Cyclones look forward to once-in-a-lifetime overseas experience

By Rob Gray, Correspondent

AMES - Iowa State transfer Chris Allen's played in two NCAA Tournament Final Fours.

Today - after a one-year layoff - he embarks on his first overseas trip as the Cyclones take flight for a tour of Italy that will stretch until Aug. 19.

“I'm just excited,” said Allen, a senior guard who previously played a key supporting role at Michigan State. “I've never been over the water before.”

ISU's in-country schedule is fluid, as well. The Cyclones plan to play three or four games against yet-to-be determined club teams situated near or inside their overnight stop cities of Milan, Rome and Florence.

“It's going to be on the fly,” said second-year ISU coach Fred Hoiberg.

Who the Cyclones play is less important than how they play, Hoiberg said.

The trip allows him to mix and match lineups in unique and potentially idea-spurring ways.

Still, he said, the main competitive benefit expected to stem from the excursion rests in the 10 extra practices the NCAA allowed to precede it.

“You're able to put in your philosophies in August as opposed to October,” said Hoiberg, whose team went 16-16 last season. “(That's) the key to the whole trip.”

It's also a once-in-a-lifetime experience off the court.

ISU's players will visit Lake Como near Milan, Rome's iconic Colosseum and the Vatican among other historic and scenic sites.

“It's going to be probably the only time we'll get to do something like this in our lives,” said guard Scott Christopherson, who sank 44.1 percent of his three-point attempts last season.

Touted sophomore transfer Royce White said he's most excited at the chance to immerse himself in history.

The versatile 6-8 forward tabbed stops at the Vatican and the Colosseum as likely highlights.

The seven to eight hour plane ride ... not so much.

“Long plane rides get rough for me,” White sad. “I'm not looking forward to that.”

But once de-planing, White expects the trip to be enriching in a variety of ways.

“It's more valuable than you can imagine to be able to get that real game time experience and in an adversity-filled situation like an overseas setting where the rules are different,” said White, who rang up triple-doubles in summer league games. “To see how we handle that as a team - I can't wait for that.”

White also anticipates more time at point guard in Italy.

“I wish (Hoiberg) would let me do it every play,” said the transfer from Minnesota. “Playing point for me is fun because I can see the whole court and get a real good feel for the game ... That just helps me rhythm-wise.”

Allen's simply stoked the competitive, clock-measured drumbeat will finally get going.

“It's just an anxious feeling,” he said. “I'm just ready to get out on the court. Ready to play.”