ISU men's hoops notes: Socks, wrestling and a bouncy ball

AMES - Christmas time led to a pleasant trip home for Iowa State sharp-shooting gaurd Tyrus McGee.

“The weather down there was great,” said McGee, a southern Oklahoman who is shooting a team-best 46.8 percent from 3-point range. “I went down with no coat. Came back up here and had to have a coat.”

It also meant a solid haul in terms of presents - including hand-knit socks.

“I got a whole bunch of socks,” McGee said.

“My mom sewed them; she does that,” he said. “I've got to see if I can wear them.”

For forward Royce White, Christmas took on deeper meaning.

It's the first holiday season for his young son, Royce Alexander II.

“He had a bouncy ball and that's what he plays with the most,” said White, the Cyclones' leader in scoring, rebounding and assists. “He walks around with that as he plays with all his other toys.”

Simple - and inexpensive - trumps elaborate, it seems.

White's son will turn one in February.

“We'll know better next Christmas,” White said with a smile.

CRADLE TO THE RIM: ISU reserve guard Bubu Palo's a stout defender who just went on scholarship.

But did you know he's also a budding grappler?

“I have a couple bruises from him,” said forward Melvin Ejim.

Who wins?

“Definitely me,” said Ejim, who outweighs Palo by 45 pounds. “I think he's 0-for-4 right now.”

PINSTRIPE BREAK: Cyclone players have been dealing with two-a-day practices for a while.

They get a break this afternoon - when all gather at coach Fred Hoiberg's house to watch the ISU football team play Rutgers in the Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium.

“It will be good to get these guys an afternoon off,” Hoiberg said.

THE FINAL COUNTDOWN?: Royce White was nine years old when doomsayers declared New Year's Day of the year 2000 would beget calamities of epic proportions.

Nothing remotely apocalyptic happened, but young Royce was rattled by the "Y2K" phenomenon.

"I was really young and I was really scared," the 6-8, 270-pound sophomore said. "They really had us believing that."