It has cooled off outside as winter has come to Iowa, but Hilton Coliseum is about to heat up in a big way.

ISU men’s basketball has returned to Ames and has brought with it high levels of excitement and expectations that are not equaled by many other programs in the country.

Iowa State is the preseason No. 14 team, yet have been picked by the coaches in the Big 12 to finish fifth in the conference.

The drastically differing expectations for the Cyclones between conference coaches, the national media and the ISU fan base provide a discussable dichotomy to a team that is still searching for its identity.

Iowa State will be presented with its first opportunity to figure itself out as the Golden Grizzlies of Oakland travel to Hilton on Nov. 14.

Oakland is not the pushover the numbers might suggest, as the team that went 13-20 last season played four ranked opponents and pushed then No. 5 Michigan State to the brink, losing to the Spartans by only four points.

The premiere match-up will take place at the point guard position as sophomore Monte Morris will butt heads with Kahlil Felder, a player with whom Morris is familiar.

“I played against him like three times in AAU my junior year,” Morris said. “And I played against him my senior year of high school, so me and him know each other real good.”

Find out what else Morris and his teammates know by clicking here.