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Iowa State Cyclones Repeating last year will be a tough task
Last season32-5, 14-2 Big 12 (NCAA quarterfinals, lost to Michigan State)
CoachLarry Eustachy (third season, 47-20; 206-106 overall)
Projected starting lineupG Jamaal Tinsley, 6-3, Sr.The Cyclones likely will go only as far as this preseason All-America guard takes them; could have been best point guard in last year's draft.
G Kantrail Horton, 6-1, Sr.
F Martin Rancik, 6-8, Sr.
F Tyray Pearson, 6-7, Jr.
F Paul Shirley, 6-10, Sr. A guy with the grin of Opie and the elbow of Rambis, will have to anchor the middle early on.
Top guy off the benchG Brandon Hawkins, 6-3, So. This guy looked completely at ease as a freshman giving ISU's top guards a breather late last season with his brainy play.
Key gamesat Iowa (Dec. 9). Eustachy and Steve Alford DO NOT like each other, and both have their programs looking up.at Oklahoma State (Jan. 8). Rematch of the Big 12 semis, which the Cyclones pulled out 68-64 on the way to a tourney title. at Kansas (Feb. 5). ISU pulled off rare sweep of Jayhawks a year ago.
OutlookIt's unlikely that this year's team can clone the success of last year's. All those Cyclones did was win a school-record 32 and earn Eustachy national coach of the year honors. Marcus Fizer left a year early for the NBA lottery, and is irreplaceable. The departed hustle of Stevie Johnson and Michael Nurse will also be missed. Tinsley is still a one-of-a-kind point guard, but he can't do it alone. ISU needs Pearson, Sullivan or some other newcomer to step up on a team that was never deep even when it extended Michigan State to the limit.--Adam Thompson
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