Deonte Burton, Cyclones show capabilities in AdvoCare Invitational

AMES — The objective the Iowa State men's basketball team carried with it into the AdvoCare Invitational was to find out what it has beyond its experienced guards.

Coach Steve Prohm gave his analysis that centered on two areas: the No. 21 Cyclones (5-1) don't have a lot of size, but they do have some depth. But if forward Deonte Burton can produce at the level he did in the loss to Gonzaga, Iowa State will be better suited to overcome size issues.

Burton had a career-high 29 points and 12 rebounds against Gonzaga, holding up on the challenge Prohm issued to him in the preseason. At 6-foot-4 and 240 pounds, Burton's target is to average a double double.

'The 29 points were great,' Prohm said. 'That may not happen every night because you're going to miss shots or teams may be playing us different ways to take him away.

'The thing I'm happy with is, I don't know what he averaged for the three games rebounding wise, but I know the last two he averaged right at 10 rebounds a game and 12 in a high-level game with Gonzaga.'

Burton's points per game is up just 0.3 from what it was last year per 40 minutes, but it's his work on the glass that has made the biggest jump and most sizable impact.

Burton went from 8.3 rebounds per 40 minutes as a junior to 12.8 as a senior, which along with a heavier emphasis on a press defense, has helped spark the Cyclones into becoming a more sound defensive squad.

'(The press defense) sparked something for us to get that run going (against Gonzaga), alongside Deonte's insane performance there in the second half,' said guard Naz Mitrou-Long. 'That really sparked our defense, really made us get down and get after it and it showed that they were vulnerable in that situation.'

Iowa State started its daunting two-week schedule in Orlando — where it played Indiana State, Miami and top-10 Gonzaga — that includes Cincinnati on Thursday and a road trip to Iowa a week later. The Bearcats (5-1) got the fifth-most votes past the top 25 in the USA Today Coaches' Poll, and will be in Hilton Coliseum on Thursday for an 8 p.m. tipoff (ESPN).

'I think we can play with anybody in the country,' Mitrou-Long said. 'I think Gonzaga is one of the most balanced teams out there as far as size goes, talent, depth, and if we can hang in there and be tied on the rebounding battles with them and Miami, that goes to show that height doesn't determine your heart, and we've got heart.'

Holden aims to stay out of foul trouble

The issue that plagued Iowa State forward Merrill Holden in his first three years of college at Louisiana Tech has followed him to Ames — through the first six games at least.

Holden, who has started all six games, is averaging 6.5 points and 3.8 rebounds, but has committed 21 personal fouls and averaged 8.4 fouls per 40 minutes — and 6.1 for his career. The senior has fouled at a high rate, although Prohm said he isn't overly concerned with it because of Darrell Bowie's play and a four-guard lineup.

'What just concerns me is the way he's getting them,' Prohm said. 'He's just getting some bad ones where he's got to be smarter.'

'Just to not pick up ticky-tack fouls and fouls that aren't part of the play or really part of the game,' Holden said. 'Kind of avoiding those kind of fouls and just being solid on defense and picking when to go get an offensive board and when not to.'