ISU looks down to look up

A pair of winnable games at Hilton Coliseum is exactly what Iowa State's men's basketball team needs after last week's long and unsuccessful road trip through Big 12 country.

Tonight's visit comes from Texas Tech (9-11, 1-4), which won its first league game last weekend as the Cyclones (14-6, 1-4) were handed their first double-digit loss of the season in an 87-54 setback at Missouri.

ISU has dropped two straight counting an overtime loss at Oklahoma State a week ago. Coach Fred Hoiberg's team blew a nine-point lead late, then was stranded in Tulsa because of an ice storm. The traveling party was gone from Tuesday afternoon through early Sunday morning.

“Adversity hit us this last week,” Hoiberg said Monday. “We gave one away and then got our butts kicked. I'm confident we are going to come together, have two great days of preparation and come out ready to play. This is a very important week for us. We need to bounce back.”

After the Red Raiders, struggling Oklahoma (10-9, 2-3) arrives for an 8 p.m. game Saturday. Three of ISU's next four are at home, but these next two are against teams in the lower half of the league.

“We have two teams coming in that are definitely beatable,” freshman Melvin Ejim said. “We have to go out and play good and win these games.”

Hoiberg has his team at a minus-1 so far through the first four conference games. One point is awarded for road victories. One is taken away for home losses. Home wins and road losses have no point value.

The main idea is to protect the home court. “You have to do that in Big 12 play,” Hoiberg said.

Players like Hoiberg's plus/minus system.

“It gives us something to tally up,” Ejim said. “But at the end of the day we have to get our wins no matter what, home or away.”

Ejim has had a solid first season, averaging 11.2 points and 6.9 rebounds. His numbers have dropped off some during conference play, as the players he's guarding and the players guarding him are more athletic.

“It's been frustrating,” Ejim said. “It's just something I'm going to have to deal with.”

Hoiberg wants to see the same player who burst onto the scene early this season.

“The big thing that made Melvin successful early in the season was him flying around getting tip-ins and running the floor in transition,” Hoiberg said. “He needs to give that same type of energy, and I'm confident that he will.”