Iowa State looks to avoid falling into trap at TCU

AMES — Trap games are inevitable when you play in arguably the best conference in college basketball.

No. 21 Iowa State faces no better example of that proverbial phrase when it travels to TCU. A win against No. 1 Oklahoma is in the rearview mirror and a showdown with Kansas is on the horizon, but a matchup with a pesky Horned Frogs (9-9, 1-5) squad falls squarely in the middle and isn't a cake walk.

These Cyclones (14-4, 3-3) have fallen into the trap before — see a loss at Texas Tech last year — but have tried to take each game as it comes. All the talk of Kansas can wait until Saturday night.

'I've played Kansas six times in my career here so I just look at them as another game and you can't overlook anybody in the Big 12,' said point guard Monte Morris. 'This league is probably the best league in the country. Texas went over to West Virginia (this week) and got the job done so we just don't want to be that team come Saturday so we've got to focus on TCU.'

Iowa State is 6-0 against TCU in Big 12 play — dating back to when the Horned Frogs joined the league in 2012-13 — but playing in Fort Worth isn't the easiest of chores. The Cyclones trailed by double digits in the first half and six at halftime before they torched TCU in the second half.

The Horned Frogs moved to their refurnished home, Schollmaier Arena, earlier this season — a venue that seats just 6,700 fans. Creating your own energy, among other items, becomes paramount for Iowa State against a team that has lost its last three games — including a seven-point home loss to Texas Tech.

'You've just got to get hyped,' said Georges Niang, who has averaged 16.8 points, 5.6 rebounds and 4.0 assists in his career against TCU. 'You've got to be positive throughout the whole time. You've got to be excited over the little things because you can't really feed off the negative crowd and energy that much.'

Just like his players, Iowa State coach Steve Prohm isn't peeking too far ahead either. Sophomore Chauncey Collins leads TCU in scoring at 10.5 points per game, but the Horned Frogs return some experience down low with juniors Chris Washburn and Karviar Shepherd, who combine to average 15.4 points and 10 rebounds per game.

Prohm saw his players execute a plan that worked in the five-point win against the No. 1 team in the country. Now he just wants to see that same focus carry over on the road against a team that, on paper, is overmatched.

'You've got to be ready to win and ready to play,' Prohm said. 'If I've got to bring a small picture of Hilton to show the guys and put in the locker room, I'll do that.'

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