Fans were given a preview of things to come this season as flashy dunks, skillful ballhandling and exciting passes highlighted the 2000-2001 Cyclone Classic.

Families and fans dressed in Cyclone colors packed the stands to be introduced to this season’s men and women’s basketball teams.

As the lights went down, players and coaches were introduced and reminders of last season were given. Trophies won from last season reminded both fans and players of the goals trying to be accomplished in this coming year.

The Minnesota Timberwolves mascot Crunch got the crowd going with acrobatic dunks over ISU mascot Cy, among other things, while the players warmed up for the three-point contest.

The first round of the contest pitted teammates Megan Taylor and Erica Haugen against each other while Haugen moved onto the finals by a slim advantage to face the winner of the second round.

Both freshman Jake Sullivan and senior Kantrail Horton showed off smooth shooting in round two. Horton made his first eight shots while Sullivan got hot in the middle of the round and edged out Horton in the end to move on.

The final round matched up Haugen and Sullivan. Both players shot well, but Sullivan was able to win the contest, 21-11.

The women took the floor first in the shootout scrimmaging for 20 minutes with a continuous running clock.

The women’s team is the pre-season pick to win the title in the Big 12 and continued to show off a lot of talent early on.

Despite junior Tracy Gahan sitting out due to a broken finger, the coaches and fans were able to get a brief preview of the team that will greet them come the first game of the season.

Solid play graced both sides of the court as a number of players showed off their talents and abilities at both ends of the floor. The white team prevailed over the red 27-21, but with most players changing sides at breaks and time-outs, the score didn’t display the final outcome of the game.

The men’s scrimmage was highlighted by exciting dunking and incredible ballhandling. Prior to the scrimmage, the players warmed up by performing dunks inspired by the cheers of the crowd.

The excitement carried over into the game as the men continued to play to the crowd becoming a little sloppy at times but always providing excitement and entertainment for the fans.

The first play of the scrimmage set the tone for the rest of the afternoon as Jamaal Tinsley took the opening tip, spotted Richard Evans down the baseline and fired a perfect pass to Evans for the dunk.

Tinsley continued to put on a show for the crowd with his dribbling and passing skills going behind his back, under his legs and often times even laying down before getting up and completing the play.

The final score in the men’s scrimmage ended in a 33-33 tie.

The games not only provided for a fun afternoon for those who came to watch, but also gave the players and coaches a chance to have some fun as many used the opportunity to pump up the crowd and show a lot of excitement in the process.