By turning in a career high 24 points and 15 rebounds in Wednesday night’s victory over World Basketball Opportunities, Iowa State sophomore forward Klay Edwards made it evident that he is ready to play a key role with the Cyclones this season.

“He’s somebody that can step up and help us,” Head Coach Tim Floyd said in the post game press conference. “We need that with Kenny Pratt’s suspension.”

Edwards led all scorers in the 91-84 victory. In 34 minutes of play, he made 10 of 17 field goals and shot four for six from the free-throw line.

Floyd said he felt Edwards played outstanding in the 11th-ranked Cyclones’ season opener. “He really, really played well.”

Edwards credited his performance to the hard work he spent during the off season, focusing on 15-footers and hook shots.

“I’m working a lot on my scoring and my shooting,” Edwards said.

He added that the confidence he showed on the court was a result of the repetition he put in over the summer. “That’s just something Coach stresses.”

Behind the shadows of Dedric Willoughby, Kelvin Cato, Shawn Bankhead and Pratt, Edwards was not looked upon as an offensive threat last season. However, that role may change.

“My role really wasn’t scoring last year,” he said. “Coach has told me to look at the basket a little more this year. If I have an open shot that is in my range, I’m going to shoot it.”

Edwards said after the game that he had been looking forward to playing again ever since the end of last year. “I worked a lot over the summer and I’ve been looking forward to it for a long time,” he said.

Edwards has went through a lot of changes during the off-season. Not all the changes were necessarily related to basketball.

Edwards bulked up over the summer to ready himself for a larger role in Big 12 play. Through lifting weights over the summer, Edwards added 15 pounds to his 6′-9″, 225-pound frame.

On June 13, Edwards exchanged vows with Winfield native Lesley Neilson.

As far as the differences in playing basketball as a married man, Edwards joked that there had been “no differences so far.”