Hawkeyes brace for Hurricane Niang in Ames

IOWA CITY — Georges Niang likes to show off on the basketball court. And why not? The Iowa State senior has the honors and accolades to back up his boisterous on-court hysterics.

Niang also has the game, which is why he's a target for Iowa's defense in Thursday's Cy-Hawk Series game at Hilton Coliseum (6:30 p.m. ESPN2). He's the nation's only active player with more than 1,600 points, 500 rebounds and 325 assists. Those are numbers that typically follow a guard. But Niang is a 6-foot-8 power forward, who can battle in the post or distribute on the fast break with equal precision.

'You could see it coming,' said Iowa Coach Fran McCaffery, who recruited Niang before he selected Iowa State. 'He was making the same plays as a freshman and he's now making them off the dribble. He can play the point, he can post you up, he's got counter moves in the post, he can go off the dribble, he's an assist guy. He's always been a scorer, but when you top it off with the consistent 3-point shot, that's a hard guy to cover.'

Niang's output against Buffalo on Monday showed how difficult he is to defend. He hit 10 of 16 shots, but half of his baskets were from 3-point range. He also knocked down all six free throws for a career-high 31 points. He added three assists. But he was equally impressive on defense, grabbing 12 rebounds, blocking two shots and adding a steal.

Many athletic forwards — like Iowa senior Jarrod Uthoff, for instance — grab the ball for a rebound and immediately bring it up the court. But Niang is different. He appears at times that he could run the point, despite his frame.

'It's not the old days where a big guy rebounds the ball and they outlet to the guard and he runs here and he runs there,' McCaffery said. 'Whoever gets it, brings it. The game has changed. You look at the NBA, it's five guys that can dribble, pass and shoot. So the thing I think that separates him is he's particularly good at it.'

Niang also has saved a few of his best performances for Iowa over the years. As a freshman he scored 13 points in an Iowa victory, but as a sophomore he made a major impact with 24 points. With the Cyclones trailing 82-77, Niang hit two free throws, then two possessions later scored the go-ahead basket on a reverse layup with 18.2 seconds left. The Cyclones won 85-82.

Last year, Niang tallied 16 points, dished seven assists and grabbed six rebounds in a 90-75 win at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. He sealed the win with a kiss toward the Iowa student section. Hence, also the showoff.

'He's very talented,' Iowa center Adam Woodbury said. 'He's done it over the course of his four years there and just very skilled. He does what he does well. They run some stuff for him. They get some open looks, and he's able to knock them down. So he's a very talented player.'

Uthoff averages 18.2 points, third-best in Big Ten play. The 6-foot-9 Uthoff joined Niang at the Nike Basketball Academy skills camp last summer but downplayed any comparisons with his counterpart.

'He's a good player,' Uthoff said. 'I'm excited for the match-up.'

Niang averages a team-high 18.6 points and ranks second in rebounds (6.6) and assists (3.4). He will face multiple defenders Thursday night, from Woodbury and Uthoff to an Iowa guard on the wing. Niang has hit 13 of 28 3-point attempts this season (46.4 percent), the Cyclones' best 3-point percentage. He's also drilled 21 of his 23 free-throw attempts.

'He was always incredibly skilled for a guy who's 6-8 and over 230 pounds,' McCaffery said. 'He's been doing the same things since he was a junior in high school. I will say his 3-point shot has gotten to the point where it is so good that has a dimension that I think has elevated him to the elite status that he has.'

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