Cyclones need new leadership after losing high-scoring guards
By Mark Button Kansan sportswriter
If there is anyone who will benefit from last summer's Midwest floods, it might be the visiting opponents of the Iowa State Cyclones this season.
The floods that brought destruction to a multitude of cities throughout Iowa, Missouri and Kansas, to name a few, also ruined the floor at Hilton Coliseum, where the Cyclones have dominated visiting teams for the past 17 seasons.
Iowa State coach Johnny Orr has seen his teams claim victories in 30 of the last 32 home games during the past two years, including a perfect 16-0 record there in 1992-93.
"It was devastating," Orr said. "The water rose to 14 feet high in there. It ruined the floor, it ruined locker rooms, training rooms, it ruined everything."
The floor has been replaced, but the one with 17 consecutive victories on it is gone forever.
"We'll have a different type of team this year," he said.
Gone from last year's Cyclone team are guards Justus Thigpen and Ron Bayless. The two guards accounted for nearly 40 percent of the scoring last season, and Orr admitted that many times, as Thigpen and Bayless went, so went the Cyclones.
However, the team's loss might be at least one Iowa State player's gain.
Orr said junior Fred Hoiberg, who led the team in rebounding last season with 6.3 a game despite standing just 6-foot-4, will move from forward to off-guard this season.
"Fred Hoiberg is one of the best players I've ever coached — ever," said Orr, who has coached major college basketball for 28 years.
Iowa State
Hoiberg will be the Cyclone captain this year, and Orr said
Last Year: 20-11
Big Eight Finish: 8-6, tied for second place
Coach: Johnny Orr
Record at Iowa State: 204-187 (13 years)
Strength: Hilton Coliseum. The Cyclones were 16-0 at home last year and are 30-2 during the last two seasons. They have posted a .500 record or better at home for 17 straight years. Their 17-game winning streak at home is the third best in the country.
Weaknesses: Any other gym. Iowa State has claimed just one victory in its last 16 conference road games. Also, Orr has to replace what was arguably one of the best backcourts in the nation last year. Gone are Ron Bayless and Justus Thigpen, who combined for 30.9 points a game last year.
KANSAN
that he expected Hoiberg to score more than his 11.6 average of last season.
"I think we have more weapons this year," Hoiberg said. "Last year we just had Ron and Justus and if they had bad games, we weren't going to be very good."
In addition to Hoiberg, Orr said that he would look to junior forward Julius Michalik, 6-11 and 215 pounds, and senior center Loren Myer, 6-11 and 255 pounds, for their leadership.
"Loren's a big, strong kid, and I think he runs as well as any big man," Orr said. "And he's a better shooter than most of them."
Michalik was third on the team in scoring last season, next to Thigpen and Bayless, with an average of 13.3 points a game. Orr said that he should score more this year because he would shoot more.
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Photo courtesy Sports information
Kansas senior forward Richard Scott defends Iowa State's Loren Meyer during a game at Kansas. Kansas won 78-71 last year.The Cyclones, who went undefeated last year against conference foes at home last year, hope to repeat that success this year.
November 17, 1993 University Daily Kansan • COLLEGE BASKETBALL PREVIEW
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