ISU Plays Host To Savannah State

Iowa State (6-3) vs. Savannah State (5-7)

Dec. 13, 2006 ? 7 p.m. ? Ames, Iowa ? Hilton Coliseum (14,092)

Radio: Cyclone Radio Network; John Walters (pxp), Eric Heft (color)

Television: Mediacom; B.J. Schaben (pxp), Jim Hallihan (color)

Gameday Quick Facts

Iowa State (6-3) looks to get back on the winning track on Wednesday, playing host to Savannah State (5-7) in Hilton Coliseum...the Cyclones, who opened the season by winning their first six games, are currently on a three-game losing streak, falling to their three instate rivals in consecutive games...it is just the second time in school history where ISU lost to Iowa, Northern Iowa and Drake in the same season...ISU center Ross Marsden missed his third-straight game in the Cyclones' last loss, a 77-59 defeat at Iowa on Friday.

Cyclone-Tiger Quick Facts

Iowa State leads the all-time series vs. Savannah State at 2-0...the Cyclones defeated the Tigers in back-to-back seasons (2001-02; 2002-03), winning 64-39 (11-27-01) and 79-59 (12-15-02)...ISU head coach Greg McDermott has never faced Savannah State in his career.

Cyclone Update

Iowa State lost its third game in a row against Iowa on Friday, falling to the Hawkeyes, 77-59 in Iowa City...ISU committed a season-high 26 turnovers in the loss, the most by a Cyclone team since committing a school-record 32 against TCU on Dec. 24, 1997...ISU outrebounded the Hawkeyes, 43-31, but poor shooting (38.6 percent) and too many turnovers halted any chances for ISU...Iowa had 31 points off turnovers in the game...the Cyclones were led by Wesley Johnson and Mike Taylor, who both scored 13 points...Johnson scored ISU's first nine points in the game and grabbed nine boards...Taylor was 3-for-9 from 3-point range, but committed eight turnovers...Johnson also had two blocks to raise his season total to 15...Johnson, who leads the team in blocked shots (1.7 bpg), is on pace to break the Cyclone freshman blocked shot mark currently held by Jared Homan (40; 2001-02)...Dodie Dunson came off the bench to score 10 first-half points...Dunson, who was 2-for-4 from 3-point range, is 7-for-10 from downtown (70 percent) in his last three games...Rahshon Clark grabbed a game-high 11 rebounds, his fourth double-digit rebounding effort of the season...Clark leads the team and ranks second in the Big 12 in rebounding at 9.1 rpg...the Cyclones were 9-for-24 from 3-point range against Iowa...in their last five games, the Cyclones are 47-of-115 from downtown (40.8 percent), averaging 9.4 3-pointers per game...Iowa shot 45.9 percent in the game, the second-best opponent total this season...after allowing just one team to shoot above 40 percent in its first seven games, ISU has allowed 47.0 percent (Drake) and 45.9 percent (Iowa) in its last two games...the Cyclones did not allow an opponent to score over 70 points in their first six games, but have allowed 70 or more points in their last three games...44 of ISU's 59 points scored against Iowa were from newcomers on the ISU roster.

Savannah State (5-7)

Savannah State comes to Ames sporting a 5-7 mark...the Tigers won their first five games, but have lost their last seven, including a 74-53 defeat at NC State on Saturday...SSU gave up a season-high 53.7 percent from the field against the Wolfpack...the Tigers' opponents are shooting just 40.2 percent from the field this season...senior guard Javon Randolph led the Tigers against NC State with 19 points, including a 4-of-7 effort from 3-point range...Randolph, who hails from Gainesville, Ga., is the only player on the squad averaging in double figures in scoring with a 17.4 ppg clip...Randolph has led SSU in scoring in nine of 12 games this season, including a 28-point effort vs. Mercer and a 29-point outing against Jackson State...Randolph is shooting 39.7 percent (25-63) from beyond the arc this year...senior forward Joshua Obiajunwa is SSU's top inside presence...the Jos, Nigeria, native is averaging 8.7 points and 8.8 boards so far this season...he has five double-digit rebounding efforts this season, including a career-high 17 caroms vs. Southeastern...junior guard Joseph Flegler is averaging 9.3 points and leads the team in assists at 2.5 apg...Flegler, who also leads the team in steals with 21, has hit 13-of-38 shots from downtown (34.2 percent) this season...the Tigers have struggled taking care of the ball this season, averaging 20.3 turnovers per game...however, SSU is averaging 18.6 turnovers forced this year, thanks to a 8.6 steal per game average...the Tigers have six players with over 10 steals this year already...SSU is coached by Horace Broadnax, who is 7-35 in his second year with the program...Broadnax was a college teammate of Patrick Ewing and was a member of Georgetown's 1984 NCAA Championship team...he played in two NCAA Championship games (1984 and 1985).

Iowa State Team Quick Facts

? Iowa State has just four returning scholarship players from last season.

? 62.4 percent of the minutes played (1124) in ISU's eight games were by newcomers on the roster.

? 66.7 percent of ISU's points this season (402) 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 in school history 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 league...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."

? ISU junior college transfers Corey McIntosh and Mike Taylor have witnessed a ton of success in their collegiate playing career...McIntosh tallied a 59-9 record in his two seasons in JC ball, while Taylor recorded a 62-8 mark in his two seasons at Chipola JC...the pair posted a combined 121-17 record in their two years in junior college.

? 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).

? ISU has made 47 treys in its last five games, going 47-of-115 from downtown (40.8 percent), averaging 9.4 3-pointers per game in the last five games.

? ISU hit a season-high 11 treys vs. Lake Superior State, tying for the 15th-best single-game total in ISU history.

? ISU has recorded two games with 10 or more 3-pointers this year.

? 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 41 consecutive games.

? ISU ranks fourth in the Big 12 in rebounding (38.6 rpg) and rebounding margin (+3.3).

? ISU ranks fifth in the Big 12 in 3-point field goals made per game (7.11 3FG).

? ISU has shot more free-throws than its opponents in six of nine games this year.

? Only three teams (Eastern Illinois, Drake and Iowa) has shot above 40 percent against the Cyclones this season...23 teams shot 40 percent or better against ISU last season.

? ISU is holding its opponents to 39.3 percent from the field.

? Only three teams (Northern Iowa, Drake and Iowa) has scored 70 or more points against ISU this season...22 teams scored 70 or more points against the Cyclones last season.

? ISU ranks sixth nationally in least amount of fouls per game (14.7)...only two teams (Northern Iowa & Iowa) have committed less fouls than ISU in a game this year.

Stressing Defense

Iowa State head coach Greg McDermott has always stressed defense in order to be successful...his teams have already bought into this concept in the early season...ISU's opponents are shooting 39.3 percent from the field with only three teams achieving above 40 percent in a game (Eastern Illinois, Drake, Iowa)...ISU allowed 46.5 percent from the field last season...23 teams shot 40 percent or above against ISU last season, including 12 teams who made 50 percent or better.

Getting To The Line

In the preseason, Greg McDermott talked about the importance of getting to the free-throw line to increase your chances to win...so far, so good for ISU, as the Cyclones have been able to capitalize at the free-throw line...ISU has attempted more free-throw attempts than its opponent in six of nine games this season, holding a 161-131 (+3.3) advantage at the charity stripe...what a difference from last season when the Cyclones were outshot at the foul line, 735-548 (-6.2)...Minnesota, Northern Iowa and Iowa - ISU's three road games - are the only teams to shoot more free throws than ISU.

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 10th nationally in fewest fouls per game at 14.77...the Cyclones have had just one player foul out of a game this season compared to last year when a Cyclone fouled out 22 times...in 18 halves this season, the Cyclones have allowed their opponents to have just five double-bonus situations (10 fouls) at the free-throw line...only two teams this season (Northern Iowa & Iowa) has tallied more fouls than ISU.

Clark Is The Leader

Junior Rahshon Clark is the undisputed leader of the Cyclone team...now in his third-year as a starter and first year as team captain, Clark is ISU's most experienced and most seasoned player...he brings to the table incredible athleticism and jumping ability...the junior has drastically improved his rebounding, leading the team on the boards at 9.1 rpg, which ranks second 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 in eight of nine games 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 so far in the young 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 tallied 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 (16.0), 3-pointers (24) and assists (43)...Taylor ranks eighth in the Big 12 in scoring (16.0 ppg) and seventh in assists (4.78).

Taylor's Incredible Run Earns Him Big 12 Co-Rookie Of The Week Honors

Mike Taylor posted arguably the greatest back-to-back half performances in school history against Minnesota and Lake Superior State, helping him earn Big 12 Co-Rookie of the Week honors...in the second half vs. Minnesota, Taylor had 25 points and six treys...he answered that performance in his next game, tallying 22 points and six treys in the first half vs. Lake Superior State...at one point, Taylor had a string of nine consecutive 3-pointers made...here is a closer look at his consecutive half performances:

Taylor Ties Single-Game Scoring Mark For First-Year Cyclones

Mike Taylor had a career night vs. Minnesota, pouring in 33 points to help ISU down the Gophers...Taylor's 33 points vs. Minnesota ties the school record for most points scored in a game by a Cyclone in their first season on the team.

Wesley Johnson- A Diamond In The Rough

True freshman Wesley Johnson has done a fantastic job early in his rookie season at ISU...Johnson has started all nine games, averaging 11.8 ppg and 7.2 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 with three double-doubles this season...he also leads ISU in blocks with 15, recording a career-high three vs. Norfolk State and Northern Iowa...he ranks seventh in the league in blocked shots (1.67 bpg)...he has recorded a block in eight of nine games this season...despite his lack of size, Wesley's incredible leaping ability allows him to be an effective offensive rebounder...27 of his 65 rebounds have come on the offensive end, averaging 3.0 offensive rebounds per game, which ranks third in the Big 12...he has scored in double figures in seven of nine games this season...in his last four games, he is averaging 14.3 points...in his last five games he has connected on 58.5 percent from the field (24-41 FG).

Players Mentioned

Will Blalock

Rahshon Clark

Rahshon Clark

Dodie Dunson

Wesley Johnson

Ross Marsden

Ross Marsden

Corey McIntosh

Mike Taylor

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