25 of his career-high 33 points after intermission...he recorded a career-high six 3-pointers, all in the second half vs. the Gophers...he followed that game with 22 points in the first half vs. Lake Superior State, drilling his first six treys...dating back to the Minnesota game, he had a streak of nine consecutive 3-pointers made...he leads the team in scoring (16.5), 3-pointers (68), assists (122) and steals (33)...he also has a team-high nine 20-point games...Taylor ranks ninth in the Big 12 in scoring (16.5 ppg) and sixth in assists (4.52)...three times this season Taylor has made six 3-pointers in a game, all tying for eighth on ISU’s single game record list...Taylor’s 68 3-pointers ranks sixth in school history...he is currently riding a 23-game streak of making at least one 3-pointer, the longest streak in school history.

Taylor’s 3-Point Streak

Mike Taylor has made a 3-pointer in an impressive 23 consecutive games...out of 27 games this season, Taylor has been shut out from beyond the arc just once...Taylor made a 3-pointer in his 22nd consecutive game at Kansas State, eclipsing the old school mark held by Dedric Willoughby (21, 1996-97).

Wesley Johnson- One Of The Nation’s Best Freshman

True freshman Wesley Johnson is quietly putting together one of the best rookie seasons in the nation...if it wasn’t for the amazing play of Texas freshman Kevin Durant, he would be considered the frontrunner for Big 12 Freshman of the Year...Johnson has started 26 of 27 games, averaging 12.1 ppg and 8.3 rpg...Johnson had fallen through the recruiting cracks after his prep school shut down in his senior season, thus not playing basketball in his final year...ISU assistant coach Jean Prioleau had recruited him when he was an assistant at Wichita State...when Prioleau was hired at ISU and the Cyclones needed players late in the March 2006 signing period, Prioleau contacted Johnson and convinced him to come to ISU...Johnson leads the team and ranks second in the Big 12 (behind Durant) with 11 double-doubles this season...he ranks second in the Big 12 (again behind Durant) in rebounding at 8.3 rpg...despite his lack of size, Wesley’s incredible leaping ability allows him to be an effective offensive rebounder...91 of his 223 rebounds have come on the offensive end, averaging 3.37 offensive rebounds per game, which is tops in the league...none of his offensive rebounds was bigger than his putback on a miss in the last second to help ISU defeat Missouri, 66-65 in the Big 12 Conference opener...he posted a career-high 14 rebounds vs. Colorado, tying for the fourth-best single-game freshman rebounding effort in school history...he has scored in double figures in 20 of 27 games this season...he has recorded double-digits on the boards in 11 of his last 20 games...in Big 12 games only, he is averaging 12.0 ppg and 8.1 rpg...he ranks second all-time on ISU’s freshman rebounding list with 223 boards...he was named Big 12 Player of the Week (Dec. 18) and Big 12 Rookie of the Week (Jan. 8) this season.

Johnson Racking Up Double-Doubles

Wesley Johnson already has 11 double-doubles in 27 games in his rookie season to rank second in the Big 12 Conference...Johnson passed Dean Uthoff for the most double-doubles by an ISU freshman when he recorded 14 points and 10 boards vs. Baylor...Uthoff had 10 double-doubles in his rookie season in 1976-77...Uthoff is ISU’s and the Big Eight’s all-time leading rebounder...here is a look at the most ISU freshman double-doubles in school history since freshmen became eligible by the NCAA in the mid-1970s:

Johnson Felt Right At Home In Texas

Wesley Johnson, a native of Corsicana, Texas, enjoyed his two visits back to his home state...the rookie posted two strong performances at Texas A&M and Texas where his parents and family were able to watch...Johnson was a combined 15-of-23 from the field (65.2 percent) and averaged 17.0 ppg in the two games...he was 7-of-11 from the floor at Texas A&M and 8-for-12 from the field at Texas...he scored 17 points in both games.

Hubalek Breaks Out

Junior Center Jiri Hubalek’s improved play has given ISU a much needed lift in the post...Hubalek got off to a slow start to the season, missing the first six games because of a NCAA rules violation...head coach Greg McDermott has asked Hubalek to be more of a presence in the post, and he has responded with outstanding efforts in the last 15 games, where he is shooting 77-of-155 (49.7 percent) from the field and averaging 13.2 points and 7.7 rebounds...in conference games only, Hubalek is averaging 13.1 points and 7.9 rebounds, ranking seventh in the Big 12 in rebounding...he is tied for third in the league (conf. games only) in field goal percentage at 50 percent...he is averaging 19.0 points in his last three games.

Cyclones Ink Four In Early Signing Period

Iowa State head coach Greg McDermott picked up four players who signed letters of intent to play basketball at Iowa State next season...Craig Brackins (F, 6-10, 215, Fr., Lancaster, Calif.), one of the best power forwards in the nation, Diante Garrett (G, 6-4, 170, Fr., Milwaukee, Wis.), a versatile guard from Milwaukee, Lucca Staiger (G, 6-5, 215, Fr., Baulstein, Germany), one of the best junior players in Germany and Charles Boozer (G, 6-3, 190, Fr., Raleigh, N.C.) will enroll at ISU in the Fall of 2007.

Iowa State Celebrates 100 Years Of Men’s Hoops Next Season

Iowa State fans can be a part of the Cyclone athletic department’s celebration of 100 years of men’s basketball by helping select the school’s All-Century Team through on-line voting at cyclones.com...a total of 15 former greats will comprise the All-Century Team...eight spots will be automatically occupied by ISU’s All-Americans...fans will vote for the remaining seven spots from the ballot of 44 former Cyclones that met one of the following criteria: first-team all-conference, 1,000-point career scorer or played in the NBA...voting for the All-Century Team is unlimited...the All-Century Team will be announced next season...Iowa State will honor its All-Century Team at a special letterwinners reunion and at a game during Big 12 play next season...short bios on all of the Cyclone greats, along with a direct link to vote, are available at cyclones.com.

The McDermotts Help Fight Cancer

Iowa State head men’s basketball coach Greg McDermott and his wife Theresa will join forces with the Division I men’s basketball coaches in Iowa and their spouses to host "Hoops for Hope," a fundraising gala benefiting the American Cancer Society...this event, which is a part of the Coaches vs. Cancer program, will raise funds to attain goals set by the American Cancer Society which include: reducing cancer incidence by 25 percent, reducing cancer mortality by 50 percent and measureably improving the quality of life for people with cancer...the decision to participate in this event was an easy one to make for the McDermotts...Theresa was diagnosed with breast cancer in November of 2005...she had surgery to remove the cancer a week later and started chemotherapy in late December...she completed her final set of chemotherapy treatments in June and has made a wonderful recovery, thanks to a yearly mammogram that caught the disease early...she is now a cancer survivor...for information about the event, call 1-800-688-0147 or visit online at www.cancermw.org/hoopsforhope.

Iowa State Mourns The Loss Of Barry Stevens

Iowa State fans were shocked to hear the news that former Cyclone legend Barry Stevens died of an apparent heart attack on Feb. 21 in Gary, Ind., at the age of 43...Stevens was one of former head coach Johnny Orr’s first big time recruits, helping resurrect the ISU basketball program and create "Hilton Magic"...Stevens graduated in 1985 as ISU’s all-time leading scorer (he ranks second to his best friend and high school teammate Jeff Grayer) with 2,190 points...a two-time first-team all-Big Eight pick, Stevens led ISU to its first 20-win season and to its first NCAA appearance in 41 years in the 1984-85 season...he averaged 18.7 ppg throughout his four-year career (1982-85), scoring 40 or more points in a game a school record two times.