Understated Christopherson shines for Iowa State

AMES - It has been easy to overlook the understated Scott Christopherson throughout his career at Iowa State.

Not anymore. His play has the Big 12 buzzing.

Christopherson, a 6-foot-3 senior guard from LaCrosse, Wis., scored a season-high 29 points to lead Iowa State over host Kansas State 65-61 on Saturday, a victory that just might have clinched the program's first NCAA tournament berth in seven years.

Christopherson leads the Big 12 in 3-point shooting percentage at 47.9 percent - including 22 in his last 34 attempts - and is second in the Big 12 in free-throw shooting at 89.7 percent.

It took nearly all of that sharp shooting to get folks outside of Ames to notice Christopherson, though he swears he's grateful for that.

"I think it's been a blessing. I never got into college basketball to get a bunch of attention. I mean, I like playing the game. I like competing and winning," Christopherson said. "At the same time, it's always kind of left me with something to keep working for. It always keeps you hungry, and I think that what allows people - the guys that end up becoming the best ones they can are the ones that always stay hungry."

On a team defined by marquee transfers, it's easy to forget that Christopherson also started his career elsewhere.

Christopherson signed with Marquette after being named Wisconsin's Mr. Basketball as a senior at LaCrosse Aquinas High. Things didn't work out and then-Iowa State coach Greg McDermott happily scooped him up.

Christopherson cracked the starting lineup at the start of Big 12 play and averaging 7.9 points per game in his first season while playing in the shadow of future first-round NBA draft pick Craig Brackins. But the 2009-10 Cyclones were largely remembered as a disappointment, and McDermott left after the season.

McDermott's departure precipitated massive roster turnover in Ames. Christopherson stuck around, and though he and point guard Diante Garrett formed one of the Big 12's better backcourts, the depleted Cyclones finished just 3-13 in the league.

Still, Christopherson's work ethic, leadership and maturity have always been apparent to those within the program.

"If you ask him, basketball is his thing," said Iowa State forward Royce White, who practiced with Christopherson last season while waiting to become eligible. "He works on his craft a lot, and I think the sky's the limit for a guy like that who work on their game so much."

Help came this season in the form of guards Chris Allen and Chris Babb, two highly-touted Division I transfers. Many wondered if Christopherson who have to take a reduced role, despite scoring 13.7 points a game in 2010-11.

As it turned out, Christopherson has been as valuable as any player on Iowa State's roster.

Christopherson volunteered to play point guard to start the season, even though he's more of a shooting guard. It became apparent that Iowa State's offense clicked with Christopherson playing off the ball, so coach Fred Hoiberg made the switch to Allen at point guard in late December.

Christopherson's selflessness has been crucial for the program, which has since thrived blending a rotation made up almost entirely of newcomers.

"He's been everything. As far as his work ethic, he's the guy that's in the gym before anybody else gets there," Hoiberg said. "The other guys see that, especially the younger guys, and they follow that."

Though Christopherson is shooting less than he did a year ago, he's become much more efficient when he does take a shot. His overall field-goal percentage is up to 45 percent thanks to an increased emphasis on driving into the lane for easier buckets, and his 3-point shooting percentage is a career best.

"He's not just a spot-up shooter. He's a guy that can take players off the dribble," Hoiberg said. "He's making great decisions."

The Cyclones finish the regular season at No. 7 Missouri on Wednesday and at home against No. 9 Baylor on Saturday. Iowa State's chances for a spot in the NCAA tournament look good despite what happens over the next two weeks, in large part because of the play of Christopherson.

After a year of waiting to play and two seasons where his Cyclones failed to finish above .500, Christopherson is relishing the chance to help push the program toward one of its best seasons in recent memory.

"I think it's just gratifying in that, I didn't like go and spend all that time in the gym so that I could shoot a bunch of 3s and average a bunch of points," Christopherson said. "I wanted to win. That was the goal in mind the whole time. To see that kind of starting to come together, it does make it seem like it was all worth it."