High expectations have been placed on ISU point guard Jamaal Tinsley, but the standout senior is ready for the challenge.

Tinsley enters his senior season touted as the top point guard in college basketball by many publications. Tinsley has been named all-American and Big 12 preseason player of the year.

Regardless of these accolades, Tinsley is down to earth about the whole subject and won’t let it affect his play.

“This year is kind of different because a whole lot of stuff has been said about me being the No. 1 point guard and all that,” Tinsley said. “I don’t feel any pressure. I’m ignoring all of that stuff. I’m just going to go out and play hard like I did last year, and try to be better.”

With seven newcomers joining the Cyclone squad, Tinsley has taken the role of being a leader to help others with the transition.

“I’m just trying to lead them in the right direction by letting them know when [Eustachy] does something, it’s not personal,” Tinsley said. “When everything isn’t going their way, they just have to fight through it and stay mentally tough.”

ISU Head Basketball Coach Larry Eustachy sees a big difference in his point guard from a year ago.

“He’s in better shape, and he knows what to expect,” Eustachy said. “He shows more leadership, both mentally and verbally. He shows by example better from this time last year.”

Tinsley put together a solid junior season in which he averaged 11 points and seven assists a game for a Cyclone team that won the Big 12 title and advanced to the Elite Eight of the NCAA tournament.

For the 1999-00 season, Tinsley totaled 244 assists, surpassing former Cyclone and NBA All-star Jeff Hornacek’s record of 219 set in the 1985-86 season.

Cyclone center Paul Shirley was on the receiving end of some of the 244 assists and has high praise for Tinsley.

“I think Jamaal’s court vision is pretty amazing in the way he can see what is happening before it happens,” Shirley said. “He’s kind of like a quarterback, in the respect where he can realize where the defenders are and still make good passes in all that mess.”

Tinsley scored a season-high 26 points in the Cyclones 88-78 win over Central Connecticut State in the first round of the NCAA tournament. In the Big 12 semifinals, Tinsley showed his rebounding skills by hauling in 13 boards against Oklahoma State.

The Cyclones will be looking to replace 44.4 points a game from graduated seniors Michael Nurse, Stevie Johnson and Marcus Fizer, who left school early to join the NBA.

With that scoring punch missing, Tinsley may be forced to boost his scoring average.

“I worked on shooting the ball better,” Tinsley said. “Not really to be more of a scorer but being able to knock down open shots that I get.”

Tinsley transferred to Iowa State from San Jacinto Community College and was unknown to the country before his breakthrough season. This season, Tinsley knows he’s a marked man.

“When they come here or we go there, it’s like I’m a target,” Tinsley said. “Everybody knows who I am this year. Last year nobody knew me so they didn’t have to worry about me, but now they have to come at me and I’m ready for it.”