ISU hoops notebook: Tyrus McGee is ISU top rookie No. 3

AMES -  ISU sixth man Tyrus McGee is the current Big 12 Rookie of the Week.

The effervescent junior guard from Stringtown, Okla., averaged 18.5 points, 6.5 rebounds and went 11-of-20 from 3-point range in last week's wins over Oklahoma State and Texas Tech. And he's pleased, not thrilled, by the hoopla.

“It's a great feeling but it's nothing to be excited about," said McGee, whose team (14-5, 4-2) plays at 8 p.m. Tuesday at Texas (12-7,  2-4). "We've still got to keep doing what we're doing. Like I said, stay consistent and just keep playing basketball and trying to get the team more involved.”

But does he feel like a rookie?

"Not really," he said, chuckling.

McGee is the third Cyclone transfer to earn the honor this season, joining sophomore forward Royce White and junior guard Chris Babb.

And it's not just his shooting that's drawing rave reviews.

"I thought his intensity and focus on the defensive end continues to get better and that's what's keeping him on the floor a lot longer right now," ISU coach Fred Hoiberg said, "He's not reaching and stabbing as much as he was early in the year and he's going to continue to get big minutes as we continue to play in the Big 12.”

McGee may have been the least ballyhooed of the Cyclones' transfers, but Hoiberg knew he'd make a rapid and deep impact.

“He was my No. 1 target last year," Hoiberg said. "I went and watched a junior college event and fell in love with the kid. More than his shooting, it was just how hard he played. And you could see that. That's going to translate. If you bring it at any level, you're going to continue to do that. So I loved what I saw when I saw him. I followed him around to another junior college event when there wasn't as many coaches there and spent a lot of time in Arkansas City, Kansas, recruiting him. I'm really happy. I love him. His passion, his enthusiasm for his teammates - he's always talking out there, it's been great to see him grow since he's been here. There were some things that were complicated for him early in the season with some of the defensive concepts we had out there, but to see him grow and continue to get better, wanting to watch extra film, always getting extra shots, I'm really happy for the kid and he's going to continue to get better and better.”

*DROPPED CALLS: McGee said the summer trip to Italy proved instrumental in building lasting bonds between him and his teammates.

One rule on the excursion: No cell phones.

"It was a group thing," he said.

Managing minutes has also extended into the season's road trips.

No overages allowed.

"They give us a certain time they're going to come take our cell phone before we go to bed," McGee said. "So they come and get them around 11:30."

Anyone try to avoid the mobile roundup?

"Yeah," McGee said with a laugh. "Pretty much. Trying to give them fake phones and stuff like that.”

*ON THE MOVE: Guard Scott Christopherson and Hoiberg both see the Cyclones' transition defense as one of the keys in Tuesday's game against the athletic Texas.

"I watched them the whole game against Kansas (a 69-66 loss) and that was kind of what I thought kept them in it,” Christopherson said.

 Hoiberg concurred.

"When they play at home, they'll play as fast as anybody," he said.

*SHOOTING STARS: The Cyclones are 11-0 when shooting a better percentage that their opponent and 6-0 when making 50 percent or more of their field goal attempts. They're also 3-0 in games televised by ESPN's networks.