What a difference a year makes. The Cyclones a year ago were wallowing in the mire after a lackluster blowout loss at Iowa. It had become obvious that the backcourt, with names like Rodney Hampton, Lamarr Gregg and Lee Love, would keep this team out of the postseason tourney talk.

Not only would none of those guys be considered draft material for the NBA, a few of them would’ve been struggling to get drafted in the service.

Marcus Fizer was a big, hulking whiner who, despite his ability, had not stepped up to be a leader on a team that desperately needed one.

ISU would go on to a very mediocre season, finishing 15-15, with seven of the wins coming against preseason cupcakes.

Fast forward just one year, and look at the Cyclones now. Fizer is a different guy, as his coach has attested to many times over.

“There was a guy at training table with a hat, and we don’t wear hats on this team. Marcus jumped all over him, and told him that if he wanted to wear a hat that he didn’t need to be on this team. Last year, he would’ve been the guy in the hat,” coach Larry Eustachy said.

And how about this year’s edition of the “new and improved” backcourt? Well, for the first time since the import of Dedric Willoughby from New Orleans, it really is improved.

Kantrail Horton has been All-Big 12 material so far this year, averaging almost 11 points while shooting 54 percent from the field, 56 percent from behind the arc and putting in over 35 minutes in seven of the nine games.

And all this is on one leg. Horton, who just found out that two bones in his ankle are “fused together,” as Eustachy put it, has been bothered virtually all year by that sore foot.

Every game near the end, he can be seen grimacing in pain. However, he knows the Cyclones can ill afford to lose him.

Paul Shirley seems to be shaking off the rust that is gathered by sitting out a full season, as he’s averaged almost nine points his last four games.

The year has made a huge difference for Michael Nurse. The guard from Brooklyn, N.Y. has played great this season, averaging 12 points per game and shooting 55 percent from the field and 49 percent from three-point range.

By comparison, his numbers last year were 38 percent from the field and 33 percent from beyond the arc. Clearly, the move to off-guard has been a very beneficial one for the senior.

The coaching prowess of Eustachy and his excellent staff was demonstrated when they spent three days in practice scheming to shut leading scorer Jacob Jaakes down.

The senior forward got three shots off from the field, scoring a season-low three points. Done and done.

And what about the crowd at Hilton Coliseum? After disappointing turnouts so far, the throng was at its best on Saturday, the loudest it has been since the ‘Clones were a Sweet Sixteen team.

Hopefully people will now see what many covering the team had already gathered: This team has the potential to not only make the NCAA tournament but get a decent seed as well.

In looking ahead, the Cyclones will not leave the friendly confines of Hilton Coliseum until Jan. 12. That leaves five non-conference games, the toughest of which will come Sunday against Northern Iowa, and a home game to kick off the Big 12 season against Missouri.

Well, I’ll let Marcus Fizer say it, because, surprisingly enough, he did.

“We should be 13-2 before we go on the road again. That should just about guarantee us getting in the tournament,” Fizer said.

Indeed it should, barring a regular season collapse that does not seem likely with this bunch.

Could you imagine saying that last year? Neither could Fizer. But this is a new team with a new leader and bright expectations for the future.

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Josh Flickinger is a senior in Journalism and Mass Communication from Rockford, Ill.