Iona's A.J. English has all the tools

DENVER — Iona's A.J. English commands a lot of attention, none of it spurred on through what he says.

The soft-spoken senior guard is the catalyst behind the Gaels' up-tempo offense and averages 22.4 points, 6.2 assists and 5.0 rebounds per game in the system. He has two games of 45 or more points and an additional four where he scored 30 or more.

Comparisons were tossed around, and the name that came up is one Iowa State knows well. English's game tape makes him look Buddy Hield-esque.

'He's a really versatile scorer and scores in a variety of ways,' said ISU junior guard Matt Thomas. 'He can get his teammates involved and I think he averages six or seven assists a game. He's just a great all around player and we're going to have our hands full trying to slow him down.'

Fourth-seeded Iowa State gets 13th-seeded Iona in the first round of the NCAA tournament Thursday at 1 p.m. (TBS).

English shoots 50.6 percent on his two-point baskets and 37.4 percent from long range. At more than 35 minutes per game, the 6-foot-4 and 190-pound point guard is a troubling matchup on the perimeter. Thomas said he'll start guarding English, but the Cyclones could throw a few different bodies at him.

'He's very crafty the way he gets his shot off,' said senior Abdel Nader. 'He likes to pull up from 3 off his left hand so we'll try to take that away from him. He wants to get to the rim with his right, which is real typical of guys like that. I've got an idea of how I'd guard him.'

Just like Iowa State's senior laden team, this NCAA Tournament will be the last for English. The Gaels are on an eight-game winning streak, including a MAAC tournament title against regular-season champion Monmouth.

'He's had a phenomenal year and has grown as a player and leader on our team,' said Iona Coach Tim Cluess. 'The last month, I think that urgency of a senior knowing time is of the essence has even brought him to a whole other level.'

MORRIS 'BETTER'

A smile was plastered across Iowa State junior point guard Monte Morris' face. He finally started to feel like his old self.

'My legs feel like 150 percent,' Morris said. 'My shoulder is actually good. The shots I took on offense, I made them so that's a good sign. So it's getting better.'

Morris participated in the Cyclones' team practice at Colorado School of Mines Wednesday morning and went through the full workout for the first time in nearly two weeks. He played 38 minutes in the Big 12 tournament loss to Oklahoma.

'He looked good,' said senior Georges Niang. 'He was flying around and making shots. I think he looks healthy, which is great for us.'

IONA LIKES TO RUN

Cluess runs his basketball practices like a track meet. Workouts in the Gaels' home gym aren't for the faint of heart.

'We'll have different rules,' Cluess said. 'We'll have 10 seconds where you have to get a shot off and in four seconds, everyone has to be down the court including the ball past the hash mark. We'll do different things to keep it entertaining and getting our guys to play at the pace we like.'

Cluess likes that pace to be run and gun. Iona is No. 31 on KenPom.com in points per game (79.6), 60th in adjusted offense (110.4) and 44th in adjusted tempo (72.4). Iowa State is ahead of the Gaels in two of the three categories — Iona is 10 spots ahead in adjusted tempo — and is a 7.5-point favorite Thursday.

'They play with a bunch of freedom just like us and they like to get up and down just like us,' Nader said. 'I don't know if it's the best idea to get into a barn burner with us, but we'll see how that goes.'

More: Georges Niang not done climbing

As for any team-point totals, Niang wasn't willing to make any predictions on how high the score would get. He's leaving that job to the folks in Las Vegas — which has the over-under set at 167 according to Bovada.

'We're just going to go out there and try to win,' Niang said. 'I don't care how many points; the game could be 2-0 and if we win, then I'll be jumping up and down doing cartwheels.'

QUOTABLES

— Iona Coach Tim Cluess on Niang: 'I think he's just a tremendous player. To me he's a throwback. A little Larry Bird like, maybe not quite as athletic, but does all those things. He passes the heck out of the ball, handles the ball, shoots the ball, posts you up. He just lets the game come to him. Whatever is available, he takes. Doesn't really force the issue at all. Plays at a great pace and plays under control the whole time.'

— Niang's reaction to Cluess' comment: 'Being from the east coast and him coaching on the east coast, that's quite the compliment. I appreciate that, but I've got a little ways to go. I heard he was saying I'm unselfish and stuff like that so that's good to hear. But we're here to win games as a team and it doesn't really matter about me.'

— Iona's English on if he watched Iowa State play this season: 'Of course. They're in the Big 12 and one of the top teams in the country. I've been watching them before the (adidas) camp (with Niang and Morris) and before I knew them personally. I'm a fan of him and everybody else on the team.'

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