ISU hoops notes: The number 27, Evaluating evaluating, Missouri, in a sentence

AMES - Hypothetically speaking, Iowa State's the 27th best team in the country, according to the AP men's basketball rankings.

Practically, the Cyclones could be much better - but also know that without vigilance, their rising tide of success could stray off course as the final week of the pre-tournament season plays out.

"I know how it can go bad and wrong, particularly at the end when you think it's supposed to go one way and it goes another," said forward Royce White, who earned his third Big 12 rookie of the week distinction Monday. "We've just got to stay focused and hungry. We can go from a team that's doing some good things to a team that's doing some great things."

The quest for greatness continues - and crests - Wednesday at No. 8 Missouri before winding back to Ames for Saturday's Big 12 regular season-closing game against ninth-ranked Baylor.

The Cyclones (21-8 11-5) can finish no lower than fourth in the Big 12, but mathematically could climb as high as a share of second.

They were picked to finish anywhere from seventh to ninth by coaches and media entering the season.

All of which means ... crap shoot.

"We were picked last by all the coaches last year," ISU coach Fred Hoiberg said. "Not just half the coaches, or one coach, every coach picked us last. I tried to use that as motivation. Unfortunately the coaches were right.”

Not this time.

But that's not solely because of a collective chip perched on a mostly new group of players' shoulders.

“Our guys motivate themselves pretty well." Hoiberg said. "They get after each other, they get after each other in practice. We're well prepared going into games and our guys execute their game plan.”

EXPERT ANALYSIS: White's made no secret this season that he's discerned an undercurrent of disrespect toward his team.

It started with preseason conference picks and continues with top 25 rankings the Cyclones have not yet been deemed worthy of gracing.

It irked him before.

Now, a few days from March, he acknowledges it with more of a shrug - and a sly smile.

"Our team is tough to evaluate, in a way," White said. "But we're not that tough to evaluate. I think anything you do is tough when it comes to evaluating because it's all opinion-based. But it ain't that tough."

TOUGH TRIFECTA: Hoiberg succinctly summed up the challenge the Tigers, despite two straight gut-wrenching losses, pose to his team.

"They're still really fast, they still shoot it really well and they're still really good," Hoiberg said.