With an unexpected loss to Colorado last Saturday, Iowa State is now trying to break a two-game losing streak, and improve on a 2-2 record in the Big 12. Tonight the Cyclones face Kansas State.

The Wildcats suffer from a five- game losing streak and are currently stuck in the basement of the Big 12. This Kansas State is suffering from losing its two leading scorers from last year’s NCAA tournament team.

The Wildcats are led by three returning starters. Junior guard-forward Mark Young is KSU’s leading scorer averaging 14.6 points a game. Young was a member of the 1996 Big Eight All-Defensive team and was Defensive Player of the Year last year. Young is averaging 1.8 steals per game.

Gerald Eaker, a 6-11 senior, is the man in the middle for the Wildcats. Eaker set a school record last season with 59 blocked shots. He averaged 7.0 points and 4.7 rebounds in starting 25 of 27 games last season. Eaker is averaging 5.9 rebounds a game.

The third returning starter is guard sophomore Ayome May. May averaged 7.1 points and 3.7 rebounds as a freshman. May made the Big Eight All-Freshman Team and became the 10th freshman in KSU history to score 200 points. He was co-recipient of KSU’s Dean Harris Freshman of the Year Award.

Lending a hand in the back court is junior guard Aaron Swartzendruber. Swartzendruber is KSU’s second leading scorer averaging 11.2 points and 3.3 assists per game.

Also taking a starting role is sophomore forward Shawn Rhodes. Rhodes is the Wildcat’s leading rebounder with 6.8 per game.

With the Cyclone’s leading scorer Dedric Willoughby sidelined by a hamstring injury, the margin of error for ISU narrows considerably.

The pressure to stop Mark Young will likely be the responsibility of Cyclone forward Shawn Bankhead. Bankhead has been the defensive stopper for Iowa State and has often been given the toughest defensive assignments.

Iowa State will look to spark an offense that produced its lowest output this season with a 45-70 loss. ISU forward Kenny Pratt will likely try to take up the slack in scoring left by Willoughby’s absence.

Cyclone center Kelvin Cato will be tested not only on the defensive end of the floor but his shot will be contested by KSU’s Eaker.

This is a game that Iowa State is expected to win, and that makes it a dangerous one for the ‘Clones. Head Coach Tim Floyd was ejected in the Colorado loss, and the Cyclones suffered without him the rest of the game.

This two-game losing streak is the first losing streak of the season for the Cyclones, and with Willoughby injured, it could not have come at a worse time.

Floyd will try to put his team back in the win column and pull his team together for the last half of the season.