Clyburn down to Iowa State and Utah

By Chris Williams, CycloneFanatic.com Publisher

Since receiving his release from Utah last week, Will Clyburn has received dozens of phone calls.

Still, Clyburn’s big decision will likely come down to only two schools.

“It is either going to be Iowa State or Utah,” Clyburn told CycloneFanatic.com. “I really want to be closer to home.”

Clyburn, a 6-foot-7, 200-pound wing, is scheduled to officially visit Iowa State this weekend. Clyburn decided to explore his options when Utah fired Jim Boylen after the 2010-11 season, when the Utes went 13-18. During his only season of division one basketball, Clyburn averaged 17.1 points and 7.8 rebounds per game after transferring from Marshalltown Community College. Clyburn is a native of Romulus, Mich.

Iowa State associate head coach T.J. Otzleberger has a long history with Clyburn. Otzelberger recruited Clyburn out of high school and junior college. That foundation put Iowa State at the top when Utah granted Clyburn his release.

“I feel like they are really getting stronger as a program,” Clyburn said. “Some of the guys there told me that they love it.”

Now it will likely be up to head coach Fred Hoiberg to seal the deal.

“I just want to get a better feel for Coach Hoiberg and try to build some type of relationship with him,” Clyburn said. “I have talked to him a couple of times. He’s been straight on with me. I feel like he wants to get his players to the next level.”

As of now, Iowa State is the only official visit that Clyburn has scheduled. Should he select the Cyclones, Clyburn would be forced to sit out a year and would have one season of eligibility in 2012-13.

That would put Clyburn in the exact same situation as former Michigan State guard Korie Lucious, who signed with Iowa State earlier this year.

“If I go to Iowa State, when I become eligible, we would be a great backcourt together,” Clyburn said.

Former Penn State guard Chris Babb would also be a senior during the 2012-13 season.

Iowa State fans shouldn’t get too confident on this one yet. Utah’s new coach Larry Krystkowiak has had time to make his recruiting pitch as well.

“He is a nice guy. He’s put me through workouts,” Clyburn said. “I keep telling him that this is nothing against him as a coach. I had this in my mind after the firing of Coach Boylen a couple of weeks ago.”

“As a person and a coach, he’s been good and I have learned some stuff since he got here. I know that his coaching will be good but I think that I just want to be closer to home.”

As always, CycloneFanatic.com will keep you updated on this Iowa State basketball recruiting story.