Cyclones prepare for intense defense against West Virginia

AMES - Monte Morris had a number of take-aways from Iowa State's last game against West Virginia, but one thing stood out above all others.

Staying hydrated.

'That's all you can do,” Morris said. 'They're about to come after us. I know they're going to be trapping me, trying to let me not get the ball and get in an offense.”

Not cramping up in the matchup, usually more physical that most, will be crucial when the 14th-ranked Cyclones host the 21st-ranked Mountaineers at 3 p.m. today in Hilton Coliseum. In Iowa State's (17-6, 7-4 Big 12) win against West Virginia (19-5, 7-4) on Jan. 10, Morris played 32 minutes before fouling out with six assists and one turnover.

A total of 50 fouls were called in that two-point ISU win in January, and Morris knows this time around, attention to detail will be just as important. His matchup against senior guard Juwan Staten will have a lot of impact on the flow of the game.

'I got a little antsy with my hands, but I learned from it,” Morris said. 'This time around guarding Staten, I'm not going to be as iffy in there. I'm just going to make him make tough plays.”

Staten is a facilitator for the Mountaineer offense and averages 14.2 points per game, but it's the Cyclones' team defense that continues to be emphasized. Junior Georges Niang said maturity on defense comes along with communicating.

'I think it gets back to us having each other's back,” Niang said. 'Sometimes we lost focus of that and sometimes focus more on an individual playing defense, ‘I got my guy, you've got your guy.' But really, it's as a unit.”

It's an ISU unit that allowed 94 points in its loss to Oklahoma with the Sooners shooting 50.6 percent from the field and 47.6 percent from 3-point range.

Part of that is due to the up-and-down style of play, which Oklahoma likes to play as well, and part is due to the inability at times to close out on shooters.

Although Iowa State has lost two of its last three games - to Kansas and Oklahoma - lulls happen in every season, and the team has tried to keep perspective.

'There's some things we need to correct, there's no doubt about it, but the world didn't come to an end, the sky didn't fall apart after the last game,” ISU Coach Fred Hoiberg said.

With the 18-game conference schedule the Cyclones have in the Big 12, another challenge for Hoiberg is keeping the players mentally fresh. Earlier in the week, the team went bowling with Hoiberg to spend time together away from the court.

'Obviously there's been a lot these guys have gone through this year,” Hoiberg said. 'A lot of really good, positive moments and these past couple week there's been a lot of things said out there.

'That we're worthless and we're not a very good basketball team.

'I could just see a little mental fatigue by the guys, so to get them away from the basketball court after coming in and having a good, solid workout was the right thing to do.”