How will the Iowa St. Cyclones fare this season? What will their overall and Big 12 records be? Will they make a postseason tournament?
We'll answer all those questions, plus guess which teams they'll upset and which will upset them after The Jump.
2011-12 Iowa State Projected Record:
Joe Loyd: 17-13
Matt Patton: 19-11
Evan Pfaff: I'll split the difference, 18-12
Upset Watch
Surprise 2011-12 game Iowa State will win:
JL: Not sure how big of a surprise since they beat them at home last year but I have them beating Missouri in Ames again. I also think they'll beat Iowa for the 3rd straight year.
MP: I'll go on the record saying they could beat Texas at home. It's relatively early in the season, Texas isn't exactly full of experience either, and I expect big games from the transfers in front of big home crowds.
EP: I don't think the team will gel until the end of the season, so I'll go ahead and say they'll win their home finale against Baylor. Baylor is a good team, but by the last Saturday of the regular season their seeding should be wrapped up and maybe look past ISU to the Big 12 tournament.
Surprise 2011-12 game the Cyclones lose:
JL: If I had to pick a surprise game for them to drop it would be against Oklahoma State at home since it follows up their game on the road at Kansas.
MP: I could easily see this team suffering from a mini-implosion against Oklahoma or Texas Tech at home February 18th or 22nd. Those should be relative gimmes for a team trying to make the postseason (at least the NIT), but inexperience and consistency don't go together.
EP: Disagreeing with Joe's upset win projection, the Clones have beaten their in-state rival Iowa Hawkeyes two straight years and Iowa is in a downward spiral, but you can throw all that out the window and let emotion and passion take over in this game. With a new team, most of who haven't played in this rivalry game yet, the intensity may be lost on the Clones and Iowa's seniors could take the game.
2011-12 Iowa state Projected Big 12 Record:
JL: 8-10
MP: 10-8
EP: Both of those are pretty aggressive leaps from last year. I'll say 7-11.
2011-12 Projected Big 12 Standing:
JL: What would 8-10 put them at - I'll say 7th
MP: Tied for 5th
EP: I think 8th in conference.
2011-12 Iowa state Postseason Projections:
JL: NIT
MP: NIT
EP: NIT
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