ISU notes: Niang’s message, dethroning Kansas, Mitrou-Long ready to go

KANSAS CITY - Written across the mirror in Georges Niang's bedroom is a reminder that he's always working toward something more.

On the first day of classes in the fall of his senior year, Niang wrote a message to himself. He's helped Iowa State basketball reach certain peaks in his first three years, but there are plenty still he wants to attain.

'To get to a place you've never been, you've got to do things you've never done before,” Niang recites.

'When I mean places, I mean championships and places in history at Iowa State or in the Big 12 as a team,” the senior forward added. '(I'm) just getting out of my comfort zone and really trying to make everything I do better.”

Iowa State coach Steve Prohm has stressed defense since he arrived in June, and Niang has taken the attention to detail on defense to heart. He averaged a career-best 5.4 rebounds per game as a junior, but through the preseason he's tried to expand his role and conform to the intensified focus on rebounding.

'(I'm) just challenging me to rebound out of my area, be a better rebounder, be better on the defensive end and a more vocal catalyst on the defensive end and really get in the passing lanes,” Niang said.

Preseason honors have piled up for Niang as well. He was named a Sporting News preseason first team All-American and was a unanimous pick for the five-man All-Big 12 team. Niang's individual honors coincide with Iowa State ranked No. 7 in the USA Today preseason coaches poll.

He said the accolades haven't added pressure, but have given him perspective on his growth in a four-year span.

'To be honest, I wouldn't be in this situation if it wasn't for Coach (Fred) Hoiberg and my teammates that instill confidence in me,” Niang said, 'by giving me the ball to make plays or make the extra pass to knock down the shot and really make me look good.”

Dethroning Kansas

Kansas has had an 11-year stranglehold on Big 12 regular season championships, and it hasn't been hard for Iowa State coach Steve Prohm to figure out why.

'Coach (Bill) Self is one of the best in the business,” Prohm said. 'Obviously he's got great players and they've got great support and they've got a great home-court advantage. I think those four things along with probably the fifth thing probably being resources really puts them in a great position.”

The Cyclones have won three of the last four matchups against the Jayhawks - two in the Big 12 tournament - but the difference has come down to winning on the road as a favorite. Kansas has lost nine league road games the last two seasons, while Iowa State has lost 11.

'(We're) just not worrying so much about what Kansas is doing and taking care of Kansas when you face Kansas,” said point guard Monte Morris. 'Honestly, we've just got to win the games you're supposed to win. You can't go down to Lubbock and lose and just try to win big ones on the road.”

Mitrou-Long's hip rehab progressing

After undergoing two hip surgeries this spring, Naz Mitrou-Long was cleared to participate in all scheduled ISU practices this week.

Mitrou-Long played in the intrasquad scrimmage recently, but has been monitoring slight pain in his groin after workouts. One of the biggest hurdles is conditioning, but he anticipates playing in Iowa State's season opener on Nov. 13 against Colorado in Sioux Falls, S.D.

'I feel good and every one of the last four practices I've taken steps in the right direction,” Mitrou-Long said. 'I've just got to keep doing it. I'm rehabbing every day and every night and taking the necessary steps to feeling good.”

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