Cyclones host 'the purple team' Wednesday night

AMES - Iowa State transfer guard Chris Allen's eyes widened.

Then, he scratched his head.

The month and year: March, 2010.

The backdrop: the former Michigan State player's impending Sweet 16 matchup, where he expected to face top-seeded Kansas.

Instead ...

“(Ali Farokhmanesh) hit that shot and I was like, ‘We're about to play this purple team,' ” said Allen, a senior who scored five points in the Spartan's 59-52 win over the upstart and Sports Illustrated cover-featured Panthers. “That's exactly my words: ‘Who is this purple team we're about to play?' They play hard and I had a new respect for them after we got done playing.”

They'll play again - in Wednesday's 7 p.m. intrastate rivalry game at Hilton Coliseum.

The Cyclones' scout team features one of the stars of that Sweet 16 battle: Korie Lucious, who transferred to ISU last March while under suspension at Michigan State.

Three UNI players - Johnny Moran, Jake Koch and Anthony James - saw court time in that Cinderella vs. March Madness mainstay matchup at St. Louis.

They've matured into stars for the Panthers (5-1) who hope to beat the Cyclones (5-1) for the fifth time in six seasons.

“Both years that I've played them, they just do what they do really well,” said ISU guard Scott Christopherson. “They're not spectacular. They don't put a ton of ball pressure on you. They're not overwhelming, but they make you play so disciplined and they play so disciplined themselves. Last year (in a 60-54 loss in Cedar Falls), I felt like as a team we kind of got really frustrated and we kind of forced it and that plays right into their hands. You have to stick to your plan and be ultra patient. You just kind of have to out-will them and outlast them.”

UNI's known for its stifling defense.

The Panthers ranked 13th nationally in clamping down on opponents last season and stood second in 2009-10.

“This is one of the best coached teams in the country,” Cyclone coach Fred Hoiberg said. “(Coach) Ben (Jacobson) does such a good job with these guys as far as preparing them, getting them ready. They don't make mistakes. They don't beat themselves. And they make you grind it out for everything you can get.”

This season's Cyclone squad fields a bevy of potentially hot shooters.

ISU stands third nationally in 3-pointers made per game (11.3).

Two Cyclones - Tyrus McGee and Chris Babb - are shooting 52 percent or better from long range.

“They can really play,” Jacobson said. “They have a good team. Offensively, they are so dangerous because all five guys can score. There isn't anybody on the floor that you can't fail to pay extreme attention to. They've got a lot going for them."

Just wait until they're all clicking, said Allen, who's averaging 13.2 points.

“It's just scary, honestly, because the day all of us are on the same page it's going to be crazy,” he said. “I'm just thinking it's going to be the greatest shooting performance in history. I mean, if I'm not missing, Scotty's not missing, Babb's not missing, (forward) Royce (White) is hitting every lay-up and dunking, what is the other coach going to do?”

Northern Iowa Panthers (5-1) vs. Iowa State Cyclones (5-1)

Where: Hilton Coliseum, Ames

Tipoff: 7 p.m.

TV: Mediacom Connections

Radio: Cyclone Radio Network, including KGYM-AM (1600), Cedar Rapids

Scouting report: Panthers have won four straight games since a middle-of-the-night loss at St. Mary's (Calif.). UNI scored a season-high 79 points in last weekend's win over Providence - one night after the Cyclones outlasted the Friars 64-54. ISU has shined from 3-point range (11.3 made per game, ranked third nationally) and on the glass (12th nationally with a margin of +10.7 per game). Forward Royce White is averaging a double-double with 14 points and 10.8 rebounds. He's also led the Cyclones in assists the past two games. Panthers have won four of the past five meetings, including the last two in Ames.

Next game: 11 a.m., Saturday, at No. 15 Michigan.