Iowa State wants to send Iowa, nation a message

AMES — Even though Georges Niang isn't around the Iowa State men's basketball team on a daily basis, his role as an influential voice hasn't diminished.

That voice can be blunt. It's especially brash when it comes to the Iowa and Iowa State rivalry.

'Georges texted me last night, 'Stay in Iowa City if you don't win Thursday,'' Iowa State Coach Steve Prohm said with a wide grin.

Prohm shouldn't expect company from any of his players if he's forced to stay should No. 25 Iowa State lose to Iowa on Thursday.

Tipoff is at 7 p.m. (ESPN2).

'I don't want to stay in Iowa City for more than an hour and a half ever in my life,' said guard Naz Mitrou-Long. 'If Coach Prohm wants to stay out there he can do that, but I'll walk back to Ames because that place ain't for me.'

Since the last time the Hawkeyes (4-5) won the Cy-Hawk matchup on Dec. 7, 2012, the Cyclones (6-2) have won 99 games, two Big 12 tournament titles, been to four NCAA tournaments and two Sweet 16s, along with three straight games in this series.

You wouldn't know that by talking to the players.

All of that past success on a national scale means something to Iowa State's players, but there always is something different when it comes to the Iowa game. Niang blowing a kiss to the Iowa student section in 2014 is one of many examples of memorable moments in this rivalry's recent past.

'For a big-time player to do that, that just sparked the rivalry,' said point guard Monte Morris. 'Fans come to watch the trash talking and it's their expectation for the game. It hypes the whole thing up, makes people come watch it and makes it electrifying. The game would be boring if both teams weren't talking.'

Former Iowa standout Jarrod Uthoff let his play do the talking in last year's game in Ames. He had 30 first-half points and helped the Hawkeyes build a 20-point lead before the Cyclones chipped it away in the second half, culminating in Morris' game-winning floater.

Iowa's Peter Jok is just as capable of scoring in bunches. He's averaging 23.9 points per game, shooting 44.7 percent from the field and 39.5 percent from 3-point range.

Iowa State has held opponents to 34.6 percent shooting and allowed 61.4 points per game — down from 75.0 ppg last season. Iowa is averaging 86.7 points per game through nine outings.

After slumping offensively against Cincinnati, Iowa State beat Omaha by 44 Monday night just two days after the Mavericks scored 98 points and won in Iowa City. No one on Iowa State's side is getting caught up in the transitive property of sports, though.

Read more: Expect a lot of points when Iowa hosts Iowa State

"They've played a good schedule,' Prohm said. 'They've played Notre Dame, Seton Hall, Virginia, Memphis. Those four schools are all really good. They can score so our defense is going to have to travel over there.'

Iowa State's goal is singular.

'We want to go in there and make a statement,' Morris said. 'We want to go in there and set a tone and send a message not just to Iowa, but to the rest of the country that we can do it on the road. We're trying to go out there and beat them badly.'

l Comments: montzdylan@gmail.com