Iowa State Travels To Texas Tech

AMES, Iowa-Iowa State (12-5, 1-1 Big 12) is looking for its second straight league road win when it travels to Texas Tech (12-5, 0-3 Big 12) on Wednesday. The Cyclones ended their 16-game conference road losing streak on Saturday with a 56-53 win in Lincoln. It was ISU's first Big 12 road victory since defeating NU in Lincoln on Feb. 28, 2007.

Who: Iowa State (12-5, 1-1) at Texas Tech (12-5, 0-3)
When: Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2010 • 6:30 p.m.
Where: Lubbock, Texas • United Spirit Arena (15,098)
Radio: Cyclone Radio Network/Learfield
Talent: John Walters (pxp); Eric Heft (color)
Television: CTN/ESPN360/ESPN Full Court
Talent: Brian Jensen (pxp); John Harris (color)
Affiliates: Ames/Des Moines (WOI), Cedar Rapids/Waterloo (KCRG), Davenport (WHBF), Sioux City (KCAU), Mason City/Ottumwa/Keokuk (Mediacom)
Online Audio: Clone Zone

Cyclone Notebook
- Iowa State (12-5, 1-1 Big 12) is looking for its second straight league road win when it travels to Texas Tech (12-5, 0-3 Big 12) on Wednesday.
- ISU has lost four-straight games at the United Spirit Arena in Lubbock.
- The Cyclones ended their 16-game conference road losing streak on Saturday with a 56-53 win in Lincoln...it was ISU's first Big 12 road victory since defeating NU in Lincoln on Feb. 28, 2007.
- Wednesday's game will be produced by Texas Tech's television crew, but Cyclone Television Network affiliates in Iowa will carry the game...the game is also available on ESPN360 and ESPN Full Court.
- Marquis Gilstrap has been outstanding in his two Big 12 games, posting back-to-back double-doubles and averaging 17.5 points and 12.5 rebounds vs. Texas and Nebraska to help him earn Big 12 Rookie of the Week honors for the fourth time this year.
- Four of ISU's five losses are to teams ranked in the top-25 of the latest RPI rankings (Duke, Texas, Northern Iowa, California)...ISU is 108 in the latest RPI.

Last Time Out
- Iowa State's defense rose to the occasion and the offense made shots when it needed it, defeating Nebraska 56-53 in Lincoln Saturday night.
- The win was ISU's first Big 12 road victory since Feb. 28, 2007, ending a 16-game league road losing streak.
- A Diante Garrett bank shot and a Craig Brackins dunk gave ISU a four-point lead with 1:56 left in the game (55-51).
- NU had one last chance to tie the game, but the shot off the mark.
- ISU held NU to just two field goals in the final 10:34 of the game...NU had a five-point lead at that time, but Scott Christopherson sparked ISU with back-to-back treys to help ISU take a lead it would never relinquish.
- It was the first time ISU's football team and men's basketball squad won in Lincoln in the same school year since 1977-78.
- ISU has now won four of the last six games in Lincoln.
- The win was even more unlikely when the Cyclones learned just before the game that Charles Boozer would miss the rest of the season with an ACL injury in his right knee...ISU was down to just eight scholarship players, with all eight playing and contributing to the victory.
- ISU was led by Marquis Gilstrap, who tallied his second-straight double-double and his team-high seventh of the season with 15 points and 12 boards.
- Gilstrap is averaging 17.5 points and 12.5 rebounds in two Big 12 games this year.
- Craig Brackins was held to a season-low six points, but grabbed 11 boards in the victory...his 11 rebounds gives him 601 in his career, becoming the 19th Cyclone to amass 600 caroms in a career.
- It was Brackins' sixth double-digit rebounding performance of the season.
- Staiger made a pair of treys and scored seven points in the win...Staiger has made 13 treys in three career games vs. the Huskers.
- Justin Hamilton had six points, seven boards and a career-high three blocks.
- LaRon Dendy came off the bench to tally seven points, six boards and two rejections...Dendy has 13 blocks in his last five games (2.6 bpg).
- ISU ended a four-game skid of being outrebounded by its opponent by winning the battle of the boards, 45-36.

Cyclone-Red Raider Quick Facts
- Iowa State leads the all-time series vs. Texas Tech at 9-8.
- Texas Tech is one of three Big 12 schools the Cyclones have an edge on in the all-time series...Colorado and Baylor are the others.
- TTU owns a 5-2 lead against ISU in games played in Lubbock and has won four-straight games in the United Spirit Arena...ISU's last win in Lubbock was on March 1, 2000 in an 87-79 victory.
- ISU ended a four-game losing streak to the Red Raiders with a 78-76 win in Hilton Coliseum last year on Senior Day...current ISU graduate assistant Bryan Petersen tallied a career-high 20 points on 6-of-11 shooting from 3-point range.
- Craig Brackins had 21 points and 14 boards in last season's game and is averaging 16.5 points and 9.0 rebounds in two games vs. the Red Raiders.
- Diante Garrett had 17 points and six assists in last year's game.
- ISU head coach Greg McDermott is 1-2 all-time vs. Texas Tech...in McDermott's first year at UNI (2001-02), he brought his Panther team to Lubbock to play in the Ford Red Raider Classic...UNI did not play Texas Tech in the tournament, however.
- ISU senior Marquis Gilstrap and TTU junior Brad Reese were teammates last season at Gulf Coast Community College in Panama City, Fla...the close friends led GCCC to a 24-9 record and a berth in the state championship game vs. Chipola.

A Closer Look At Texas Tech
- Texas Tech (12-5, 0-3) spent much of the non-conference season ranked behind three wins over Pac-10 opponents (Oregon State, Washington, Stanford).
- The Red Raiders are 0-3 in the Big 12 and are coming off an 89-63 loss to No. 3 Kansas on Saturday...TTU was led by John Roberson, who had 16 points.
- TTU is led by junior forward Mike Singletary, who is averaging 14.5 points and 6.4 rebounds...Singletary had 12 points and 17 boards in Tech's overtime loss to Missouri.
- Roberson, a junior, is averaging 13.9 points and is second in the Big 12 in assists at 5.4 apg...he has five or more assists in 12 of his last 15 outings...Roberson is averaging 38.3 minutes played in three league games.
- Junior D'walyn Roberts has started all 17 games, averaging 8.2 ppg...Roberts is shooting 61.0 percent from the field this year (50-82 FG).
- TTU is third in the Big 12 in free throw percentage (72.4) and has attempted the fourth-most shots in the league from the free-throw line (467).
- At 78.2 ppg, the Red Raiders are sixth in the Big 12 in scoring offense.
- The Red Raiders are giving up a league-worst 73.6 ppg.

A Tough Stretch
- Iowa State is in the middle of one of its toughest stretch of games in recent memory.
- In a 2 1/2 week span beginning on Jan. 6, the Cyclones will likely play three teams ranked in the nation's top-five.
- ISU lost to No. 5 Duke (86-65, Jan. 6) and No. 1 Texas (90-83, Jan. 13), and will play host to Kansas, which is currently ranked No. 3, on Jan. 23.
- You have to go back to 1990 to find a similar stretch of games vs. the nation's best teams...from Feb. 21 to March 9 of that season, the Cyclones played No. 1 Missouri, No. 1 Kansas and No. 2 Kansas.

Iowa State Team Trends And Facts
- ISU has led at the half in 13 of 17 games this year.
- ISU has used just two different lineups this season.
- The Cyclones ended their 16-game Big 12 road losing streak with a 56-53 victory over Nebraska in Lincoln on Jan. 16.
- Nine of ISU's wins have been by 10 or more points, the most 10+ wins in a season since 2004-05 (12).
- ISU has scored 70 points or more in 11 of 17 games this season, averaging 76.1 ppg...ISU is 32-3 in the Greg McDermott era when scoring 70 points or more.
- ISU's scoring offense is currently at a 11.2 ppg increase from last season...ISU averaged 64.9 ppg last year (76.1-64.9).
- ISU has scored 80 or more points in nine games...the Cyclones only reached 80 points once last season.
- ISU scored 80 points or more in four-straight games (Iowa, Bradley, North Dakota, Houston) for the first time since the 2005-06 season.
- The Cyclones scored 90 points or more in consecutive games (at Drake; vs. Mississippi Valley State) for the first time since the 2000-01 season.
- ISU defeated Mississippi Valley State, 96-55...the 96 points is the most in the Greg McDermott era...the most points scored by a Greg McDermott-coached team vs. a Division I opponent was 99 against Iowa State when he was head coach at UNI (2004).
- ISU won five consecutive games by 20+ points for just the third time in school history and for the first time since 2000.
- ISU is fifth in the Big 12 and 41st nationally in field goal percentage (47.4 percent).
- ISU has not allowed a team to shoot above 50 percent this season...ISU opponents are shooting 40.3 percent from the field.
- ISU has shot 50 percent or above in seven games for a 47.4 percent season tally...ISU is 15-0 when shooting 50 percent or above in the McDermott era.
- In the first three seasons of the Greg McDermott era, ISU only shot above 50 percent eight times...ISU has done it seven times this season after only achieving the mark just once a year ago.
- ISU has outshot 13 of 17 opponents this year.
- ISU is seventh nationally and second in the Big 12 in 3-point field goal percentage at 41.8 percent (125-299 3FG).
- ISU has shot above 40.0 percent from 3-point range in 10 games.
- ISU is fifth in the Big 12 in 3-pointers made per game at 7.4 3FG.
- ISU ranks fifth in the Big 12 in assists at 15.6 apg.
- The Cyclones have had equal or more assists than turnovers in a game 11 times this season.
- ISU ranks fourth in the Big 12 in blocks at 5.4 bpg.
- The Cyclones are averaging 7.4 blocks per game in the last five games.
- ISU is 32-2 in the McDermott era when its opponents score under 60 points.

Iowa State Player Quick Facts
Craig Brackins
- Preseason All-American...Naismith Award candidate.
- Named Big 12 Player of the Week four times in his career...once this year.
- Has 28 20-point games and four 30-point games in his career.
- Has 16 20-point/10-rebound games and 23 double-doubles in his career.
- Recorded 20 points in a half four times in his career...once this year (Iowa).
- Ranks 16th on ISU's career scoring chart with 1,288 points.
- Ranks eighth on ISU's career blocked shot chart (84).
- Ranks 18th on ISU's career field goal made chart (480).
- Has 80 career starts to rank 19th all-time in school history.
- Has 64 double-digit scoring games in his career.
- Posted back-to-back 20-point/10-rebound games vs. Drake and Mississippi Valley State to earn Big 12 Player of the Week honors.
- Has five double-doubles and two 20-point/10-rebound outings this year.
- Scored 20 or more points four times this year.
- Ranks ninth in Big 12 scoring (16.3 ppg) and seventh in rebounding (8.1 rpg).
- Second on the team in assists (2.7 apg)...has surpassed his season assist total from last year (43) by three assists (46).
- Named to the Chicago Invitational All-Tournament team (17.1 pts./7.6 reb.).

Diante Garrett
- Bob Cousy Award nominee.
- Averaging 8.4 points and 5.4 assists.
- Third in the Big 12 and 31st nationally in assists at 5.4 apg.
- Has the team's longest current starting streak at 49-straight games.
- Handed out five or more assists 36 times in his career...11 games this season.
- Ranks 10th on ISU's all-time career assist chart with 343.
- Has a 2.3 assist/turnover ratio to rank eighth in the Big 12.
- His career 1.60 assist/turnover ratio ranks 10th all-time in school history.
- Has six double-digit assist games in his career...two this season.
- The active Big 12 leader in double-digit assist performances with six.
- Tied his career high with 11 assists at Drake, tying the Knapp Center record.
- Scored a season-high 16 points in the St. Louis win.

Lucca Staiger
- Has made two or more treys 36 times in his career...13 times this season.
- Has five games in his career with six or more treys...three times this season.
- Made a 3-pointer in 14 of 17 games this year.
- Third in Big 12 and 47th nationally in 3-pointers per game (2.9 3FG).
- Hitting 42.5 percent (48-113 3FG) from 3-point range.
- His 48 season treys ties for 19th on ISU's single season list.
- Ranks seventh on ISU's career 3-pointers made list with 122.
- His career 40.0 percent clip from 3-point range ranks third in school history.
- Is 9-of-19 from 3-point range in last two games (47.3 percent).
- Broke the school record for 3-pointers made in a game with 10 at Drake...that mark ties for second on the Big 12's single game chart.
- Tallied a career-high 32 points at Drake.
- Owns two of the top three ISU single-game 3-pointers made marks (10 vs. Drake; 8 vs. Drake).
- Named to the Chicago Invitational All-Tournament team (14.0 pts./9-21 3FG).

Marquis Gilstrap
- Started all 17 games, averaging 14.7 points and 8.9 rebounds to rank sixth in the Big 12 and 56th nationally on the boards.
- In Big 12 play, averaging a double-double at 17.5 points and 12.5 rebounds, ranking second in the conference in rebounding (league games only).
- Leads the team with seven double-doubles.
- Recorded a double-double in both Big 12 games.
- Scored in double figures in 15 of 17 games.
- Recorded three 20-point games.
- Is 6-of-11 from 3-point range (54.5 percent) in last four games.
- Recorded his first double-double with 11 points and 15 rebounds vs. Chicago State...the 15 boards was the most by a Cyclone since Brackins had 16 vs. SIU-E.
- Posted a career-high 25 points vs. Bradley (7-11 FG; 3-4 3FG).
- Was solid in his Big 12 debut with 20 points and 13 rebounds vs. No. 1 Texas.
- Four-time Big 12 Rookie of the Week winner (Nov. 23; Dec. 21; Jan. 4, Jan. 18).

Scott Christopherson
- Averaging 6.8 ppg.
- Shooting 50.0 percent (19-38 3FG) from 3-point range.
- Scored in double figures from off the bench in seven games.
- Recorded two or more 3-pointers seven times.
- Made back-to-back 3-pointers in the 2nd half at Nebraska to aid ISU to victory.

Justin Hamilton
- Started 16 games at center...leads team in FG percentage (72.9 pct./35-48 FG).
- Averaging 7.5 points and 6.5 rebounds in last four games.
- Is a career 62.2 percent shooter from the field (92-148 FG).
- Missed the North Dakota State game because of a concussion...listed as probable for Texas game.

LaRon Dendy
- Scored 16 points and grabbed seven boards in his Cyclone debut vs. Idaho State.
- Missed five games because of a knee sprain this season.
- Averaging 7.9 points and leads ISU in blocks at 1.6 bpg.
- Averaging 2.6 blocks in last five games.
- In Big 12 play, averaging 10.5 points, 6.0 rebounds and 3.5 blocks, ranking second in the league in blocks (league games only).
- In his Big 12 debut vs. No. 1 Texas recorded 14 points and six boards.

Limited Bench
- At the beginning of the season, it looked like Iowa State would have its deepest bench in years...however, injuries, suspensions and dismissals has depleted the Cyclone bench to just three scholarship players.
- Antwon Oliver, a scholarship player, and Bubu Palo, a walk-on, were slated as redshirts at the beginning of the season...senior Jamie Vanderbeken joined the pair as a redshirt after battling numerous injuries in the preseason...Vanderbeken was expected to be strong contributor in the post for ISU this season, but he we will now seek a medical redshirt.
- Charles Boozer became the next casualty when he was lost for the season after suffering an ACL tear in his right knee in the Texas game (Jan. 13)...he was coming off a career-high 19-point performance vs. North Dakota State.
- L.A. Pomlee was dismissed from the team on Jan. 8 and Chris Colvin has been suspended until February for violating team rules.
- ISU is now dressing nine players and just eight scholarship players until the Colvin suspension is done.

Gilstrap And Brackins Strong On The Boards
- The rebounding tandem of Marquis Gilstrap and Craig Brackins has helped ISU rank fifth in the league in rebounding margin (+2.8).
- This is a significant improvement for the Cyclones, which finished ninth in the league in rebounding margin last year at -1.6.
- Gilstrap averages 8.9 rebounds and Brackins is at 8.1 rpg, ranking sixth and seventh, respectively.
- Gilstrap ranks 56th nationally in rebounding, while Brackins is tied for 98th.
- ISU is one of five teams nationally to have two players rank in the top-100 nationally in rebounding...LSU, Georgia Tech, Louisiana Tech and Radford are the others.

Players Mentioned

Charles Boozer

Charles Boozer

Craig Brackins

Craig Brackins

Scott Christopherson

Scott Christopherson

Scott Christopherson

Chris Colvin

LaRon Dendy

Diante Garrett

Diante Garrett

Diante Garrett

Marquis Gilstrap

Justin Hamilton

Justin Hamilton

Antwon Oliver

Bubu Palo

Bubu Palo

Bryan Petersen

L.A. Pomlee

L.A. Pomlee

Lucca Staiger

Lucca Staiger

Jamie Vanderbeken

Jamie Vanderbeken

Jamie Vanderbeken

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