Completed Event: Men's Basketball at #23 Creighton (Exhibition) on October 17, 2025 , Loss , 58, to, 71


04.29.2004 | Men's Basketball
Iowa State (20-13) ended its 2003-04 season as one of the hottest teams in the nation, advancing to the NIT Final Four in New York City...the Cyclones defeated SEC opponent Georgia (82-74), ACC foe Florida State (62-59) and Conference USA power Marquette (77-69) en route to their first appearance in the NIT semifinals...ISU was denied a chance for the NIT title after falling to Rutgers 84-81 in overtime...the Cyclones hosted NIT games against Georgia and Marquette, playing before 12,196 fans against Georgia and a sellout crowd (14,092) against Marquette...those two games sandwiched a 62-59 win at Florida State in Tallahassee, ending ISU's 10-game road losing streak...ISU's postseason berth was the Cyclones' 14th in the last 21 years and it marked the first time that the Cyclones advanced to the NIT semifinals...ISU posted 20 wins on the season, tying the ninth-best single-season win total in school history...ISU defeated three teams during the season that advanced to the NCAA Sweet Sixteen (Xavier, Kansas, Texas)...all of these accomplishments were achieved by a team that was picked to finish 10th in the Big 12 Conference, predictions made before the Cyclones lost starting point guard Tim Barnes to academics...much of the credit should go to first-year head coach Wayne Morgan, who inherited a program in turmoil last May...Morgan kept the Cyclones improving throughout the season, recording the second-best win total for an ISU first-year head coach...ISU began the season by winning its first seven games, the fourth-best start in school history...in the non conference season, the Cyclones earned wins over instate Division I rivals Drake, Northern Iowa and Iowa, retaining the mythical state championship for the second consecutive season...ISU posted a 7-9 mark against Big 12 competition, earning the No. 8 seed in the conference tournament...the Cyclones defeated two nationally ranked opponents during the season, beating No. 15 Kansas (68-61) and No. 11 Texas (78-77)...the Kansas win ended the Cyclones' 13-game losing streak to ranked foes...ISU was virtually unbeatable at home, posting a 17-1 mark in Hilton Coliseum, underscoring the "Hilton Magic" legacy...ISU's 94.4 percent winning percentage at home was the fifth-best single-season clip in school history and the 17 wins by the Cyclones ranked as the second-highest single-season home win total...the Massey ratings ranked Iowa State as the second-best homecourt advantage during the 2003-04 season...ISU broke the Big 12 mark for free-throw attempts in game, shooting 53 vs. Texas A&M...the Cyclones also set the school and Big 12 record for field goal percentage in a game, making 74.4 percent (29-39) of their shots against Georgia in the NIT.
Head Coach Wayne Morgan
Iowa State head coach Wayne Morgan helped lead ISU to its 14th postseason berth in the last 21 years in his first season...he led ISU to the Final Four of the NIT in his rookie season, becoming just the second Cyclone coach to win 20 games in their inaugural season...he also led ISU to its fifth-best single-season home winning percentage mark, going 17-1 (94.4 percent) in Hilton Coliseum...Morgan, who has over 30 years of coaching experience, has a proven track record of intercollegiate success...the Brooklyn, N.Y., native has been involved in 12 NCAA Tournaments, seven regular-season conference titles and five NIT appearances...Morgan is in his second stint as a head coach, leading Long Beach State from 1996-2002...he compiled a 91-84 mark and coached three teams that finished first or second in the Big West Western Division...his 1999-2000 squad was 24-6 overall and 15-1 in the Big West en route to winning the conference championship...he was named 2000 NABC District 15 Coach of the Year for his efforts...Morgan has coached or recruited 13 players that have played in the NBA.
Veterans And Newcomers Pace Iowa State Basketball To Success
Iowa State's returning starters (Jake Sullivan, Jackson Vroman, Jared Homan) were bolstered by the addition of two valuable freshmen (Curtis Stinson, Will Blalock), producing a successful season that posted ISU's 11th 20-win season in school history...Sullivan ended his brilliant career as one of the most prolific shooters in Big 12 history, scoring 1,810 points and drilling 270 career treys...the senior sharpshooter earned honorable mention all-Big 12 honors and was a NABC second-team all-District VII pick...he ended his career ranked No. 6 and No. 7, respectively, on the Big 12 and ISU career scoring charts...his 270 career 3-pointers is best in school history and ranks third all-time in Big 12 history...Sullivan, who averaged 14.6 ppg in his senior campaign, made 82 treys his final season, which ranked fifth on ISU's single-season charts...Sullivan continued to impress from the foul line, making 93.3 percent (83-89) of his foul shots in 2003-04 to lead the Big 12 and rank No. 3 nationally...Vroman finished his career at Iowa State with an excellent senior season, leading the Big 12 Conference and ranking 24th nationally in rebounding at 9.6 rpg...Vroman is the first Cyclone to lead the league in boards since Dean Uthoff (1980) and his 307 rebounds on the season is the seventh-best effort in school history...Vroman, who averaged 13.9 ppg, was a third-team all-Big 12 pick...he led the team in double-doubles (10) and field goal percentage (56.4), which was the fourth-best percentage in the conference and ranked 29th nationally...he ended his career with the second-best career field goal percentage (55.8 percent)...Homan posted his most productive season as a Cyclone, averaging 11.1 ppg and 6.3 rpg while starting 28 games...Homan was once again one of the best shot-blockers in the conference, swatting 73 shots to rank second in the league (2.28 bpg) and 21st nationally...his 73 blocks is the No. 2 single-season total in school history and his 171 career blocks ranks second in ISU history...one of the biggest stories in the Big 12 Conference was the outstanding play of freshman Curtis Stinson...Stinson posted arguably one of the greatest rookie campaigns in Big 12 history, ranking in the top five in three Big 12 statistical categories: scoring (5th, 16.2 ppg), assists (3rd, 4.3 apg) and steals (5th, 1.67 spg)...Stinson, who had the sixth-best freshman scoring average in the nation in 2003-04 (16.2 ppg), directed an all-out assault on the ISU and Big 12 freshman record books...his 534 points broke the ISU and Big 12 freshman scoring record and his assist (143) and steal (55) totals rank second and third, respectively, on the ISU and Big 12 rookie charts...Stinson received numerous honors for his stellar accomplishments as a rookie, earning Big 12 Freshman of the Year accolades and first-team freshman All-America honors by the Basketball Times...the Bronx, N.Y., native, who became just the third rookie in school history to lead the team in scoring, tied the school record for most points scored in a game by a freshman when he poured in a career-high 32 points vs. Rutgers in the NIT semifinals...he was at his best late in the season, averaging 21.5 points and shooting 54.4 percent (31-57) from the field in ISU's four NIT games...Stinson's freshman backcourt teammate Will Blalock also tallied a productive rookie season for ISU...Blalock, who averaged 7.5 ppg, dished out 134 assists on the season, ranking fifth in the Big 12 (4.0 apg) and fourth all-time on the Big 12 freshman assist charts...Blalock also registered 52 steals, ranking seventh in the conference and ranking third on the ISU rookie charts...Blalock showed he could be a threat from the outside, making 43.5 percent of his 3-point shots (30-69)...his 30 treys is the third-best total for an ISU rookie.
Jake Sullivan * Sr * G * 6-1 * 195 *
? broke ISU's career record for 3-pointers made in the season's first game...finished career with 270 treys.
? one of 30 finalists for the Bayer Advantage Senior Class Award.
? one of 10 finalists for the Collegiate Basketball Award of Excellence.
? honorable mention all-Big 12 (coaches & media).
? NABC second-team all-District 12 selection.
? CoSIDA Academic all-District VII pick.
? was 44-of-80 from 3-point range (55.0) in his last 11 home games.
? averaged 4.0 3-pointers per game in his last 11 home games.
? ranks third on the Big 12 career 3-pointers made list (270).
? ranks No. 6 on the Big 12 career scoring chart (1,810).
? ranks No. 7 on the ISU career scoring list (1,810).
? is ISU's and the Big 12's all-time leader in career free-throw percentage (89.6).
? has the No. 7 career free-throw percentage mark in NCAA history (89.6).
? was 83-of-89 from the free-throw line this season (93.3), No. 1 in the Big 12 and No. 3 in the NCAA.
? his 93.3 season free-throw percentage is the best clip in school and Big 12 history and ranks as the 16th-best single-season charity stripe clip in NCAA history.
? hit a 3-pointer in 109 of his 123 career games.
? his 82 3-pointers ranks fifth on the ISU single-season list.
? ranked second in the Big 12 in 3-pointers made per game (2.48).
? scored in double figures in 72 of his last 84 games...in double figures in 27-of-33 games this season.
? tallied 29 20-point games in his career.
? was 9-of-16 from 3-point range (56.2) in the NIT.
? had his high school jersey retired in December 2003.
? team co-captain.
Jared Homan * Jr * C * 6-9 * 245 *
? Big 12 all-improved team.
? missed the Baylor game after suffering a sprained ankle in the
? named FoxSports.com National Player of the Week (Feb. 2) after averaging 16.0 ppg, 10.5 rpg and 6.5 bpg vs. Texas A&M and
? against Texas A&M, tallied career-highs in points (20), blocks (7) and assists (3).
? three of his nine career double-doubles were against
? ranked second in the Big 12 and 21st nationally in blocks, averaging 2.28 bpg.
? ranks second on the school career blocks list with 171.
? his 73 season blocks ranks second on ISU's single-season blocked shot chart behind Kelvin Cato (118, 1996-97 season).
? tallied six double-doubles.
? recorded a block in 62 of his last 73 games.
? blocked at least two shots in 19-of-32 games...had four or more blocks in nine games this season.
? averaged 13.5 ppg and 13.5 rpg in ISU's two Big 12 Tourney games.
Jackson Vroman * sr * 6-10 * 220 * Bountiful, U
? third-team all-Big 12 (coaches & media).
? Big 12 all-underrated team.
? led the Big 12 in rebounding (9.6 rpg), the first Cyclone to lead the league in rebounding since Dean Uthoff (1980)...24th nationally in rebounding (9.6 rpg).
? averaged 14.8 points, 10.5 rebounds and shot 61.1 percent from the field in four NIT games.
? grabbed a career-high 20 rebounds vs.
? tied a career-high vs.
? had 20 points and 18 rebounds vs.
? was 9-for-12 from the field en route to 20 points in ISU's win over No. 11 Texas, earning Big 12 Player of the Week honors (Feb. 16).
? named MVP of the Cyclone Challenge, averaging 17.5 points and 9.5 rebounds...shot 83.3 percent (15-18 FG) from the field in the two tournament games.
? had five games with 14 or more rebounds in 2003-04.
? fourth in the Big 12 and 29th nationally in field goal percentage (56.4 percent).
? his career 55.8 percentage (341-611 FG) from the field is second-best in school history.
? was 106-of-164 from the field (64.6 percent) in 18 home games this season...made 46-of-68 shots from the floor (67.6 percent) in his last seven home games.
? had seven games shooting 75.0 percent or better from the field with at least eight shot attempts.
? his 307 season rebounds tied for seventh on the ISU single-season list, the first Cyclone to grab 300 or more boards in a season since Loren Meyer (1995).
? led the team with 10 double-doubles.
Curtis Stinson * fr * G * 6-2 * 205 * Bronx, N.Y.
? earned the nickname "Blue Collar" in the legendary
? first-team freshman All-American (Basketball Times & Rivals.com).
? Big 12 Freshman of the Year (Coaches & Media).
? USBWA all-District 6 pick.
? third-team All-Big 12 pick (Media); honorable mention by the Coaches.
? scored a career-high 32 points vs. Rutgers, which ties for the best single-game scoring effort for an ISU freshman (32, Barry Stevens,
? tallied 27 points in the second half (not including overtime) vs.
? named Big 12 Rookie of the Week three times (Dec. 29, Jan. 12, Feb. 1).
? scored 16 second-half points vs.
? his scoring or passing led to 15 of ISU's final 17 points in ISU's win over
? scored 26 points, 20 in the second half, against
? tied the Big 12 Tournament record for field goal percentage in a game, going 11-for-13 (84.6 percent) from the floor vs.
? averaged 21.5 points and shot 54.4 percent (31-57) from the field in the NIT.
? averaged 19.1 ppg and shot 57.1 percent (60-105) in his last eight games.
? scored in double figures in 29 of 33 games, leading ISU in scoring 15 times.
? led the team and ranked fifth in the Big 12 in scoring (16.2 ppg)...led all Big 12 freshmen in scoring and ranked sixth nationally in freshman scoring.
? only the third Cyclone in school history to lead the team in scoring (Ray Wehde, 1943; Marcus Fizer, 1998).
? the Big 12 all-time freshman leader for points (534).
? holds the ISU freshman record for most points (534) and field goals (219).
? his scoring average (16.2 ppg) is first on the ISU freshman charts.
? recorded eight 20-point outings, tying for the most 20-point games for an ISU rookie (Marcus Fizer, 1998).
? first on the team and third in the Big 12 in assists (143, 4.33 apg).
? his 143 assists is the second-best total for an ISU freshman and third-best for a Big 12 rookie.
? first on the team and fifth in the Big 12 in steals (1.67 spg).
? his 55 steals is the second-best total for an ISU freshman and ties for fourth on the Big 12 rookie charts.
? led the team in minutes played at 35.1 mpg...had team-high three complete games.
? played with a severe sprained left hand in his last seven games.
Will Blalock * Fr * 5-11 * 185 *
? honorable mention freshman All-American (Rivals.com).
? second on the team and fifth in the Big 12 in assists with 134 (4.0 apg).
? his 134 assists is the third-most for an ISU rookie and fourth-best for a Big 12 freshman.
? had 134 assists to 72 turnovers (1.86 A/T ratio), fifth-best ratio in the Big 12.
? had a career-high 11 assists and no turnovers in 33 minutes vs.
? averaged 9.5 ppg and 4.5 apg while shooting 72.7 percent (8-11 FG) in two Big 12 Tournament games.
? named Sporting News' National Player of the Week (Feb. 2) with his performances against Texas A&M and
? second on the team in steals with 52 (1.58 spg), ranking seventh in the Big 12.
? his 52 steals was the third-best total for an ISU freshman and ranked seventh on the Big 12 rookie steal charts.
? in Big 12 games only, was second in the league in steals with 28 (1.75 spg).
? named Big 12 Rookie of the Week (Dec. 22) after scoring a career-high 23 points at Drake.
? shot 43.5 percent from 3-point range (30-for-69).
? his 30 3-pointers is the third-most for an ISU freshman.
? averaged 5.25 apg in four NIT games.
? mother, Sheila, moved to
Team Quick Facts
?
? ISU's 20 wins ties for the ninth-best single-season win total in school history.
? with a March 30th game in the NIT semifinals, ISU played its latest game in school history.
? ISU's 94.4 percent (17-1) single-season winning percentage at home is the fifth-best mark in school history.
? ISU's 17 wins at home is the second-best win total in school history.
? The Massey Ratings rated
? ISU's 7-0 record to begin the season was the fourth-best start in school history.
? ISU won the mythical state championship for the second consecutive season, defeating
? ISU ended its 13-game losing streak to ranked opponents with a 68-61 win over No. 15 Kansas (1/31).
? ISU won its first road game outside of the state of
? Wayne Morgan became the first coach in school history to win his first seven games of his inaugural season.
? Wayne Morgan's 20 wins is the second-most for a first-year ISU coach.
? ISU set a school and Big 12 record by making 74.4 percent (29-39) of its shots vs.
? the Cyclones had 10 double-digit steal outings...ISU had only four double-digit efforts in steals in the previous two seasons ...the Cyclones averaged 8.0 spg, ranking third in the Big 12 and ISU's highest spg total since the 1992-93 season.
? ISU tied the Big 12 record for most free throws attempted in a game with 53 against Texas A&M...it was one shy of the school record.
? ISU shot 43.6 percent from behind the arc at home, while shooting 30.3 percent on the road and 24.2 percent on neutral floors.
? ISU shot 49.4 percent (276-559) from the field in its last nine games.
? ISU ranked second in the Big 12 in field goal percentage (46.6 percent).
? ISU shot 40.2 percent from the field (207-514) and 25.2 percent from 3-point range (29-115) in its eight Big 12 road games.
? ISU led or was tied at the half in 13 of its first 14 games...ISU trailed at the half in 15 of its last 19 games.
? ISU was 18-0 when making more free-throws than its opponent and 2-13 when its opponent made more.
? ISU made 10 or more 3-pointers in a game twice this season, increasing its all-time total to 15 10 or more 3-pointers made.
? ISU's opponents made 10 or more 3-pointers 10 times this season, averaging 7.8 3-pointers per game overall.
? ISU's opponents averaged 8.4 3-pointers made (101) in 12 road games.
? in ISU's 18 home games, the Cyclones averaged 12.8 (230) turnovers...in its 12 road games, ISU averaged 17.6 (212) turnovers.
? In ISU's 18 home games, the Cyclones' opponents averaged 13.6 (245) free-throw attempts...in 12 road games, ISU opponents averaged 22.5 (291) free-throw attempts.
? ISU's opponents averaged 68.4 ppg in Hilton..ISU's opponents averaged 77.9 ppg on the road.
? the Cyclones shot better than their opponents in 25 of 33 games.
? ISU shot 68.2 percent (330-484) from the foul line in its 20 wins...ISU shot 58.8 percent (127-216) from the foul line in its 13 losses.
? ISU was 11th in the Big 12 in free-throw shooting (65.3).
? ISU allowed only six teams (Colorado, Oklahoma State, Kansas State, Colorado, Texas Tech, Oklahoma State) to shoot 50 percent or above from the field this season.
? ISU outshot seven of its last eight opponents.
? ISU outrebounded nine of its last 11 opponents, 413-369 (+4.0).
? ISU shot 50.2 percent (107-213) from the field while holding its opponents to 39.6 percent (99-250) in its four NIT games.
? ISU outrebounded all four of its NIT opponents by a +5.0 margin.
Iowa State In NIT Action
Iowa State earned its third NIT berth in school history and its 14th postseason berth in the last 21 years...ISU's three NIT berths (1984, 2003 and 2004) sported different head coaches...Johnny Orr led the 1984 team and Larry Eustachy was the head coach for the 2003 NIT squad...the Cyclones made their first NIT Final Four appearance this season.
Iowa State Reaches NIT Semifinals In New York
Iowa State reached the NIT Final Four for the first time in school history, getting a chance to play in Madison Square Garden in New York City in front of a nationally televised audience...the Cyclones opened the 2004 NIT with an 82-74 victory over SEC opponent Georgia at home...ISU eclipsed the school and Big 12 record for field goal percentage, hitting 74.4 percent from the field (29-39)...Jackson Vroman (7-9 FG) and Curtis Stinson (9-10 FG) scored 23 and 21 points, respectively, to lead the Cyclones...ISU went on the road for its next game, defeating ACC opponent Florida State in Tallahassee...ISU broke its 10-game road losing streak and won its first road game outside the state of Iowa since 2001...ISU held a 33-20 halftime advantage behind Jake Sullivan's four treys...Sullivan ended up with a game-high 19 points and hit two free throws with :07 left to ice the game...ISU won its quarterfinal game with a 77-69 defeat of Marquette...ISU shot 60 percent in the second half (15-25) while holding Marquette to 39.3 percent (24-61) for the game...Stinson tallied his fifth double-double of the season with 20 points and 11 boards...the Cyclones lost in the semifinals to Rutgers 84-81 in overtime...ISU erased a five-point deficit (74-69) with 47 seconds remaining to come back and tie the game and force overtime...Stinson scored a career-high 32 points, including 27 in the second half...his 27 points in the second stanza was the second-best half effort for a Cyclone in school history...his 32 points tied the best single-game effort for an ISU rookie...Vroman grabbed a career-high 20 rebounds against Rutgers, the most by a Cyclone since Jeff Grayer tallied 24 vs. U.S. International in 1988...ISU shot 50.2 percent from the field in the NIT (107-213)...ISU held its three NIT opponents to 39.6 percent shooting (99-250)...ISU outrebounded its four NIT opponents by a +5.0 margin...ISU shot 42.9 percent (15-35) from 3-point range in its three NIT games...Stinson averaged 21.5 ppg, shot 54.4 percent (31-57) from the field and 84.0 percent (21-25) in four NIT games...Will Blalock averaged 5.3 apg in four NIT games...Vroman shot 61.1 percent (22-36) from the field in the NIT...Vroman averaged a double-double in the four NIT games, averaging 14.8 points and 10.5 rebounds.
Home Sweet Home
Iowa State came so close to running the table at home this season, going 17-1 in Hilton Coliseum...the only team to defeat the Cyclones in Hilton was Big 12 champion and NCAA Final Four participant Oklahoma State (88-67)...the Massey ratings ranked Iowa State with the second-best homecourt advantag, while Mike Greenfield's power rankings rated Hilton Coliseum as the third-best homecourt advantage in the nation...ISU's 94.1 percent winning percentage in 2003-04 ranked as the fifth-best single-season mark in school history...the 17 wins at home was the second-best single-season win sum in school history.
ISU Records 11th 20-Win Season
Iowa State recorded its 11th 20-win season in school history, tying for the ninth-best single-season win total in the ISU annals...all 11 of ISU's 20-win seasons have occurred since 1985, reaching the 20-win plateau 11 times in the last 20 seasons.
Iowa State vs. 2004 NCAA Tournament Teams: 5-4
(1-0) Liberty, W, 76-58 (First Round)
(1-0) Xavier, W, 68-61 (Elite Eight)
(1-0) Northern Iowa, W, 79-76 (First Round)
(0-1) Texas Tech, L, 58-72 (Second Round)
(1-1) Kansas, W, 68-61; L, 89-90 (OT) (Elite Eight)
(0-2) Oklahoma State, L, 67-88; L, 75-83 (Final Four)
(1-0) Texas, W, 78-77 (Sweet Sixteen)
Iowa State vs. 2004 NIT Teams: 7-6
(1-1) Colorado, L, 70-88; W, 83-77 (First Round)
(1-1) Missouri, W, 70-65; L, 70-82 (First Round)
(1-1) Nebraska, W, 89-74; L, 65-68 (Second Round)
(0-1) Oklahoma, L, 48-75 (Second Round)
(1-0) Iowa, W, 84-76 (First Round)
(0-1) Virginia, L, 74-85 (Second Round)
(1-0) Georgia, W, 82-74 (First Round)
(1-0) Florida State, W, 62-59 (Second Round)
(1-0) Marquette, W, 77-69 (Quarterfinals)
(0-1) Rutgers, L, 81-84 OT (Finals)
Iowa State New Yorkers Earn A Ticket Home
Three members of the Iowa State basketball program got a ticket home to New York with a quarterfinal victory over Marquette...assistant coach Fred Quartlebaum is from the suburb Dobbs Ferry and prepped at Archbishop Stepinac High in White Plains and played collegiately at Fordham...he was also a head coach at Rye High School in Rye...head coach Wayne Morgan grew up in the Bedford-Stuyvesant district, excelling in basketball at Wingate High in Brooklyn...he is an alum of Westchester CC (Valhalla) and St. Lawrence University (Canton), where he played his collegiate career...he earned a master's degree at Ithaca College (Ithaca), and was an assistant at that institution...his first head coaching job was in the Empire State's Dutchess CC (Poughkeepsie) and was an assistant for 12 years at Syracuse...true freshman Curtis Stinson, the Big 12's Freshman of the Year, is from the Bronx...Stinson developed his game at the famed Rucker Park in New York City.
Sullivan Is ISU's Career 3-Point King
Jake Sullivan broke the school record for career 3-pointers made in the first game of the season when he went 4-for-7 from downtown vs. Mercer...the senior from Oakdale, Minn., had 270 career 3-pointers...the previous record was set by Dedric Willoughby (1996-97), who hit 190 3-pointers in 31 fewer games than Sullivan...however, Sullivan broke the record with 59 fewer attempts than Willoughby...Sullivan is the only Cyclone in school history to make 60 or more 3-pointers in a season four times.
Stinson Captures Prestigious Postseason Honors
Iowa State's Curtis Stinson captured a number of postseason honors after posting one of the best rookie seasons in Iowa State and Big 12 history...Stinson was named Big 12 Freshman of the Year by both the AP and coaches and was honored as a first-team Freshman All-American by Basketball Times...Stinson, who scored the most points for a freshman in Big 12 history (534), was also named all-District 6 by the USBWA...Stinson is the fourth Cyclone to earn conference freshman of the year honors since 1992 and the third Cyclone rookie to win the honor since the inception of the Big 12 Conference in 1997.
Vroman, Sullivan And Stinson Earn All-Conference Honors
Iowa State's Jackson Vroman, Jake Sullivan and Curtis Stinson were named all-conference after their outstading 2003-04 seasons...Vroman was a third-team all-Big 12 pick by both the AP and coaches, while Stinson was a third-team selection by the AP and an honorable mention pick by the coaches...Sullivan was an honorable mention selection by both the AP and coaches...Sullivan and Stinson were also named all-District...Sullivan was an all-district pick by the NABC and Stinson was an all-district selection by the USBWA.
Morgan Records One Of The Best First-Year Cyclone Marks
Iowa State head coach Wayne Morgan recorded one of the best records for a first-year Cyclone coach...Morgan was 20-13 in his first year with ISU, the second-best win total for a first-year man at ISU.
Dynamic Dish Duo
Iowa State freshmen Curtis Stinson and Will Blalock led Iowa State and ranked among the best in the Big 12 in assists...Stinson and Blalock had the second and third best freshmen assist totals in Cyclone history, respectively...Stinson totaled 143 and Blalock handed out 134 dimes, ranking No. 3 and No. 4 on the Big 12 freshman assist charts...the duo became the first tandem to each dish out 100 or more assists in a season since Jacy Holloway (167) and Jason Kimbrough (104) did it in 1995.
Sullivan Ends "Magical" Hilton Career
Jake Sullivan finished his career in Hilton Coliseum in amazing fashion...the senior was 44-of-80 (55.0 percent) from 3-point range in his last 11 home games.
Sullivan Was One Of The Best Free-Throw Shooters In NCAA History
Jake Sullivan, the most efficient free-throw shooter in ISU and Big 12 history, ranks among the top 10 in NCAA history...the NCAA minimum to rank in all-time free-throw percentage is 300 makes...Sullivan was 354-for-395 in his career from the free-throw line for 89.6 percent...Sullivan shot 93.3 percent (83-89) from the free-throw line in 2003-04, breaking the ISU and Big 12 single-season marks...he ranked third nationally this past season.
Here are some quick facts on Jake Sullivan's uncanny numbers at the charity stripe:
? career 89.6 percent shooter (354-395), the 7th-best total in NCAA history.
? all-time career percentage leader in school and Big 12 history.
? ranked fifth nationally in 2001-02 at 90 percent (117-130)...first Cyclone to record a 90 percent season at the free-throw line.
? ranked third nationally in 2003-04 at 93.3 percent (83-89), the best single-season clip in ISU and Big 12 history and the 16th-best single-season percentage in NCAA history.
? established the No. 1, No. 2 and No. 4 single season free-throw percentage marks in ISU history and the first- and fourth-best single-season percentage clips in Big 12 history.
? had five streaks of 20 or more consecutive free throws (27, 20, 21, 23, 28).
? perfect from the line in 14 career games with six or more attempts.
Balancing Act
One of ISU's major strengths was its balance throughout the lineup...ISU had four players averaging between 16.2-11.1 ppg and three players averaging 9.6-6.0 rpg...five different players led ISU in scoring...six players led ISU in rebounding...not having to rely on the scoring of senior Jake Sullivan was a major reason for ISU's success...Sullivan, who led ISU in scoring in 2002-03, led ISU in scoring in 16-of-31 games in 2002-03...Sullivan led ISU in scoring just seven times in 33 games in 2003-04...ISU game leading scorers: Stinson (15), Vroman (10), Homan (2), Blalock (2), Sullivan (7).
Never Count The Cyclones Out At Home
The Cyclones were the comeback kids in the second half in a number of key home wins...in wins over Missouri, Iowa, Kansas, Texas, Kansas State and Colorado, Iowa State came back from second-half deficits of five points or more to claim victories, helping ISU to a 17-1 mark at home...ISU was down 17 points in the second half at No. 21 Kansas before taking a five-point lead...the game eventually went into overtime, where Kansas prevailed 90-89.
Stinson And Blalock Were Two Of Big 12's Best Freshmen
True freshmen Will Blalock and Curtis Stinson displayed their outstanding talents to Cyclone fans in their rookie seasons...the backcourt rookie duo was among the Cyclone leaders in minutes played, averaging over 30 minutes per game (Stinson, 35.1, 1st and Blalock, 30.7, 3rd)...no other freshmen in the league boasted that much playing time...the tandem ranked No. 1 and No. 2 on the team in assists and had the third- and fourth-best freshman assist totals in Big 12 history...Stinson averaged 4.3 and Blalock averaged 4.0 apg...Stinson's versatility is one of his strengths...he led the team in scoring (16.2 ppg), assists (4.3 apg) and steals (1.67 spg) and was third in rebounding (6.0 rpg)...Stinson ranked in the top five in three Big 12 categories (scoring, assists and steals)...he became just the third freshman in school history to lead the team in scoring...Blalock led the team in assist/turnover ratio at 1.86 and ranked seventh in the Big 12 in steals (1.55 spg)...the pair was highly touted coming out of Massachusetts prep schools last year...Stinson attended at Winchendon Prep and Blalock went to Notre Dame Prep...ISU head coach Wayne Morgan was an assistant with ISU last year and was responsible for the recruitment of both Stinson and Blalock...Stinson committed to Iowa State without ever taking a visit...the two played against each other in prep school in 2002-03...Stinson recorded a triple-double against Blalock with 25 points, 12 rebounds and 12 assists...both recorded 20-point outings as freshmen, becoming the 14th and 15th rookies in school history to score 20 or more points in a game...Stinson had eight 20-point outings this season and Blalock recorded two.
Curtis "Blue Collar" Stinson
Curtis Stinson picked up the nickname "Blue Collar" from his peers while playing in the legendary Rucker League in New York City...the freshman from the Bronx certainly lived up to the moniker with his hard work and ability to do all of the little things that help teams win...Stinson was a box score's dream in his rookie season...his versatility is what ranked him as one of the best freshman in the nation...here's a look at his ranking among his Cyclone teammates.
Stinson Makes It Happen In The Clutch
Curtis Stinson's clutch play late was the difference between winning and losing in a number of games for Iowa State...in four of ISU's biggest wins this season (Xavier, Missouri, Kansas, Texas), Stinson was virtually unstoppable in the second half...against Xavier, Stinson scored 11 second-half points on 5-of-7 shooting from the floor...in the Missouri win, he scored 16 second-half points (8-12 FG), including four baskets in the final six minutes to rally ISU from a seven-point deficit...he went 8-for-10 from the floor in the second half vs. No. 15 Kansas, hitting the basket that sealed the victory for the Cyclones with :32 remaining...against Texas, Stinson accounted for 15 of ISU's final 17 points in the last 7:28 of the game to lead ISU to victory...in ISU's 90-89 overtime loss at Kansas, Stinson scored 20 second-half points to help ISU rally from a 17-point deficit...he kept ISU in the game vs. Rutgers in the NIT semifinals, scoring 29 of his career-high 32 points in the second half...ISU eventually lost the game in overtime, where Stinson scored the first basket of the extra period before fouling out...against conference competition, the true freshman averaged 6.6 points (106) and shot 44.6 percent (42-94) from the field in the first half...in the second half of Big 12 games, Stinson averaged 9.6 ppg (153) and hit on 44.1 percent (64-145) of his shots.
Stinson's Second Half Against Rutgers Was One Of Best In School History
Curtis Stinson's second-half performance against Rutgers was one of the most spectacular efforts in ISU basketball history...Stinson poured in 27 points, going 7-for-14 from the field and 12-for-13 from the free-throw line...his 27-point effort in the second half (does not include his two points in the overtime session) ranks as the second-best scoring output in a half in ISU history since 1979 (halftime box scores were not kept until 1980).
The Double-Double
Three Cyclones recorded a combined 21 double-doubles this season...Jackson Vroman led ISU with 10 double-doubles, followed by Jared Homan with six and Curtis Stinson with five...Vroman had 21 in his career.
Too
Get To The Line!
Most coaches will tell you one of the keys factors between winning and losing is the ability to get to the line and shoot more free throws than their opponents...in ISU's victories and home games, the Cyclones were the dominant team in getting to the free-throw line...however, on the road and in its losses, ISU struggled to get free-throw attempts...in ISU's 13 losses, its shooting percentage from the charity stripe was disappointing...the Cyclones shot 68.2 percent (330-484) from the free-throw line in their 20 wins...however, ISU shot 58.8 percent (127-216) in its 13 losses from the charity stripe.
Vroman Was ISU's Mr. Versatile
Jackson Vroman's hard-nosed style of play energized the Cyclone basketball team and made him rise to the top of the ISU and Big 12 statistical categories.
The Legend Of John Neal
John Neal's name may not have been recognizable to the average Iowan prior to Jan. 21, 2004...that all changed when the seldom used walk-on from Winterset, Iowa, (the birthplace of screen legend John Wayne) came off the bench with six minutes to go and sparked an ISU rally to down intrastate rival Iowa 84-76...down five points with less than five minutes to play, Neal drilled two 3-pointers to ignite a 17-2 ISU run...he was also all over the court, tallying a steal and forcing another turnover...the sophomore, who wears No. 3 in honor of former Cyclone Brian Pearson who died of brain cancer in 1997, had made just six 3-pointers in his career in mop-up duty prior to his heroics vs. Iowa.
Thick As Thieves
Iowa State's pressure defense and pressing style created a number of steals during the season...the Cyclones averaged 8.0 steals per game, tallying 264 thefts...the Cyclones had 10 double-digit steal games during the season (Mercer, Liberty, Northern Colorado, Colorado {twice}, Iowa, Baylor, Kansas, Kansas State {twice})...ISU's 8.0 spg average is the best mark since the 1992-93 season.
Defense, Defense, Defense
Iowa State continued to be sound defensively in regards to opponent field goal percentage...the Cyclones held their opponents to 42.9 percent shooting...ISU held its opponents to 41.7 shooting in 2001, 43.3 percent in 2002 and just 43.0 shooting in 2002-03...only three opponents (Colorado {twice}, Oklahoma State {twice} and Kansas State) shot 50 percent or better vs. ISU...only 24 teams in ISU's last 192 games (12.5 percent) shot over 50 percent against ISU dating back to the 1998-99 season.
Extra Session Depression
ISU's overtime woes have been a sore spot...
Jared Homan Named FoxSports.com National Player Of The Week
Iowa State junior center Jared Homan was named FoxSports.com National Player of the Week after averaging 16.0 ppg, 10.5 rpg and 6.5 bpg in ISU's wins over Texas A&M (91-82) and No. 12 Kansas (68-61) Jan. 26-Feb. 1...Homan had a career week for the Cyclones, posting back-to-back double-doubles against Texas A&M and Kansas...in his first action back after suffering a sprained ankle that forced him to miss the Baylor game, Homan responded by scoring a career-high 20 points and posting a career-high seven blocks vs. Texas A&M...he added 10 rebounds against the Aggies to record his third double-double of the season...his seven blocks tied the sixth-best single-game blocked shot outing in ISU history...it was the highest total for a Big 12 player in 2003-04...Homan also tallied a career-high three assists vs. the Aggies...he kept up his inspired play with his fourth double-double of the season, tallying 12 points (6-13 FG) and 11 rebounds to help ISU down No. 12 Kansas...Homan notched six blocks against the Jayhawks, giving him 13 blocks during the week.
Blalock Named Big 12 Rookie Of The Week
Iowa State freshman Will Blalock scored 10 of his career-high 23 points in the final four minutes in a win at Drake, earning Phillips 66 Big 12 Rookie of the Week honors for the week ending Dec. 21...Blalock's clutch play late in the game helped ISU halt a Drake rally, as ISU won its first road game of the year with an 83-77 victory over the Bulldogs...Blalock made three baskets in the final 1:15 of the game, each one answering a Drake score...the Boston, Mass., native went 7-for-10 from the field and 8-for-8 from the foul line, including a 6-for-6 effort in the second half...he became the 15th rookie in school history to score 20 or more points in a single game as a freshman and his 23-point performance tied the 13th-best single-game output for an ISU freshman.
Stinson Named Big 12 Rookie Of The Week Three Times
Iowa State freshman Curtis Stinson earned Big 12 Rookie of the Week honors three times...Stinson scored 16 of his 19 points in the second half to help down No. 15 Kansas on Jan. 31...he was 8-for-10 from the field in the second stanza, hitting a teardrop floater with :32 remaining to seal the win...he averaged 16.5 ppg, 7.5 rpg and 4.5 apg during the week of Feb. 1...Stinson took over in the second half against Missouri, helping the Cyclones erase a six-point deficit and capture a five-point victory and securing his second Big 12 Rookie of the Week award...he scored 16 of his 22 points in the second half, including a spinning shot in the lane to grab the lead for good with :35 to go in the game...he added six rebounds, three assists, one block and a steal to the winning effort...Stinson had another solid performance against Nebraska, scoring 15 points, dishing six assists and grabbing three boards...he averaged 18.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 1.5 steals and 36.0 minutes played in two Big 12 Conference victories...Stinson scored 19 points and pulled down 10 rebounds in the 68-61 win against Xavier, earning Phillips 66 Big 12 Rookie of the Week for the week ending Dec. 29...it was the second-straight week a Cyclone earned the honor after freshman Will Blalock was chosen by the media panel, Dec. 22...Stinson recorded his second double-double of his young career, scoring 19 points and matching career-high 10 boards, leading ISU in both categories against Xavier...the Bronx, N.Y., guard once again filled out the stat sheet, registering three assists and recording a career-high four steals for the game.
Vroman Wins Big 12 Player Of The Week
Jackson Vroman averaged 18 points, 10 rebounds and shot 64 percent in two games, earning Phillips 66 Big 12 Player of the Week honors for the week of Feb. 9-16...he is the first Cyclone to earn the award since Tyray Pearson won the honor Jan. 14, 2002...in a loss at Kansas State, Vroman tallied his team-leading fifth double-double of the season with 16 points and 11 rebounds...the Bountiful, Utah, native also had two steals vs. the Wildcats...Vroman followed that outing with a monster game in the 78-77 win against No. 11 Texas, scoring 20 points and grabbing nine rebounds...the victory was ISU's second over a top 25 team as the Cyclones defeated No. 15 Kansas 68-61 on Jan. 31...against UT, Vroman tallied a game-high three steals and was 9-for-12 (75.0 percent) from the floor to mark his sixth game shooting 75 percent from the field or above with at least eight shot attempts...Vroman did all of his damage against the Longhorns before fouling out with 4:49 left in the game.
2003-04 Iowa State Men's Banquet Award Winners
Ralph A. Olsen Most Valuable Player Award: Jake Sullivan, Jackson Vroman, Curtis Stinson
Brian Pearson Inspiration Award: John Neal
Most Improved Player Award: Jared Homan
Outstanding Defensive Player Award: Jared Homan
Outstanding Rebounder Award: Jackson Vroman
Sixth Man Award: Marcus Jefferson
3-Point Award: Jake Sullivan
Most Assists Award: Curtis Stinson
Pete Taylor Mr. Hustle Award: John Neal, David Braet, Jeff Bergstrom, Mark Boll, Justin Fries, Brandon Nicol, Andrew Skoglund (Practice Team)
Free-Throw Award: Jake Sullivan
Academic Awards: Jeff Bergstrom, Justin Fries, Jared Homan, Brandon Nicol, Andrew Skoglund, Jake Sullivan, Jackson Vroman