Babb's sweet stroke will be needed against stingy A&M

AMES - Chris Babb merely smiled.

No sighs of relief left the Iowa State shooting guard's lips.

No words such as “finally” crossed the Penn State transfer's mind.

Babb simply shot the basketball Wednesday in the Cyclones' 77-71 Big 12 season-opening win over Texas at Hilton Coliseum, prying the lid off the rim with each snap of his wrist.

“We've been working out really hard,” said Babb, who hopes his re-found lethal touch from long range helps ISU improve to 2-0 in conference play in Saturday's 3 p.m. game at Texas A&M. “We got chewed out after (the Mississippi Valley State) game and we just knew we had to take it up to another level.”

Babb's threes - he nailed five against the Longhorns after enduring a 7-for-40 stint - will be key Saturday for the Cyclones (11-3, 1-0) at College Station.

The Aggies (9-4, 0-1) rank third nationally in field goal percentage defense, limiting foes to just 35.9 percent.

They're also 11th best in preventing 3-point baskets, allowing just 27 percent shooting from beyond the arc.

“They pressure you,” said ISU coach Fred Hoiberg, whose team must adjust to the absence of backup point guard Bubu Palo, who's out six to eight weeks with a fractured wrist. “They're such a sound defensive team. They really get up into you and make it difficult to get into your offensive set. They just force you to play a different way.”

A stern talking-to after the two-point win over Mississippi Valley State nudged the Cyclones toward playing in a different manner.

Hoiberg shared his thoughts pointedly.

So did former ISU star Dedric Willoughby, who moved back to Ames last year and counsels the team in a variety of ways.

“I think it was kind of subconsciously that we felt we had arrived and were supposed to have a lot of things given to us,” Babb said. “But he kind of put things in perspective for us. I think that was something we really needed, to be called out.”

Another need: Better focus at the free throw line.

ISU was 10-for-20 there before hitting five of six to seal the win over the Delta Devils and sank just 21 of 37 tries against the Longhorns.

“I've got to get at it,” said Cyclone forward Royce White, who was eight of 17 from the line Wednesday. “It's tough because my hands are so big. I've got to just work on my consistency.”

Free throw struggles aside, the Cyclones are becoming a consistent winner, with six straight triumphs.

A victory Saturday would ensure the team's first 2-0 conference start since the 2003-04 season.

“It's definitely a winnable game if we come out and handle our business like we did (against Texas),” Babb said.