By Brian Voss
Fred Hoiberg’s Iowa State Cyclones will open the 2014-15 men’s basketball season ranked 14th in the AP poll. The Cyclones have made the NCAA tournament in each of the last three seasons, and made it to the Sweet 16 last season before falling to the eventual National Champion UConn Huskies.
The high preseason rankings for the Cyclones is no surprise. While Hoiberg’s squad loses the likes of Melvin Ejim and DeAndre Kane, they gain UNLV transfer Bryce Dejean-Jones and Marquette transfer Jameel McKay. Veteran forward Georges Niang has received preseason recognition, and may even earn All-American accolades.
This Iowa State team is overall deeper than last season. Fred Hoiberg may have twelve guys who would have seen the court on his 2011-12 team that lost to Kentucky in the Round of 32.
Expectations could not be higher in Ames this season. Iowa State for the first time since the Elite Eight run in 1999-2000 has the talent to win the National Title.
