Iowa State trying to fine tune late-game situations

AMES — End-of-game situations, even for an experienced group like the Iowa State men's basketball team, have been a work in progress.

If a few shots rattle in, this team is sitting at 12-1. But they didn't, and the Cyclones (9-4, 1-1) aren't. What these scenarios have taught them is there is a formula that can be followed to prevent these narrow losses.

'We should have just stayed aggressive,' said point guard Monte Morris. 'When we were up six, we kind of started playing time-and-score. Looking back at it, we just need to stay in attack mode.'

No. 3 Baylor — which beat the Cyclones by two in Waco — is one of the biggest teams Iowa State will see all season, and serves as a beneficial experience ahead of a matchup with Texas. Tipoff is 8:15 p.m. at Hilton Coliseum, and will be televised on ESPN2.

Iowa State was able to negate some of the size Baylor presented by going with four — and sometimes five including Deonte Burton — guards on the floor and pushing the tempo. The Cyclones are ranked outside the KenPom top 200 in adjusted tempo, but have the ability to score in bunches.

'If I put some pressure on the rim along with our other guys, it opens up some things for Matt (Thomas) to get some shots up with Monte and myself on the perimeter,' said guard Naz Mitrou-Long. 'But it's just about playing things at different angles and using all of our weapons. When we do things like that, we're unstoppable as far as offense goes.'

Texas (7-7, 1-1) enters Saturday with a talented, youthful roster that has had a roller coaster year. The Longhorns have lost home games to UT-Arlington and Kent State, but are coming off a win against Oklahoma State.

Sophomores Tevin Mack and Kerwin Roach Jr. and freshman Jarrett Allen average double-figures scoring. Texas has a top-50 adjusted defense, but is No. 156 in adjusted offense and No. 207 in tempo. Iowa State has to use its speed and shot-making ability, but can't fall behind on the boards either.

'We can't be minus-17 (rebounding) all year long in conference play,' said Iowa State coach Steve Prohm. 'To be minus-17 and really had an opportunity to be 2-0 against really good teams says a lot about our guys.

'You tell them can you prepare the same way? Can you have the same effort and focus tomorrow and concentration? This is round three (Saturday).'

Against a good defensive team like Baylor, Iowa State shot a shade below 40 percent from the field and missed a number of shots at the rim. Going 5-for-11 from the free-throw line, with a late miss on the front end of a one-and-one, has to get better too.

As much as Prohm challenges his players to make plays down the stretch, he took ownership of the end-of-game situations too and where he can continue to get better.

'I've got to do a better job, whether that's managing the game,' Prohm said. 'It's not really about what we're running, but sometimes you take a timeout and get those guys rested or refocused and then sometimes you've got to make plays.'

LARD SET TO ARRIVE

Iowa State freshman forward Cameron Lard, who signed last spring, has been ruled an academic qualifier by the NCAA and will arrive in Ames on Saturday.

The 6-foot-9, 220-pounder from New Orleans will be eligible to practice with the team immediately. As for Lard's opportunity to play this season, Cyclones coach Steve Prohm said the possibility is there but won't be determined within the next few weeks.

'I'll meet with him on Sunday and then we'll slowly just integrate him into the process of really just academics, getting his physical and really just getting him acclimated the first week,' Prohm said. 'We'll slowly get his strength and conditioning started then individual workouts and acclimate him into practice.'

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