Entering last week's NIT Season Tip-Off in New York, Iowa State was viewed as the clear-cut fourth basketball team in the field. Three top-25 teams -- Memphis, Virginia Tech, Xavier -- battling for the championship, and the Cyclones there to round out the field.
By the end of the week, Iowa State was the highest-ranked member of the foursome in ESPN's Power Rankings and slotted at No. 19 in the AP poll.
Given that Iowa State won two games all of last season and the Cyclones have tripled that total within three weeks, it's an understatement to say everything is a little ahead of schedule for new head coach T.J. Otzelberger and his team.
