The Cyclones are 22-10 overall and went 12-6 in the Big 12 (for my money, the best conference in America this year. Sorry, Big Ten).

Their best player is Royce White, a 6-8 sophomore who led the team in almost every category: 13.1 points, 9.2 rebounds, 5.1 assists, 4.0 turnovers and nearly a block a game. Scott Christopherson, a 6-3 senior, is a dead-eye 3-point shooter, hitting at a scorching 45 percent (63-for-140) from beyond the arc. He averaged 12.5 ppg. Chris Allen averaged 11.8 ppg and shot a respectable 38 percent from Trey Land, while Tyrus McGee shot 41 percent (50-for-122) from distance.

Iowa States lofts more than 24 treys a game and hits them at a 38-percent rate. The Cyclones attempted 36 3-pointers in an early-season game against Northern Colorado, hitting 16 o them. They went 15-for-30 at Oklahoma in a win and 14-for-29 in a win over Rice.

Common opponent: Providence. Iowa State beat the Friars, 64-543, on Nov. 25 at the South Padre Invitational. UConn, of course, blew a 14-point lead at The Dunk on Feb. 28 and lost, 72-70.

The team is coached by Fred Hoiberg, the former ISU star. Hoiberg played 10 seasons in the NBA and was a teammate of UConn assistant Kevin Ollie with the Chicago Bulls.

And this is odd: the Cyclones have seven players on their roster who have transferred from other programs and six players who have red-shirted. UConn has zero transers and one (Michael Bradley) who has red-shirted.