Iowa State has produced some less likely heroes through its first two Big 12 wins of the season.

Redshirt junior Abdel Nader dropped in 19 points and added seven rebounds in the Cyclones’ 74-72 win at West Virginia.

In the game previous against Oklahoma State, senior Dustin Hogue, who has historically filled in offensively when players like junior Georges Niang and senior Bryce Dejean-Jones have struggled offensively, scored 17 second-half points to lead the Cyclones to a 63-61 victory against the Cowboys.

The question that remains, however, is not an easy one to answer. Is it good that Iowa State can get what it needs in tight spots from deep in the lineup, or is it disconcerting that the team needs to resort to those options in the first place?

“I think one thing is just getting five guys on the floor playing their best and I do not know if we have done that yet,” said ISU coach Fred Hoiberg. “We have had three [guys] on a lot of nights play well. We have had five earlier in the season maybe playing well. Now it is about, in this conference play, getting five guys out there gelling together.”

Find out what the Cyclones must do to gel their way to a win versus Baylor on Jan. 14 here.