Iowa State learning from loss at TCU, faces quick turnaround against likely-No. 1 Kansas

AMES - The decision every team has to make after a rough performance is whether to flush it and look forward, or use the displeasure to your advantage.

Naz Mitrou-Long and the Iowa State men's basketball team are opting for the latter.

'I think this little bad taste we have in our mouth, we use it as hunger and motivation and keep it with us going into Monday,” Mitrou-Long told the Cyclone Radio Network after an 84-77 loss at TCU. 'We're back at home against Kansas, and the fans are going to be in full support like they are every single game. I don't think we can forget about this.”

When Kansas invades Hilton Coliseum on Monday (8 p.m. on ESPN), it will likely do so as the No. 1 team in the country. It will be the 700th game in Hilton Coliseum, and the second-straight year in which the Cyclones (11-5, 3-2) play a No. 1-ranked team - Iowa State beat then-No. 1 Oklahoma in Ames last season.

Before the Cyclones' matchup with the Jayhawks (16-1, 5-0), which caps four games in nine days for Iowa State, there has to be introspection on what went wrong in Fort Worth.

Defense has been the strength of Coach Steve Prohm's second season in Ames, but TCU shot 56.9 percent from the field Saturday and had a 54-38 advantage in points in the paint.

'We just had defensive breakdowns that you just can't have,” Prohm said on CRN. 'We weren't good on the defensive end, and just on both ends of the floor they were rebounding over top of us, tip backs. (Vladimir) Brodziansky had 25 points and probably only one shot outside of three feet.”

Iowa State had encountered size before with Gonzaga and Baylor, but TCU's commitment to getting drop offs and rebounds proved to be the difference. Still, Iowa State is a KenPom top 35 team in both adjusted offense and defense and for the first time in a few games got key contributions off the bench.

Point guard Donovan Jackson had 16 points on 6-for-10 shooting, including four 3-pointers, and scored 13-straight points for Iowa State during the first half. Guard Nick Weiler-Babb had 10 points on 5-for-7 shooting and added a couple steals. Despite some improved offensive performances, it was the defense that stuck with players after the game.

'We were just trying to figure out the weakside rotation because they were getting the ball in the middle and we weren't covering it,” Jackson said on CRN. 'On top of that with the skip pass, we weren't getting to that either so that was a point of emphasis.”

Iowa State's defense will be tested again Monday. The Jayhawks have the No. 4 adjusted offense according to KenPom, and although they are smaller than typical Bill Self-coached teams, they have seasoned backcourt players.

Point guards Frank Mason III and Devonte' Graham run the show, averaging 20.5 points with 5.5 assists and 13.5 points and 4.6 assists per game, respectively. Highly touted freshman Josh Jackson is a small forward averaging 15.6 points and 6.7 rebounds while Landen Lucas and Carlton Bragg Jr. draw a lot of the front court attention.

'At the end of the day, if we go through this four-game stretch and come out 3-1 with two of (the games) on the road, that's great,” Prohm said on CRN. 'And you have the opportunity to beat the No. 1 team in the country.”

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