Iowa State carrying 'new energy about defense' into season opener

AMES — The mission for the Iowa State men's basketball team is to find ways to improve its defense.

Steve Prohm has seen in a private scrimmage against Nebraska and a blowout exhibition win against Sioux Falls what is going well and what needs to get better. Interestingly enough, it's the offense that has given him some things to think about as it relates to defense.

'I just want it to try to be, when we get to the Big 12, instead of being 9-10 (in Big 12 defense), our goal is if we can be five, if we can make those numbers,' said Prohm, entering his second season as the Iowa State coach. 'If we can just move up — we're not going to go from 9 or 10 to 1 or 2, that's not going to happen — but if we can get better and move up to that 4-5-6 range, then that's going to help our offense.'

Iowa State enters the regular season opener Friday against Savannah State (7 p.m., Cyclones.tv) ranked No. 24 in the AP Poll and No. 13 in adjusted offense, according to KenPom.com. The Cyclones enter the year No. 60 in adjusted defense, which is last among Big 12 teams.

Savannah State, 0-3 all-time against Iowa State, enters the season as 341st of 351 teams, according to KenPom.com, and was 16-16 last year. The matchup is almost incidental from the Cyclones' point of view, but it does give them a chance to improve upon some of the defensive principles implemented through the first several weeks of workouts.

'I think we just have a whole new energy about defense,' said guard Nick Weiler-Babb. 'We're kind of looking for defense to get a couple points on offense. We know we can score on the offensive end, but on defense if we can get any little steal, layup or fast break point that we can get I think that will help us just that much more.'

There is something to be said for how much Iowa State has to improve defensively if it wants to reach a sixth-straight NCAA tournament, something it has never done or any Iowa team has done.

The offense, which is No. 13 on KenPom.com, scored 101 points in the exhibition game and shot 51.9 percent from the field and 57.7 from long range. It will take care of itself so the emphasis can be put more on transition defense, perimeter defense and rebounding.

'It's just going to set us up for conference play and everybody knows the Big 12 is one of, if not the best, league in the country,' said guard Naz Mitrou-Long. 'If you don't rebound and you don't play D and do things other teams don't do, you're not going to win.

'We're smaller so we need to do those things. That's just where we've got to get better.'

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