ISU's Ejim will have his hands full with familiar friend/foe Thomas Robinson

AMES - Iowa State forward Melvin Ejim can thoroughly break down elite Kansas big man Thomas Robinson's game.

He's also able to offer insight into what the emerging inside-outside star eats for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

“I was his roommate (at Brewster Academy),” said Ejim, who likely will guard Robinson at times as the Cyclones seek to topple the 10th-ranked Jayhawks in Saturday's 3 p.m. Big 12 game at Lawrence, Kan. “I was also roommates with (KU reserve) Naadir Tharpe. It's a little Brewster get-together. We're good friends, close friends.”

The amity's tucked away on game day, of course.

ISU's still smarting from being outscored 40-20 in the paint by height-challenged Missouri in Wednesday's loss.

The No. 9 Tigers also went plus-12 on the boards against the Cyclones (12-4, 2-1), who Coach Fred Hoiberg said needed to be tougher.

“I told them that should hurt,” said Hoiberg, whose team hopes to snap a 12-game skid against Kansas (13-3, 3-0). “I know I didn't sleep very well.”

Neither did multi-talented Cyclone forward Royce White, who airballed two free throws in the defeat.

But that's nothing new for the 6-8, 270-pounder.

White's shooting 54.2 percent from the line - as opposed to 53.9 percent from the field.

“I think one thing I probably should have done is just attack more,” White said before briefly going into tongue-in-cheek mode. “If I shoot 10 more free throws, then I'll probably hit four more, three more? So just going to the free throw line changes the game. ... but I definitely have to get in the gym and get to the point where I can knock down 75 to 80 percent of them.”

White may match up with Robinson at times, as well, and what he'll encounter is the most complete player the Cyclones have faced.

Robinson's averaging 17.6 points, is the nation's second-leading rebounder with 12.1 per game and has developed into a solid free throw shooter at 66 percent.

The 6-9, 237-pounder shot 51 percent from the stripe as a sophomore, but has stepped out of the shadow of the now-departed Morris twins to become the Jayhawks' guiding light.

“If he catches it down low it's going to be too late for a double team,” Hoiberg said. “So you've just got to try to do your work early, bang him around and try to throw some fresh bodies on him.”

Hoiberg said freshman Percy Gibson should be available Saturday, as will reserve forward Anthony Booker.

Ejim expects primary duty on his friend, though - and fully knows what to expect.

“He's always going hard no matter what it is,” Ejim said. “He's real athletic, but the real thing is he has a motor and he's always trying to outwork you and out-beast you.”