Confident Cyclones look to end Big 12 tourney drought

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Greg McDermott got his long-awaited win over a Top 25 opponent last weekend at fifth-ranked Kansas State.

Tonight against No. 6-seeded Texas, McDermott is looking to advance in the Big 12 Tournament for the first time in his four seasons as coach at Iowa State. The No. 11 Cyclones lost its only other game in the Sprint Center two seasons ago and haven't had a postseason victory since a first-round league tournament win over Baylor in 2005.

“It would be great to put an end to that streak as well,” McDermott said Tuesday night as his team ran through shooting and ball-handling drills here.

“That win at Kansas State was invaluable in terms of how the guys feel about themselves and each other.”

The 85-82 overtime win was a confidence boost after four straight defeats of five points or less.

ISU (15-16, 4-12) opened the conference season with a 90-83 loss to Texas, who was unbeaten and ranked No. 1 in the country at the time.

The Longhorns (23-8, 9-7) have slipped a bit since, thanks in part to injuries in the backcourt and the rest of the league figuring out how to defend big man Dexter Pittman.

“Coach (Rick) Barnes has had to retool what he is doing in his lineup,” McDermott said. “They had a swagger about them when they were (in Ames). When you lose a few, you are going to lose part of that swagger. They are still a very talented team.”

Texas has had a hard time without point guard Dogus Balbay, a prep school teammate of Craig Brackins at Brewster (N.H.) Academy who tore his ACL on Feb. 20.

The Longhorns are coming off a discouraging 92-77 loss to Baylor. It was the first time since 1998 that the Bears have swept the season series from UT.

“All teams are vulnerable,” Brackins said. “Every team can get beat. We played them at home. We knew where we messed up. I think it'll be a real good game.”

The Cyclones also have a new look since the Jan. 13 meeting at Hilton Coliseum.

Lucca Staiger was still living in this country and Charles Boozer was healthy, until tearing ligaments in his right knee just before halftime.

Staiger hit four 3-pointers and scored 17 points. ISU will have eight scholarships players available tonight.

“We are a different team than we were then and so is Texas,” McDermott said. “It's going to take a great effort on our part.”

The victory in Manhattan, Kan., was a biggie.

ISU players walked around the floor Tuesday night with a spring in their step and an edge mentally that they haven't had in a while.

“We've had quite a few games where we haven't quite been able to get it done,” said guard Scott Christopherson. “Against Kansas State we were able to make plays down the stretch.”

INJURY UPDATE. Marquis Gilstrap continues to be hobbled by a sprained ankle injured in Saturday win at Kansas State. He was on the floor Tuesday night for ISU's shootaround at the Sprint Center and will play tonight against Texas.

“It's still a little sore,” McDermott said.

Gilstrap averaged a double-double in conference play with 15.3 points and 10.3 rebounds a game.