As the football season winds down at Iowa State (yet again in late November), the focus turns to Cyclone basketball.

And if a few things happen, this could be the best season, men and women combined, in ISU history.

The women’s team is currently ranked sixth in the country, and they are a legitimate contender for the national title.

The backcourt of Stacy Frese, the preseason Big 12 Player of the Year, and Megan Taylor, twice recognized as second-team All Big 12, is one of the best in the nation.

Meanwhile, the front court of Tracy Gahan, Monica Huelman, and Angie Welle combines youth with experience and tough defense with a versatile offensive attack.

Coming off the bench will be Desiree Francis. Far and away the most athletic player on the team, Francis provides a big lift whenever she comes into the game.

Also adding depth is Erica Haugen. The junior point guard could come in to the spotlight this week, as the All-American Frese has been held out of practice with a back problem.

Coach Bill Fennelly, whose importance to the team can not be understated, says Haugen has been practicing the best of anyone on the team, and she has looked great in the first three public appearances by the team.

Those seven players are also all returning from last year, and they will know what to expect when venturing into hostile environments. There are also a couple of newcomers that could contribute to the team this year.

Before going out with a slight case of mono, freshman Erica Junod was scheduled to play some minutes in the backcourt. The report now says she is going to be out of action for four weeks or so but is not going to redshirt.

The redshirt has been pulled off of Lindsey Wilson, who Fennelly refers to as the “point guard of the future.”

Gintare Cipinyte, the 6-5 junior college transfer, has been rather unimpressive in her first two games, but that could be due to adjusting to a different style of play.

The main problem the women had last year was when they faced teams that were more athletic, like Louisiana Tech and Georgia. And make no mistake, there will be a similar problem with those types of teams again this year.

However, if ISU is hot from long distance in a game, there isn’t a team in the country that can beat them. It will be imperative to have an excellent regular season and get a high seed in the NCAA tournament.

This would not only allow the team to get two home games and an almost guaranteed ticket into the Sweet Sixteen, but it also would allow them to not face a truly top-notch team until the Elite Eight.

There is no doubt that the sky is the limit for the women’s team.

Speaking of limits, there is the ISU men’s team. The phrase “very limited” came out of coach Larry Eustachy’s mouth after almost every game last season.

With a very poor backcourt, Eustachy was right in his assessment. However, things have changed this season.

The Cyclones now feature Jamaal Tinsley and Kantrail Horton in the backcourt. Tinsley, while very raw and prone to turnovers, provides the ability to create his own shot, and he pushes the ball up the floor, something the Cyclones have not had in quite a while.

For God’s sake, Matt Knoll took two shots two years ago that determined the Cyclones fate. The shots, against Iowa and Drake, not surprisingly did not go in.

This year, Kantrail Horton will be there to stick the open jump shot as well as contribute on the other end of the floor.

Brandon Hawkins has been a surprise for many, providing solid play on both ends of the ball with his energetic style.

And Marcus Fizer is a different player this year. He is much more mobile and is one of the strongest players in the country. He figures to profit from the more up-tempo game that Eustachy would like to employ.

Make no mistake about it, this is a much better team than the 15-15 squad a year ago.

I believe, with the relatively weak non-conference schedule, this team could very well win 20 games. And with a top-notch recruiting class coming in for next year, the program is set for the future.

This season should be a very successful one for both programs, and the future only looks brighter than the present.

---

Josh Flickinger is a senior in journalism from Caledonia, Ill. He just wants the Packers to win one more game this century.