Yes, yes, your Iowa State Cyclones are in first place in the Big 12. In men's basketball. Want proof?

That's us. On top. You say we're only 3 games in? Who cares! We're on top of a conference with only one loss (to Montana State...).

But in all seriousness, the Cyclones have already run the gamut from nail-biting (against UC Davis), mediocre (Loyola Marymount), and somewhat kind of decent (Milwaukee). But does this team have what it takes to keep up the Ws for any length of time?

Let's take a look at our top performers so far.

Right at the top of the list is Craig Brackins, and with good reason. He's scoring at the rate that we'll need him to (nearly 29 points per 40 minutes). Moreover, he's becoming the inside scoring presence that we need him to become. Averaging just 3.7 rebounds per game - I don't know if he'll ever become the banger down low that we need him to be, but his scoring might be a much bigger deal to a team that's been downright offensive when trying to score the last couple of years.

And, speaking of rebounders down low, Jamie Vanderbeken has been a pleasant surprise. For a guy that likes to float out to the three point line, he's been grabbing boards at a decent rate (including a double-double already), and his shooting (again, a need) has been pretty good, both from outside and his limited attempts inside. 

And the nice looking statistical parade continues with Diante Garrett. A 3.3 A/TO ratio is spectacular in any three games. He's done a nice job of finding guys this year (although it doesn't hurt that the shots are going in more often.) He's still kind of an ugly shooter to watch, but....if he shows something a bit closer to that three-point barrage he had against his hometown school, his progression will already be ahead of schedule.

Of course, missing from the leaders display has been the play of true freshman Wes Eikmeier. In a performance eerily similar to the days of Mike Taylor, we have a guy that isn't afraid to stop and pop. And, when those threes are going in over half of the time (53.5%, to be exact), he'll be useful as both a zone buster and as an emergency offensive stimulus.

To say I was disappointed with our season opener with UC Davis was an understatement. And although they beat Loyola Marymount and very nearly beat Milwaukee, that game was still way too close. But, as the weekend went on, and this group of guys has begun playing with familiarity, they've started settling in. A date in Hawai'i this week provides a golden opportunity to get an elusive road win and to continue momentum.

But, does McDermott continue starting his safe lineup of Thompson, Brackins, Haluska, Petersen and Garrett? Now might be the time to give that nod to Vanderbeken over Thompson, but when do guys like Eikmeier and Staiger start getting the minutes belonging to some of our senior leaders? Or do they at all?

One last note - as one of Greg McDermott's louder critics, I've been pleased with what I've seen in terms of progress. I know mpls has discussed how the Milwaukee game is probably more of an aberration than anything, but it would seem we now have some of the shooters we desperately need - and maybe just the improvement in 3 point percentage will help us win some games we didn't last year. I mean, I don't have to like our head coach to be a fan...do I?

It's the middle of July, and I'm in the middle of beating the Cyclones' potential starting football lineup into a bloody pulp by the time late August gets here, so let's take a look at who will be suiting up in the brand spanking new unis this winter. I'm going to take a look at what I imagine will be the starting lineup at the beginning of the season - it'll probably look a bit different at the end.

Projected Starting Lineup

G Diante Garrett
G Bryan Petersen
G Lucca Staiger
F Craig Brackins
F Jamie Vanderbeken

Projected Bench

G Dominique Buckley
G Sean Haluska
G Wes Eikmeier
G Cameron Lee
G Charles Boozer
F Alex Thompson
F LA Pomlee
F Justin Hamilton
F Clinton Mann (redshirt?)

As freshman typically struggle to pick up Greg McDermott's complicated offensive sets, it doesn't make much sense to throw any of them in the starting lineup immediately. The one exception could be newcomer Jamie Vanderbeken, who should be an early favorite to start at the forward position. There is a distinct possibility, however, that Alex Thompson could start early in the year due to his familiarity with the system.

If ISU is truly moving to a dribble-drive offense as rumored, it should be set up for Diante Garrett to run the point. He displayed flashes last year, and didn't struggle the same way that Bryan Petersen did bringing the ball up in traffic. A greater focus on shooting for Petersen should aid his game, as he is one of the best spot up shooters that the Cyclones return.

Lucca Staiger, if he's everything that he's being pumped up to be, will most certainly jump into the starting lineup. He has a sweet outside shot, but, more importantly, he has a body that should be physically ready for Big 12 play. Craig Brackins is an obvious choice as the team's best returning player (as a sophomore, yay), while Vanderbeken should earn the last starting spot based on supposed talent alone.

Whoever doesn't start out of the Vanderbeken/Thompson duo will need to be heavily relied on in the post, with ISU losing most of their rebounding depth from last season. LA Pomlee will likely see time in a role similar to that of Rahshon Clark last year (granted, much small in the way of minutes) as Pomlee, an incredibly raw talent, has a knack for being around the ball. Don't count on him for points, though. Justin Hamilton reportedly ate a small Iowa town this summer, and has a body nearing 250 pounds - useful to bang in the Big 12, but can his game match his size? Clinton Mann is also a question mark after bruising his chest up in Cap City play - he could very well redshirt if the injury is serious.

The guard court will bring back some experience in the form of Sean Haluska, Cameron Lee and Charles Boozer. I was wary of Haluska early on last year. I didn't feel he was as good as people were proclaiming he'd be, but he wasn't as bad as his performance seemed to show. If he can try to start scoring a little earlier this season, he will see meaningful minutes as a guard sub. Lee was the team's defensive stopper, but, since he can't score, he's still not going to play a lot. Boozer's role this year will depend largely on what we can get out of the incoming freshmen. Dominique Buckley is a talented point guard prospect, but, much like the other freshman, will likely need some adjustment time to pick up the offense. Wes Eikmeier is supposed to be a stone cold shooter, but lacks size and may not be able to play defense at the necessary level. He's another redshirt possibility (but replaces Cory Johnson as the Clone Chronicles "Midwestern kid to root for").

This year's team is full of question marks. Much of the success (or disappointment) will hinge on the growth of Diante Garrett at the point guard position. For ISU to become a concern for other teams in the conference, guys will need to step up, and frankly, make some luck.

I still don't think that we're an NIT team, but an above average season could result in postseason possibilities.

I have admittedly not been the strongest advocate for the Greg McDermott tenure at Iowa State. I thought it was a questionable hire at the time, and he's done little to convince me that he's anything more than what we saw - a good coach at the mid-major level. We've seen coaching skill, but little in the way of tangible results that show actual win/loss progression on the court.

So, for the life of me, I'm trying to figure out why I'm somewhat excited to see what happens on the court.

You see, we've not been setting the world on fire. Two straight 15 win seasons seem to show a program muddled in mediocrity. Constant transfers and defections do little to increase hope - especially when we've lost our two most talented players in Mike Taylor and Wesley Johnson.

But, I suppose there's reason to be interested in this team this season.

We've seen rumblings and grumblings that the Cyclones may be intending to use a dribble drive offense that's predicated on penetration and shooting. We've got a point guard with slick handles that can get into the lane, and we theoretically should be stocked with shooters.

But I think there is one fact that sticks out, staggering as it might be. We have no players with more than ONE YEAR of time on the court at Iowa State. Alex Thompson is beginning his third year at ISU, but just the second on the court. There's new blood in the program, and hopefully it leads to stability.

The style it looks like we're hoping to play seems quite a bit like that 2000 squad that came out of nowhere to finish the season ranked #3. A dominant post player (Craig Brackins/Marcus Fizer) will be the guy that we lean on, but it'll still come down to quality guard play (Diante Garrett, Lucca Staiger, Bryan Petersen/Jamaal Tinsley, Michael Nurse, Kantrail Horton) and guys who can get boards (who knows?/Stevie Johnson) to make it work. I'm not contending we can come out of nowhere, but it's interesting to note that this team is in a similar build to that squad.

It'll largely come down to Diante Garrett if this team is to show progress. He couldn't put an iron-grasp on the point guard spot, despite being one of the most talented players on the team. If he can continue to show progress, and possibly thrive in a dribble-drive offense, he's got a chance to make a huge impact. 

It's tough to see how the seven new guys to hit the court will fit in. There will likely be at least one redshirt out of the group. I see Lucca Staiger in the starting lineup, but the other guys are all question marks. Dominique Buckley will more than likely see time at the point, but, as we've seen, it's asking an awful lot for a true freshman to run a team. Wes Eikmeier is supposedly as sweet of a shooter as Staiger, but it's yet to be seen how complete his game could be. LA Pomlee and Clinton Mann are both players that are known for doing the dirty work, but both have health concerns. Justin Hamilton is a complete question mark, while Jamie Vanderbeken is Canadian - always a question mark.

The fact that this next season is such a question mark, with so many new faces, should and is part of its appeal. I still think an NIT berth would be a success, but I'm not going to condemn something I haven't seen. The Big 12 is always going to be tough. There's no way around it. It's ridiculous if anyone is expecting a team with more than 15-16 wins based on past performance. The fact remains, however, that there's still a chance that men's basketball could be pretty entertaining to watch this winter.