Ames, Iowa — Iowa State knows it will get Kansas' best shot tonight.
"I think it will be by far the most determined Kansas team we'll ever play," Cyclone basketball coach Larry Eustachy said.
"Determined" because KU has dropped five straight games to the Cyclones. Fourth-year Eustachy, in fact, has a 5-1 mark versus KU.
"Their strengths are our weaknesses," Eustachy told the Ames Tribune. "Transition ... we struggle with transition defense at times. We certainly struggle to keep people off the boards."
It's safe to say Iowa State (9-10, 1-4) will need a big night from three-point bombers Jake Sullivan and Shane Power to beat KU.
Sullivan is eight-for-13 and Power six-for-six from three-point land against the Jayhawks. They are a combined 18-of-27 shooting versus KU.
"Everybody's back and they've got three great freshmen," said Sullivan, who averages 16.2 points per game. "They've got great guards, probably the two best big men in the country. They have the bench, all the pieces. They are an all-around great team."
The good thing, Sullivan says, is the game is in Ames. Always tough at home, ISU had its school-record 39-game homecourt win streak stopped by San Jose State (64-62) on Dec. 1. ISU's 19-game conference homecourt win streak, also a school record, ended with a 69-66 loss to Oklahoma State on Jan. 12.
"Luckily we've got this first one at home," Sullivan said. "It's a huge strength for us to be here and not there. It will be one of the biggest upsets if we can pull it off. It would be a miracle. We have to play a perfect game. But I think we're capable of playing a perfect game."
KU respects Iowa State, a team that has lost three straight and is off to its worst start in conference play since losing five league games in the 1993-94 season.
"When we played in Ames last year, you know who the heroes were?" KU coach Roy Williams said. "Sullivan and Power and they're still there. We remember those guys, too."
Sullivan made six of eight threes and scored 22 points in Iowa State's 79-71 victory over Kansas in Ames. Power made all four of his threes while scoring 22 points. The two were a combined 13-of- 17 shooting.
"Sullivan has that incredible range. Those guys killed us last year," KU forward Nick Collison said. We have to get to the shooters. It seems like everybody we play has somebody who throws em in there."
More pro talk: Eustachy told the Ames paper not only Drew Gooden, but Nick Collison and Kirk Hinrich will someday play in the NBA.
"Everybody talks about Collison who is a great player and will definitely be a first-round choice I think, but Hinrich can play in the NBA, too," Eustachy said.
Collison, by the way, said Tuesday he's planning on returning to KU for his senior season.
"I probably ... chances are I'll be back," Collison said. "I've not thought about it at all. I guess I'll look at it at the end of the year. Now I'm pretty sure I'll definitely be back because there are a lot of things I can get better at."
This n that: Kansas and Ohio State share the NCAA Division One field-goal percentage lead in this week's statistics. Both teams are shooting 50.5 percent. ... Kansas ranks No. 2 in scoring offense and in rebound margin.
In scoring, the Jayhawks (89.8 points per game) trail only Duke (91.4) and in rebound margin KU (9.9) is behind just Wyoming (10.3). ... KU's Gooden is No. 3 nationally in rebounding with an average of 11.8 boards per game.
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