Cyclones ‘know who we want’ at Emerald Classic

AMES — Nobody wanted to come right out and say the words, but they didn't have to because the message was clear.

A matchup against Virginia Tech in the Emerald Coast Classic awaits No. 4 Iowa State on Friday, but on the other side of the bracket is a team in the not-to-distant rear view mirror.

Should the Cyclones (3-0) handle the Hokies (3-1) and Illinois lose on the other side, Iowa State will square off with UAB, who bounced the Cyclones in the opening weekend of the NCAA tournament in March.

'Everybody knows who we want,' said senior forward Jameel McKay. 'We ain't going to say it, but we've just got to beat Virginia Tech. Of course we're going to try to take care of business against Virginia Tech and if God blesses us, we're playing UAB Saturday. That's that.'

The Blazers (3-1) return virtually all of the key components that beat the No. 3-seeded Iowa State squad in the KFC Yum! Center eight months ago, but so do the Cyclones. Still, looking at that loss to UAB as a one-time fluke is what ISU players are trying to avoid.

Iowa State had five-straight double-digit comebacks en route to a second-straight Big 12 tournament title only to lose to the Blazers less than a week later. That's why senior forward Georges Niang said the team has tried to keep its focus singular.

'Beat Virginia Tech,' Niang said. 'Because last time we looked ahead, UAB snubbed us. We'll just take Tech first. We know who we want, but we'll handle Tech first.'

Coach Steve Prohm hasn't watched the UAB game in its entirety since arriving in Ames, but did watch the final minute to see the plays that were drawn up in crunch time.

Prohm is loosely familiar with Buzz Williams coached teams when Murray State played Marquette — Williams' former team — in the NCAA tournament a few years ago.

'Actually we were all in the regional,' Prohm said. 'Iowa State played Connecticut, we played Colorado State in the first round and then we lost to Marquette in Louisville. Just playing against them one time, his teams are known for their toughness, the way they compete and their resiliency.'

Iowa State is starting to hit its stride offensively at the right time and is coming off a 20-point win against Chattanooga where it shot 50 percent from the field and 48.3 percent from 3-point range. The Cyclones hope to continue that productivity against the Hokies when the two tip off at 6 p.m. on CBSSN.

'Our mindset is different and we want it more this year,' McKay said. 'We've just got to stay level-headed and not have any slip-ups. I don't think we will any time soon.'

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