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2008 Iowa State Cyclones Basketball Predictions & NCAA Team Preview

Written October 8, 2008 by Jack Jones

Fans of Iowa State basketball knew that there were going to be some growing pains as the team got a complete makeover when head coach Greg McDermott took over for Wayne Morgan. The problem has been that there hasn’t really been any stability since that move, so even though this is the third year for the coach, only one player remains from when he took over. That means that this team is young and will most likely struggle to compete with the big boys in the Big 12 once again in 2008-09. It sure didn’t help when the team’s best player in Wesley Johnson decided to transfer to Syracuse either. So, this team remains in rebuilding mode, which probably means they won’t win too many games again this year, but if given enough time we think McDermott can get this school turned back around. The BetUS oddsmakers agree it’s going to be a challenge as the Cyclones are listed at 2500 to 1 to win the national title. With that being said, Iowa State might be a good team to watch the college basketball odds on, since the public won’t be expecting much out of them on any given night.

Down low for the Cyclones it’ll be Craig Brackens job to do most of the scoring. He became only the third Iowa State freshman to start every game and averaged 11.4 points and five rebounds. On the defensive side of the floor he’ll get a lot of help from senior Alex Thompson, who can also rebound but doesn’t do a lot on offense. A couple of fresh faces will be counted on to contribute immediately, one is Jamie Vanderbeken who will be a tough matchup for opposing big men. He’s got height at 6′11″, but has the range to hit from beyond the arc. Justin Hamilton is raw, but he’s put on 30 pounds in the last few months to get himself more of a college big man’s body at 6′11″ and 250 pounds.

The backcourt probably won’t be too bad for the Cyclones with Diante Garrett expected to take over at the point. He is good at penetrating to the basket, is a solid passer, but needs to work on shooting the ball from outside. His backup will be Bryan Peterson, a senior walk-on who is a better spot up shooter but isn’t as quick. Lucca Staiger will finally get his chance to show Cyclone fans what he can do after having to sit out last season. He was ruled ineligible right before the season started for having played on a German professional team. Fans are excited to finally see what he’s capable of. A couple of players with brothers in the NBA, Sean Haluska and Charles Boozer, will provide depth. If you want to bet at Iowa State this year you can get up to 145% in signup bonuses at BetUS!

Final Analysis – 11th in our Big 12 Basketball Predictions

There won’t be a lot expected out of this team as they don’t really have the experience needed to compete in the Big 12. That doesn’t mean they aren’t talented though, and if they surprise a few teams in what is more of a down year for the conference you could see them make the NIT, but that’s a stretch in our opinion.

Check out our daily college basketball picks to see who our experts are taking. They know the world of basketball betting inside and out, so use their expertise to your advantage.