The first sign Craig Brackins was going to have a monster game may have come during player introductions, when the energized Brackins jumped in the air to chest bump Cy, and the mascot’s big red head fell off.

After dropping Cy’s head, Brackins dropped 42 points on the Jayhawks — the most ever by a Cyclone versus Kansas.

The 6-foot-10-inch sophomore had arguably one of the most dominant games in ISU basketball history. His 42-point effort ranks fourth all-time in ISU history and was two points away from tying Michael Beasley’s Big 12 record. It was the kind of game that got the attention of all 30 NBA teams.

“[Brackins] put on a show. I wish I could tell you that our game plan was to stop everybody else and make him make all the plays, but it wasn’t. I thought he was great,” Kansas head coach Bill Self said.

The Chicago Bulls were the only team with a representative at Hilton Coliseum on Saturday, but that number will undoubtedly grow after Brackins’ 42 points and 14 rebounds.

“Craig’s performance speaks for itself. He was outstanding,” head coach Greg McDermott said.

Brackins scored 12 of the first 14 ISU points and ended the first half with 22 points and 8 rebounds — numbers outstanding for a game, let alone a half. The second half was more of the same as Brackins scored 20 of the Cyclones 29 points despite being constantly double teamed.

“It wasn’t easy. Brackins lit it up out there. He hit some tough shots, he hit some easy shots,” Kansas center Cole Aldrich said. “It’s going to be another tough game when they come and play us at [Allen] Fieldhouse later in the year. Tonight’s stuff was a little different on defense. They really got the ball to Brackins, he did a great job tonight. He made it difficult for us.”

The Jayhawks tried to slow down Brackins by guarding him with five different players but none of them could match his size and athleticism.

Brackins made three 3-pointers, 17 free throws and eight two-point baskets, of which only one was a layup. He posted up, slashed to the rim and faded away all with the same result.

The foul line hasn’t been a comfortable place for Brackins to be this season, shooting a pedestrian 64.5 percent prior to Saturday’s game. None of this mattered on Saturday, because Brackins looked like he was shooting into a soccer net from the foul line, knocking down 17-of-21 free throws.

The play of Brackins as of late has almost cemented his place on the first team Big 12 team and if Iowa State can figure out a way to win more games, his name could pop up for conference player of the year.

Oklahoma’s Blake Griffin was the preseason Big 12 Player of the Year and is the favorite to win the Naismith Award, which is given to the most outstanding player in the country.

Brackins’ 23.3 points-per-game in-league play is actually a point higher than Griffin. The two are also the only two Big 12 players who are averaging a double-double in Big 12 games.

-Corey Aldritt is a senior in journalism and mass communication from Eden Prairie, Minn.