Ames, Iowa ? One of the first things Iowa State coach Fred Hoiberg said when he took over at his alma mater was that point guard Diante Garrett would play a major role in the offense.

Given that Garrett had never averaged 10 points a game or proved he could consistently knock down jumpers, it seemed like a shaky plan.

Garrett, however, has thrived playing under “The Mayor.”

The senior from Milwaukee has flourished in Hoiberg’s up-tempo system, averaging career highs of 17.5 points and 6.5 assists while leading the way for an offense that’s second in the Big 12 at 84.3 points per game.

Garrett has always been able to attack the rim, but he has a much-improved jump shot this season. He’s also a much more self-assured player under Hoiberg, whose belief in Garrett has clearly paid off so far.

“When you’re out there playing with confidence, it’s fun. You play with a swagger, and Diante definitely has that right now,” Hoiberg said.

Garrett’s surprising turnaround is a major reason the Cyclones, who were picked last in the Big 12’s preseason coaches poll, are 6-0 heading into Wednesday’s game at Northern Iowa (2-2).

Garrett had always been a pass-first point guard in former coach Greg McDermott’s more methodical system, and for years that made sense. The Cyclones were stacked in the frontcourt during Garrett’s first three seasons, with stars like Wesley Johnson, Craig Brackins and Marquis Gilstrap handling much of the scoring burden.

But Garrett’s shooting percentage took a leap forward in 2009-10, as he hit 35.2 percent of his threes after making a dreadful 22 percent in each of his first two seasons.

With Brackins, Gilstrap and seemingly everyone else gone from last year’s 14-18 squad, Hoiberg made a point of giving Garrett freedom to run the Cyclones without having to constantly look over his shoulder.

At the time, it seemed as much of a necessity as anything else. But Garrett has exceeded nearly everyone’s expectations, shooting a career-best 44 percent from the floor with an assist-to-turnover ratio of well over 2-to-1.

“We’re getting up and down the court. A lot of guys are making plays, and I’m one of the guys that can make some plays. I just having fun out there, and (Hoiberg) keeps the confidence in us,” Garrett said.

Garrett is sixth in the Big 12 in scoring and second in assists.

“He’s playing with so much confidence right now. He knows that it’s his team and he can do whatever he wants at any given time, and his jump shot has improved drastically,” Iowa State forward Jamie Vanderbeken said.