Throwing points up on the scoreboard hasn’t been difficult for ISU men’s basketball team through three games this season, and the Cyclones are attempting to use their high-flying act to win the Chicago Invitational over the next week.

The Cyclones get four games from Sunday through Saturday, with Saturday’s finale being either a consolation game or an invitational championship matchup with the Big 10’s Northwestern, or the Big East’s Notre Dame. Before Iowa State can get to Saturday, though, they must face an experienced team that loves the 3-point-shot in the Mississippi Valley State.

The Delta Devils hung tight with Gonzaga last week, and Iowa State coach Greg McDermott is expecting some good basketball games.

“There’s a swagger about this group that’s good. It’s my job to make sure that doesn’t turn into some overconfidence,” McDermott said.

McDermott enjoys the points thus far, but his target for practice this week was defense, something he felt the team lacked focus with in its 20-point win against Drake on Tuesday.

“We shot the ball extremely well; I don’t know that we played extremely well. Defensively, we’ve got a long way to go,” McDermott said.

Everyone on the floor has embraced his role within the team, as point guard Diante Garrett’s assist-to-turnover ratio is the best of his career, Craig Brackins is sacrificing touches in the double team to get his teammates looks, and guards Lucca Staiger and Scott Christopherson have been high-output shooters, knocking down a combined 22 three-pointers already this season.

“As a team, this start of the year is just what we’ve hoped for. We’ve made progress from game to game, which is what we’re looking for, and now we’re just looking to the next one,” Christopherson said.

The Cyclones will use the invitational as a litmus test for their early development, as the four-game stretch against non-conference opponents will be a chance to show off their skills on a national scene and, if the cards fall right, a possible Brackins-Luke Harangody matchup with Notre Dame on Saturday.

“They’re both very talented players that happen to play the same position,” McDermott said, “so if it were to happen, it would be fun for anyone that’s in attendance, [but] only if it’s in the championship game. I wouldn’t be real excited about meeting him in the consolation game.”