Dejean-Jones prepared

Iowa State senior ready for return to Lawrence

By Dylan Montz, correspondent

AMES - Bryce Dejean-Jones has one memory of playing in Allen Fieldhouse, and it's one he's hoping can be put out of his mind on this return trip.

The Iowa State senior played at Kansas as a freshman with USC in 2010, and the Trojans got beat 70-68. Dejean-Jones was 0-for-6 shooting with zero points and three rebounds. He's hoping to change things as a member of the Cyclones.

'I'm looking to go back and get my own payback as well as with the team,” Dejean-Jones said. 'We haven't won there in a very long time so we're looking to go down there and try to get a win.”

After beating Kansas on Jan. 17 in Hilton Coliseum, Iowa State is set to visit the Jayhawks tonight as part of Big Monday in Allen Fieldhouse. In the Cyclones' 86-81 win in Hilton Coliseum, Iowa State (16-4, 6-2 Big 12) owned the transition game, getting a 21-10 edge in fast break points.

ISU Coach Fred Hoiberg knows more of the same will be needed this time around, especially on the road.

'It's so important to come out of the gate quick,” Hoiberg said. 'If you don't, you're down 20 before you blink. It's such a tough place to play.”

Iowa State's matchup with the Jayhawks (18-3, 7-1) will be the Cyclones second-straight week in an ESPN Big Monday time slot. It's also the second Saturday to Monday turnaround in a row.

Junior Georges Niang has asserted himself offensively in the last two games for Iowa State, tallying 23 points against TCU. But it's been Dejean-Jones who has complemented Niang's performances, making his presence felt on both ends of the floor.

In his last two games Dejean-Jones has combined for 34 points on 10-of-13 shooting and grabbed 11 rebounds. Many of his points have come on midrange, fade away jumpers, which he said he's worked on ever since he was a kid.

'They're really comfortable and feel pretty easy to me even though they might be kind of difficult,” Dejean-Jones said.

'I think I've been doing a better job of managing his minutes and in turn he's playing stronger down the stretch,” Hoiberg said. 'He's been really good in practice and that's where it starts. It's great to see it carry over into games.”

Iowa State hasn't won in Allen Fieldhouse since 2005, but came within a banked 3-pointer of sealing the deal in 2013. To get the job done, Hoiberg has preached the importance of withstanding KU runs and avoiding long scoring lulls.

'Sometimes it feels like they're running downhill and you're running uphill in that building,” Hoiberg said. 'We've been close a few times and you try to take what you've done and what you haven't done and put the right plan together and try to go out and execute it.”

Tipoff is slated for 8 p.m. and will be televised on ESPN.

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