This year’s Big 12 tournament will be Tyray Pearson’s second – and his last.

The senior forward transferred to Iowa State in 2000 after tearing it up at Kankakee Community College. The move left him with only two years of eligibility remaining.

ISU head coach Larry Eustachy said he’d love to see Tyray stick around and play for him.

“It almost ends too soon,” Eustachy said. “I wish we had him longer.”

The team hopes to delay the end of Pearson’s career by going deep into the Big 12 Conference Tournament. Sophomore Shane Power said the team wants to send Pearson off in style.

“I’d love for him to get on a roll here down the stretch and go out with a bang; we all want him to,” Power said. “I think after two years of putting in blood, sweat and tears . he deserves it.”

In order to get back to the NCAA Tournament, the Cyclones must win the Big 12 Tournament. That means winning four games in four days. Pearson knows it’s not likely, but possible.

The thought of winning the tournament and getting back to the “Big Dance” put a sparkle in Pearson’s eyes.

“That would be the highlight of my career here. It’d be better than winning the Big 12 last year,” Pearson said. “It would be good, knowing all of the things we’ve been through this year as a team.”

Regardless of all the predictions, the Cyclones will have the opportunity to make some noise in the tournament. Pearson said it’s up to him and the rest of the team to bring their best to Kansas City.

If the Cyclones can do that, Pearson said he likes his team’s chances.

“If we lose, there is no tomorrow, so that means we’re going to have to put our `A’ game on the floor every night we play,” Pearson said.

After last year’s 25-6 campaign, ISU has shifted gears and has had what some might call a “down year,” but Pearson has turned it up a notch on his end.

Last season, Pearson came off the bench as ISU’s sixth man. He made the most of his time on the court, averaging 8.4 points and 4.4 rebounds per game in less than 15 minutes of playing time.

This year he burst on the scene and is currently fourth in the conference in scoring with an 18.7 points per game average. He also pulls down almost eight boards (7.9) per game and has become a legitimate NBA prospect.

What makes these statistics even more impressive is that at 6-foot-7, he’s actually undersized for a Big 12 post player.

Despite the height disadvantage, Pearson has been able to score consistently for the Cyclones all season, hitting close to 50 percent of his shots.

Power said Pearson has improved so much that he’s developed into one of the nation’s elite big men.

“When Tyray’s fired up, I’d say he’s one of the better big men in the country,” Power said. “He’s just a great scorer. Obviously he means a lot to us on the offensive end.”

Power also said that Pearson is a leader on the court, but not with his mouth.

“Sometimes I call him `the silent assassin.’ He’s more of a laid back and in-the-sticks kind of guy,” Power said. “He’s more of a leader by example.”

Eustachy said Pearson has improved as much as anyone on his team, but said that’s not the only thing he’ll be able to take away from Iowa State.

“He’s going to be a graduate of this university and leave with a championship ring on his finger,” said Eustachy proudly.

As for the tournament, Eustachy said that he doesn’t believe in one game affecting the next, so any thoughts of momentum are out the window. He pointed out that last season, the Cyclones beat Nebraska in their final regular-season game, but lost their first tournament game against Baylor.

“[The Texas game] won’t determine how we play in the tournament,” Eustachy said. “Who we play will.”

It will be up to Pearson, Power and the rest of the Cyclones to deal with their opponent.

Pearson and Power both said that it really doesn’t matter who they play because they know it will be tough, regardless.

No mater how the tournament turns out, it will soon be time for reflection and looking forward to the future for Pearson.

After banging with the likes of Drew Gooden from Kansas and Aaron McGhee from Oklahoma, what’s next for him?

“I’m going to try out for a few NBA teams,” Pearson said. “Hopefully, I make the team, and if not, I’m still going to play professionally somewhere.”

Overseas with former Cyclone teammates Martin Rancik and Paul Shirley, perhaps?

“That’s an option if the NBA isn’t there,” Pearson said.