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The No. 14 Iowa State Cyclones came into the 2014-15 college basketball season with high expectations and have met those expectations so far. At 2-0, the Cyclones have blown out a much weaker Georgia State team and survived against a pesky Oakland Golden Grizzlies squad. However, Iowa State faces their toughest challenge yet when they take on the Alabama Crimson Tide on Monday Nov. 24 at 9:30 p.m. EST on ESPN2 in the Hall of Fame Classic.
Alabama was picked to finish in the bottom half of the SEC, but has started the season off nicely with a 3-0 record. Anthony Grant, the Crimson Tide’s head coach, is considered to be one of the coaches most likely to be fired in college basketball if his team doesn’t exceed expectations. A win over Iowa State on Monday night would be the perfect start to a dream NCAA tournament run for Alabama.
Unfortunately, Iowa State is one of the more underrated teams in the country, despite their top 15 ranking. Georges Niang and Bryce Dejean-Jones are one of the best duos in all of college basketball and are averaging a combined 37.5 points and 19 rebounds per game. The Cyclones’ defense isn’t the best, but it’s unimportant because of their offensive firepower.
Alabama’s Levi Randolph is a monster all across the floor, and he leads the team in points, rebounds, assists, steals and minutes per game. Ricky Tarrant, the transfer from Tulane, has provided a nice addition to this squad. So far, the Crimson Tide look like a top-five team in the SEC and more than capable of going to the 2015 NCAA tournament.
This game will be a lot closer than many predict, but I’m still giving Iowa State the benefit of the doubt that they can hold off a dangerous Alabama team.
Prediction: Iowa State 85, Alabama 78
Taylor Sturm is a Featured Basketball Writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @TSturmRS, like him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google.
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