Reese Strickland-USA TODAY Sports
Of the six Iowa State Cyclones that average double figures this season, junior forward Dustin Hogue is one of the most unique. The 6-foot-6 transfer-student athlete from Indian Hills Community College is the prototypical tweener; Hogue is a physical specimen that can bang with the big boys on the block, and has outside shooting touch.
Iowa State is in the top 10 in College Basketball in points, rebounds and assists. The Cyclones also are shooting 51.1 percent from the floor. Hogue is a cog in the scoring machine that is Iowa State because of his versatility. Head coach Fred Hoiberg has the luxury of being able to have five shooters on the floor at all times without sacrificing the rebounding advantage to the opposition.
The closest NBA comparison to Hogue would be Denver Nuggets forward Kenneth Faried. Faried is slightly taller (6-foot-8). What Hogue lacks in size, he makes up for with his perimeter scoring. Both possess the uncanny ability to jump out of the gym at any moment, and have motor that just keeps running.
Hogue would embrace his inner “Manimal” Monday night against the Auburn Tigers. After a 16-point and 12-rebound performance in the second half, Hogue was looking to do something that had not been done by a player in Ames for a long time — have a 20-point, 20-rebound performance.
It had been a long time since an Iowa State Cyclone player had a performance of that magnitude. The last Cyclone to have a 20/20 game was Jeff Grayer in 1988. At the time, the Cyclones were still a member of the Big 8 Conference. Hogue fell just shy of being the first Cyclone in the Big 12 era to have a 20/20 game. Hogue finished the night with a modest line of 22 points and 16 rebounds. Iowa State took care of the Tigers handily Monday night, defeating Auburn 99-70.
Jack Dooley is a Big 12 Basketball writer for Rant Sports. You can follow him on Twitter @JackDooleyOCS and Facebook.
