NCAA Selection Sunday: Iowa State Waits for Seed, Looks to Match Offensive Firepower with Defense

Congratulations Iowa State Cyclone fans, you won't have to watch the Cyclones play Kansas again unless your team has done something really good.

USA Today bracket expert Patrick Stevens was one expert who weighed in with a Sunday morning bracket projection. He has the Cyclones as an 11th seed taking on a perennially tough VCU Rams team. Meanwhile, Jerry Palm has Iowa State a 10-seed taking on Oregon.

Longtime NCAA Tourney watchers will note that seeds 10-12 are where a lot of the surprise performers come from in the tournament.

Rob Gray of the Gazette writes that the Cyclones are dangerous from the offensive end but need to find a defense to reach their full NCAA Tourney potential.

Cyclones await seeding, need to solidify defense

ISU’s prolific offense makes them a dangerous early NCAA Tournament foe.

The Cyclones entered Friday’s game at fourth nationally in points per game at 79.8.

“I’ve got great respect for their players,” said Self, who picked up an intentional technical in his team’s overtime win in Ames last last month. “They’re talented and they stretch it — hard to guard.”

The rub for ISU remains defense.

The Des Moines Register account concurs, with a familiar analyst dropping in to say this year's Cyclones team is better than last year:

Iowa State Basketball: High-flying Cyclones' tourney fates hinges on defense

“When we shoot it like we’re capable, and when we get defensive stops, we’re a pretty good team,” Hoiberg said.

When they don’t?

They lose, and somehow the defensive part of that equation must be solved between now and the next game.

It’s been a too-familiar refrain after defeats, and Chris Babb voiced it late Friday.

“We need to get stops,” he said.