Chris Cuellar – Daily Staff Writer

Coming off a balanced team effort during exhibition blowouts last week, the ISU men’s basketball team is tipping off its regular season with three games in five days, starting at 7 p.m. Friday against Idaho State at Hilton Coliseum.

The games that count are going to hit the Cyclones hard.

They take on the Idaho State Bengals first, an experienced team from the Big Sky conference, and Sunday the Chicago State Cougars, a team from the Great West conference that was moved into this spot on the ISU schedule due to the Duke game in January.

“It’s not the best way to start,” coach Greg McDermott said. “It is what it is; we’ll play a game, practice and be ready to go the next day.”

With such a short time-span between games, the team will need to learn quickly, capitalize on positive streaks and attempt to shake whatever negativity may come on with overhauled lineups.

The Cyclones’ shooting carried them through their exhibition games with superior size and speed, and starting junior point guard Diante Garrett and his returning partner, forward Craig Brackins, were a big part of that.

“I think these games will pressure us to shoot even better than what we’ve been shooting, and I think it’s going to help a whole lot if we can get our confidence going,” Garrett said.

Garrett shot 8-of-11 from the field in both games combined, finishing with 24 points in exhibition play, and Brackins complemented that from the post, with 13-of-19 shooting from the floor in the two matchups, totaling 31 points in 37 combined minutes.

Preseason accolades mean added pressure on Brackins all season, but the 6-foot-10 junior intends to step up to the challenge with what is described as his deepest team since putting on an ISU uniform.

“It’s going to be a good stretch for us, and test our mental state and see where we’re at,” Brackins said. “That third game will probably be tough, just with wear and tear after the first couple, but I think it’s a good test for us.”

Idaho State was led in the preseason by junior college star Broderick Gilchrest, a 6-foot point guard who averaged 23.5 points per game in two exhibition victories for the Bengals.

The team also has a returning 7-footer, center Deividas Busma, senior from Lithuania, who is averaging a double-double thus far against lower-division competition.

“They return a good portion of their team from last year,” McDermott said. “They’re athletic and they’ve got some size inside with that 7-footer. It’ll be a good first game.”

Chicago State, the Cyclones’ Sunday opponent, finished its 2008-2009 campaign 19-13 as an independent team.

Joining the Great West conference for this season, the Cougars are bringing 6-foot-4 guard Damian Windham, a transfer from Indian Hills Community College who played alongside ISU forward LaRon Dendy at the Ottumwa-based junior college.

Chicago State lost all four of its matchups last season against teams from major “BCS” conferences.

The Cyclones have won 11 straight season-opening games and are 82–20 all-time in home season openers.

Redshirts and other lineup changes will be made available following the weekend’s games, but McDermott was able to sign highly touted recruit Melvin Ejim, a forward playing at Brewster Academy, where Brackins played his prep-school basketball. Ejim is 6-foot-6 and 215 pounds, and McDermott feels he is physically ready to play Big 12 basketball.

For more information on Cyclone basketball over the weekend, visit www.iowastatedaily.net.