Georges Niang got an early scouting report on UNI

AMES — Northern Iowa basketball fans poured onto the floor to celebrate.

Then-No. 1 North Carolina — with Marcus Paige on the bench nursing an injury — couldn't overcome a second-half run from the Panthers and left the McLeod Center with its first loss. It gave UNI, arguably, its biggest win since beating top-seeded Kansas in the 2010 NCAA tournament.

Iowa State's All-American candidate Georges Niang watched the euphoria in Cedar Falls that day from his seat in the arena and was taking plenty of mental notes.

'It was impressive the way they controlled the pace of the game in the second half,' Niang said. 'At the end of the first half, it sort of felt like they were giving the game away (at one point), but obviously they have a great coach in Coach (Ben) Jacobson and he did a great job of controlling tempo.'

Niang secured tickets from his buddy, North Carolina's Brice Johnson, so he could check him out. The Cyclones senior primarily wanted to see his friend in action, but knew he could do a preliminary scouting report on the Panthers and gauge how they could potentially give his team fits.

No. 2 Iowa State and UNI square off at the Big Four Classic in Des Moines on Saturday — in a situation that gave the Cyclones (9-0) trouble two years ago.

The Panthers (6-3) were up by 18 in the second half, but Niang's 22 points helped Iowa State secure a 91-82 overtime win. Northern Iowa doesn't have many of the pieces that played on that team, but guards Wes Washpun, Matt Bohannon and Paul Jesperson all follow in the principles Jacobson has instilled in his UNI teams.

'(They) looked sound on defense and they really ran their stuff on offense,' Niang said. 'Obviously that's a little alarming. We're going to have to be on our A-game to beat them. It's an in-state rivalry and they're going to bring their A-game just like we need to bring ours.'

The Cyclones got three wins last week — against Buffalo, Iowa and Arkansas-Pine Bluff — but none came easily. Now with Naz Mitrou-Long ruled out for the season as he recovers from off-season hip surgery, depth becomes a concern.

Deonte Burton will be added to the seven-man rotation as he becomes eligible Saturday, but Iowa State Coach Steve Prohm said this week he expects the four regular starters — plus Matt Thomas — to shoulder more of the burden. Three ISU starters average more than 30 minutes and Monte Morris is at 35.1 minutes.

Thomas becomes an essential part of the ISU offense, but his defense through the first nine games has been a difference maker. Slowing down Washpun, who averages a team-leading 15.2 points per game for UNI, could be key.

'I remember watching them last year against Stephen F. Austin in the 24-hour marathon game,' Prohm said. 'The guard, Washpun, was really good that day in watching him play. We've got to do a great job against him. A terrific program. Obviously a lot of respect for (Jacobson) and what they've been able to accomplish.'

Saturday's game starts an 11-day stretch for the Cyclones — UNI, at Cincinnati and Coppin State — before a road trip to No. 3 Oklahoma begins conference play. Iowa State will have to adjust to life without Mitrou-Long on the court, but finding different ways to win hasn't been a negative thing for players.

'These two road games, playing in Des Moines then going on to Cincinnati, I'm glad everything ain't picture perfect because we wouldn't know how to take adversity when it hits,' Morris said. 'I think everything happened for a reason, us struggling in some games and still coming out on top.'

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