Iowa State’s Merrill Holden hoping to rejoin rotation at Oklahoma

AMES - Merrill Holden walked into the Iowa State men's basketball offices ready to talk.

The frustration he felt from falling out of the rotation had reached a point where he needed a one-on-one, sit-down conversation with Coach Steve Prohm. The graduate transfer forward let Prohm know he was willing to do whatever he could to play again.

'I've just been hungry to get back out there and prove to my coach and my teammates that I'm ready to step up, be productive for this team and play the role the team needs me to play,” Holden said.

Holden hasn't been a disciplinary case, but rather just hasn't followed through with what his role was designated to be. When Iowa State travels to Oklahoma on Saturday (1 p.m. on ESPN2), he expects to rejoin the rotation and give a lift to a front court that needs problems solved.

After starting the first nine games this season, Holden came off the bench the next four games while graduate transfer forward Darrell Bowie got the starting nod. Holden has fallen out of the rotation completely the last four games while the Cyclones (11-6, 3-3) have gone 2-2.

'It's just kind of hurt watching my team out there,” Holden said. 'And not being able to get out on the floor and help them has kind of hurt me. I just want to help those guys out.”

In 13 games played, Holden has averaged 3.5 points - not a major concern - but only 2.2 rebounds per game - and 8.2 fouls per 40 minutes. At 6-foot-8 and 224 pounds, Holden has the potential to be a combatant and help Iowa State climb out of last place in the Big 12 in opponent offensive and defensive rebounding.

Bowie and freshman Solomon Young have seen their minutes fluctuate during conference games, but having Holden as another piece of relief in the front court could help.

In the meeting between Holden and Prohm, the second-year ISU coach stressed how narrow Holden's role must become for the Cyclones to be successful down low - defend, rebound and run rim-to-rim. Whether Holden actually plays, Prohm said, is still undecided.

'Merrill is a great kid and I know he wants to play, but he's got to put himself in position,” Prohm said. 'If he does that out here on the practice floor, and if his time comes, hopefully he'll be ready.”

While Holden has weathered his frustrations through conference play, point guard Monte Morris has been playing some of the best ball of his career. His 18.3 points, 6.0 rebounds, 37.8 minutes and 89.5 percent free throw percentage all lead the team in conference games while producing a 9.25 assist-to-turnover ratio.

That production, Morris said, comes from the sense of urgency he feels when staring down the barrel of his final season in Ames.

'It's basically now or never,” Morris said. 'We've got six games left in Hilton and I just want to go out with a bang. I'm going to try to leave every game out on the court and not regret it once I leave it.”

Before Iowa State gets back in Hilton, it has to take on a Sooners (8-9, 2-4) team fresh off a win at No. 8 West Virginia on Wednesday. It was point guard Jordan Woodard's third game back - he missed four contests with a leg injury - and he scored 18 points in the second half including the game winner.

'How good our league is, when Oklahoma's 2-4 and they look like that (at West Virginia)?” Prohm said. 'Woodard now that he's back and healthy – they're a totally different team.”

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