ISU @ Iowa - GameThread

It's safe to say that quite a bit has changed since the Iowa State Cyclones took down UMKC on Tuesday. The one game suspension of Bryce Dejean-Jones has drastically altered the game plan for tonight's showdown against the in-state rival Iowa Hawkeyes. Without two of #14 ISU's best players (BDJ and Jameel McKay), coming out of Carver-Hawkeye Arena with a win this evening is going to be tough, but very rewarding if accomplished.

Game Info

The Opponent: Iowa (8-2)

Tip: Friday, 7 p.m. CST - Carver-Hawkeye Arena - Iowa City, Iowa

TV: Big Ten Network (Kevin Kugler, play-by-play; Shon Morris, color)

Radio: Cyclone Radio Network

Iowa SBN Site: Black Heart Gold Pants

Iowa

The Hawkeyes are led by superstar center Adam Woodbury. At 7-foot-1, Woodbury towers over the competition and imposes his will on both the offensive and defensive sides of the court. The only thing keeping "Woody", as Iowa fans like to call him, from making the jump to the pros early is the unfortunate side effects of being in his presence for too long. Below, you can see child star Macaulay Culkin viewing a picture of Woodbury at an early age:

Despite having only viewed Woodbury in photographic form, Culkin has clearly suffered the consequences of Woodburitis since that fatal viewing:

WRNL asked an anonymous NBA GM about Woodbury's draft prospects, and the answer we received was to be expected:

"If we drafted him, the NBA would hang, draw and quarter everyone in our organization. We want no part of such a dreadful epidemic."

It's unfortunate that head coach Fran McCaffery has chosen to subject his players to the effects of Woodburitis. In the picture below, you can see the same things that happened to Culkin are already occurring to players on the current Hawkeye roster (Photo credit Brian Ray):

You can read more about the people that voluntarily play basketball every day with Woodbury here.

Prediction

There are seven keys to winning tonight's game for the Cyclones:

1. Get out and run. Iowa State plays best in transition.

2. Interior offense/defense. Who wins... Georges Niang or Adam Woodbury?

3. Never give up. Thanks, Jimmy V.

4. Guards must play well. Without Bryce Dejean-Jones, Naz Long and Matt Thomas have to step up.

5. Eliminate turnovers. Monte Morris is good at this. The rest of the team has to be, too.

6. Rebounds, grab 'em. Dustin Hogue and Abdel Nader will be called upon to corral the boards BDJ usually does.

7. Shoot well. The Cyclones can't afford to shoot like they did against Maryland.

If Iowa State can do these things, Fran will undoubtedly get mad... Again.

Iowa State 71 - Iowa 67