Cyclones unveil new-look squad against Lehigh

AMES - Gabe Knutson can count a guy named God'sgift, the Morris twins and Harrison Barnes among his basketball foes on the block.

Saturday at 1 p.m. against Iowa State, the Waukee High School graduate and Lehigh junior will face his 2011 summer league teammate, Royce White.

“Being quote, unquote an Iowa boy, I've been fortunate to play against strong competition,” said Knutson, who scored 16 points in the Mountain Hawks' season-opening 78-73 loss Wednesday at St. John's. “I'm excited to have a crack at somebody else.”

It's the Cyclones' season opener - and it will be broadcast live on Mediacom throughout the state, as well as on ESPN3.

White, a 6-8, 270-pound sophomore transfer from Minnesota, will make his true ISU debut.

And he won't be alone.

As many as seven other non-tenured Cyclones could play minutes in their first regular season game at Hilton Coliseum.

“As far as the pre-game jitters, I think I'm alright; I'm doing better, I'll say that,” said White, who scored 14 points while grabbing seven rebounds in Sunday's exhibition win over Grand Valley (Mich.) State. “There's a lot more people coming to support me, as far as family, so (today) emotions will probably still be high.”

Knutson - along with teammate Corey Schaefer, a freshman from Johnson - also will attract a solid cheering section.

The 6-7 accounting major said he'd been able to collect 45 tickets for his local supporters, but knows other friends and family will be on hand, as well.

“It will be a lot,” summed up Knutson, who played against Barnes' Ames Little Cyclones six times, and didn't eke out a win.

Not that he's keeping track.

“I still remember five out of six times I had more points than him - but that doesn't matter,” Knutson said, jokingly, but in truth, of his on-paper statistical duel with the North Carolina standout.

All joking aside, Lehigh poses a stern challenge to ISU's hopes for a 14th straight season-opening win.

“I saw a very smart disciplined team,” Cyclone coach Fred Hoiberg said. “All those guys can shoot it. They pounded St. John's on the glass.”

How much? 36 to 28 overall, but Hoiberg pointed to the 17 to six edge on the offensive boards as the biggest eye-opener.

“They just played an overall very good game,” Hoiberg said. “Played very hard. It's a veteran team. ... It's going to be a tough test. Those guys are going to come in here and give us a battle.”

A battle is one thing.

A win, another.

The Mountain Hawks led the Red Storm by as many as 16 points before faltering in Queens.

St. John's forward God'sgift Achiuwa shot 6-of-6 from the field and 9-for-9 from the line to help derail Lehigh's mild upset bid.

“Barring kind of the last 11 minute stretch, we were pretty much in control of the game, so it was nice to be able to compete, but in the end we didn't come away with the win,” Knutson said.

White and Hoiberg both said Knutson - who grabbed a game-high five offensive rebounds Wednesday - will be difficult to control in the post and on the perimeter.

“Hard to guard, left hand,” White said. “It's hard for right-handed people to guard left-handed people, so he brings a lot of valuable things to the team. Rebounds well. He was a fun teammate to have.”

That was the summer.

This is for real.

“Points and stuff are easy to come by in summer leagues,” Knutson said. “But at times there are plays where you're just kind of amazed, you know? ... (White's) a tremendous player.”