Deonte Burton Swats Away Last-Minute Purdue Dunk in Round 2 of March Madness
Mar 19, 2017
BR Video
It wasn't over as far as Iowa State guard Deonte Burton was concerned.
Burton cast a last-ditch effort block against Purdue Boilermakers forward Caleb Swanigan in the final seconds of Saturday's second-round NCAA tournament game, keeping his team's deficit at two points.
Though heroic, Burton's block wasn't enough to quell Purdue's eventual 80-76 victory. The Boilermakers will move on to the Sweet 16, where they'll face either Kansas or Michigan State on Thursday.
Iowa State vs. Nevada: Score and Twitter Reaction from March Madness 2017
Mar 17, 2017
MILWAUKEE, WI - MARCH 16: Donovan Jackson #4 of the Iowa State Cyclones dribbles the ball while being guarded by Lindsey Drew #14 of the Nevada Wolf Pack in the second half during the first round of the 2017 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at BMO Harris Bradley Center on March 16, 2017 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
Experience won out in Thursday's penultimate March Madness contest as No. 5 Iowa State held off No. 12 Nevada by a score of 84-73 in a Midwest Regional contest at the Bradley Center in Milwaukee.
Both teams came into this game red-hot. Iowa State had won nine of its last 10 games, including the Big 12 championship, and Nevada was working on a nine-contest winning streak, including a blistering run to the Mountain West Conference championship.
The Cyclones, who have made the NCAA tournament six years running, were the more polished team from start to finish, knocking down 8-of-19 from three-point range and getting plenty of easy buckets at the rim throughout.
Point guard Monte Morris flirted with a triple-double, finishing with a team-high 19 points, eight rebounds and eight assists. Four other players scored in double-digits for the Cyclones, including senior guard Deonte Burton, who had 14.
Cyclone Radio Network's Brent Blum put it simply in discussing Morris:
The Wolf Pack, making their first tournament appearance in a decade, boasted one of the best three-point defenses in the nation (30.7 percent per NCAA.com), but the easy buckets inside seemed to hurt them the most. Tired legs might've played a part as Nevada relied heavily on its starting five.
Wolf Pack head coach Eric Musselman brought in one lone substitute, Josh Hall, during the contest. The Cyclones bench outscored Hall 20-4.
Cameron Oliver paced Nevada with 22 points, with Jordan Caroline close behind with 20 of his own. Marcus Marshall had a somewhat quiet game but still chipped in 16 points thanks to a strong second half.
The Cyclones boasted something akin to hometown advantage over the Wolf Pack with the school's relative proximity to Milwaukee and three players hailing from the city. It led to a comfortable atmosphere for the team.
"The city has been very good for us recruiting-wise," Iowa State coach Steve Prohm said, per Jay Cohen of the Associated Press. "Hopefully, it's very good for us the next couple days playing-wise as well. It's great to be in a location where their families can come and our fans can come."
The game was fast-paced right from the get-go. Both teams made over 300 three-pointers during the season but struggled from deep early on. Marshall, Nevada's leading scorer at 19.7 points per game, was held scoreless nearly the first 13 minutes but made an entrance with a deep three-pointer.
Eventually, Iowa State found a rhythm by getting some easy buckets. This thunderous dunk from the burly Burton showed the perimeter-reliant team could be a force inside, per NCAA March Madness:
At the half, Iowa State was shooting 51.7 percent from the floor, Nevada just 30 percent, well below its season average of 45 percent. The Reno Gazette-Journal's Chris Murray provided a second-half prescription for the Wolf Pack:
Josh Hall in for D.J. Fenner to start second half. Keys for Nevada: (1) No more dunks allowed, (2) get to the free throw line; (3) rebound.
Nevada followed suit for the most part, with Caroline attacking the rim and getting to the line often, while the team as a whole did a better job on the boards. A 13-point Cyclone lead at the half shrunk to four by the 9:55 mark, with the Wolf Pack effort keyed by Oliver and Caroline.
However, the Cyclones went on a 9-0 run to get back a double-digit lead despite Morris' spending almost the entirety of that run on the bench.
Nevada did well to keep the game close but could never quite overcome the Cyclones' heady play. Finishing at the rim proved to be a problem, per Andy Glockner:
Morris drew five free throws in the final three minutes and sank them all, stymying Nevada's gutsy efforts to steal this game from the higher-seeded squad.
Iowa State advances to face No. 4 Purdue. It will be the first meeting of the season between these two Midwest programs. Purdue defeated No. 13 Vermont 80-70 Thursday but will face a much tougher test in the Cyclones, who have an excellent floor general in Morris and scorers throughout the lineup.
The Cyclones head coach also heaped praise on Morris.
“Monte is the best point guard in the country. It’s not a debate,” he said, per IowaStateDaily.com's Ryan Young. “What a season he’s had and this last stretch of it. We’re playing great because he’s playing great. We’re playing great because he’s the catalyst.”
Iowa State's Deonte Burton Throws Down Massive Dunk vs. West Virginia
Deonte Burton helped clinch Iowa State's Big 12 tournament title with a nasty slam Saturday night.
With just over two minutes left in the faceoff between the Cyclones and the West Virginia Mountaineers at the Sprint Center in Kansas City, Missouri, Burton accepted a lob and brought it down for a huge dunk and an 11-point lead.
The Cyclones went on to win 80-74.
Iowa State Cheerleader Takes Kicked Ball to the Face Mid-Game
Mar 25, 2016
Caution: Things can get a little out of hand in March.
An Iowa State cheerleader got caught in the crossfire during the Cyclones' 84-71 loss to the Virginia Cavaliers in their Sweet 16 meeting Friday, taking a kicked ball straight to the head.
Thankfully, she returned later in the game.
The cheerleader later identified as Kate Coker even tweeted about it after the game, lightly joking about the incident:
[Twitter]
Jameel McKay Suspended: Latest Details, Comments, Reaction on Iowa State PF
Feb 6, 2016
Iowa State forward Jameel McKay reacts at the end of an NCAA college basketball game against West Virginia, Tuesday, Feb. 2, 2016, in Ames, Iowa. West Virginia won 81-76. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
The No. 13 Iowa State Cyclones will be without one of their top players Saturday against Oklahoma State, as senior forward Jameel McKay was suspended indefinitely.
Continue for updates.
McKay Comments on Playing Status
Saturday, Feb. 6
According to Travis Hines of the Ames Tribune, McKay said the suspension is "practice related" and claimed the ban is for only one game.
"Indefinitely sounds harsh because it's one game, so I'm not sure why they would use that wording," McKay said.
McKay is fourth on the team in scoring with 12.4 points per game and leads the Cyclones with nine rebounds and 1.7 blocks per contest.
The 6'9" big man from Milwaukee is in the midst of his second season at Iowa State after stints at Indian Hills Community College and Marquette.
He was a revelation for the Cyclones in 2014-15, garnering Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year honors in his debut season.
McKay has been a driving force behind Iowa State's 16-6 start, and ESPN's Fran Fraschilla believes he has NBA potential:
I like ISU's Jameel McKay. Seen him have monster games. If he wants to play in NBA, he should watch the tape of his game vs. Iowa. Who he is
Despite McKay's claim that the suspension is for one contest, Iowa State has yet to make an official announcement regarding the length of the ban.
For as long as McKay is out of action, the Cyclones may struggle to replace his minutes and presence in the paint at both ends of the floor.
In terms of bigs off the bench, Iowa State has few options, meaning it will likely be forced to go with a smaller lineup featuring 6'4" Deonte Burton in a forward role alongside superstar Georges Niang.
The absence of a player of McKay's caliber comes at an inopportune time for the Cyclones after two consecutive losses, and while the Cowboys are in the midst of a down year at 11-11, another loss could be on the horizon if McKay's suspension shook the team's psyche in any way.
Steve Prohm to Iowa State: Latest Contract Details, Comments and Reaction
Jun 8, 2015
Murray State head coach Steve Prohm reacts in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Xavier, Monday, Nov. 24, 2014, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/David Kohl)
Steve Prohm is headed to Iowa State. The Murray State coach reached an agreement in principle with Cyclones officials Monday, and he'll look to build on former coach Fred Hoiberg's recent run of success.
Iowa State athletic director Jamie Pollard confirmed Prohm's hire, with Scott Dochterman of the Gazette reporting that Prohm signed a five-year contract worth $1.5 million annually.
“We feel Steve and his family are a perfect fit for Iowa State University,” Pollard said in a statement. “Steve’s personal values, style of play and proven success as a head coach make him an outstanding choice to be our next coach. He is a proven winner who is widely respected by his current and former players. We feel Steve is the ideal coach to continue the incredible success that Coach Hoiberg and his players have achieved during the past several years. We are excited to welcome Steve, Katie and Cass to the Cyclone family.”
Prohm, 40, went 104-29 in four seasons at Murray State. He led the Racers to a round-of-32 appearance in 2012, his first campaign as head coach, before falling short of the tournament each of the next three years. Murray State went 29-6 in 2014-15 and remained undefeated in the Ohio Valley Conference during the regular season before falling to Belmont in the conference tournament.
A rising young coach, Prohm was a candidate for the Alabama job that ultimately went to Avery Johnson. When the major-conference jobs filled without Prohm's hiring, it looked as if he'd stick around at Murray State. The school inked him to an extension through 2020 in March.
Steve Prohm is a great hire for Iowa State. Consistently successful, coached/developed pros.
"I want to thank Murray State President Dr. Bob Davies and Director of Athletics Allen Ward for their commitment to me and the Racer Basketball program over the next several years," Prohm said in a statement at the time. "We have an opportunity to do something really special here and I'm honored to be a part of it."
The tone changed when the Chicago Bulls announced Hoiberg as Tom Thibodeau's replacement. Hoiberg resurrected his alma mater over the last five seasons, leading the Cyclones to NCAA tournament appearances in the last four years.
Prohm, who coached an uptempo, offense-first style at Murray State, should be able to continue the work Hoiberg started. The two coaches both emphasize three-pointers and efficiency, and Prohm will likely be able to add a few wrinkles with major-conference talent in hand.
Fred Hoiberg Undergoes Heart Surgery: Latest Details on Iowa State Head Coach
Apr 17, 2015
FILE - In this March 2, 2015, file photo, Iowa State head coach Fred Hoiberg checks the scoreboard during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Oklahoma in Ames, Iowa. Hoiberg is scheduled to have open heart surgery next week to replace his aortic valve. The school said Hoiberg, who retired from the NBA following the 2004-05 season because of heart issues, will have the procedure next Friday, April 17, 2015, at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall, File)
Iowa State head basketball coach Fred Hoiberg had open-heart surgery on April 17 to replace a damaged valve. It's the second heart procedure for the 42-year-old former NBA swingman. He was released from the hospital on April 23.
Continue for updates.
Hoiberg Released from Hospital
Thursday, April 23
Gary Parrish of CBS Sports reported that Hoiberg was released from the hospital:
Randy Peterson of The Des Moines Register reports Hoiberg suffered some complications after his first heart surgery in 2005. The coach was hoping the second operation and his recovery would go more smoothly.
"Seems like I had that just last week," Hoiberg said. "I hope to get through this thing a lot better than the last time."
The report also noted Hoiberg already has a pacemaker to keep his heart functioning, and he'll be on blood thinners for the rest of his life. The new valve should help everything continue to work properly moving forward.
He took the Iowa State job in 2010 after spending some time with the Minnesota Timberwolves staff following his playing career. He's won better than 67 percent (115-56 record) of his games with the Cyclones and won two Big 12 tournament titles over the past five years.
Hoiberg is expected to make a full recovery and be back on the Iowa State sidelines next season.
UAB Blazers vs. Iowa State Cyclones Betting Line, March Madness Analysis, Pick
Mar 17, 2015
Iowa State's Georges Niang cuts down the net after winning an NCAA college basketball game against Kansas in the finals of the Big 12 Conference tournament Saturday, March 14, 2015, in Kansas City, Mo. Iowa State won 70-66. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
The third-seeded Iowa State Cyclones hope to continue riding their late-season momentum into the NCAA tournament when they face the 14th-seeded UAB Blazers in a South Region matchup in Louisville Thursday.
The Cyclones have won five straight games, capped by a 70-66 upset victory in the Big 12 Championship Game against the Kansas Jayhawks as 2.5-point underdogs. But the Odds Shark computer is pegging UAB to cover the spread here with a 76-67 final score.
Opening spread
The Cyclones opened as 12.5-point favorites (compare lines and consensus on the Odds Shark matchup report).
Why pick UAB to cover the spread
Iowa State’s winning streak is only noteworthy because it is capped by a win over Kansas. UAB’s streak of eight straight covers as an underdog is far more impressive, especially since it also includes winning five of six straight up.
The Blazers performed well in winning the Conference USA tournament, knocking out the top-seeded Louisiana Tech Bulldogs with a 72-62 victory as 5.5-point underdogs in the semifinals and then following that up with a 73-60 win in the title game over the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders as two-point favorites.
UAB had failed to cover the spread in its previous four games, and continued that trend in seven of nine, which immediately followed a stretch in which the team covered 10 in a row.
Why pick Iowa State to cover the spread
The Cyclones are 5-2 ATS in winning four of their last seven NCAA tournament games, and they may have their best team since they were a No. 2 seed back in 2000 and made it all the way to the Elite Eight. Last year, Iowa State was also a No. 3 seed and got to the Sweet 16, where the team lost 81-76 to the eventual national champion Connecticut Huskies.
The Cyclones have played better over an extended stretch beyond their current five-game winning streak this year, taking eight of their past 10 to go along with a 7-2-1 ATS mark. The Blazers also struggled prior to the semis of the Conference USA tourney, going 2-6-1 ATS in their previous nine.
Smart betting pick
While UAB’s underdog streak will certainly be on the line here, the Cyclones are easily the better team and played much tougher competition this season in the Big 12. The fact that Conference USA got just one team into the Big Dance speaks volumes, especially when compared to seven bids for the Big 12.
The Blazers played four NCAA tournament teams before 2014 came to a close and went 0-4 SU and 1-3 ATS. Two of those losses—to the Wisconsin Badgers and North Carolina Tar Heels—were decided by a combined 60 points. The final result of this game may not be as lopsided, but Iowa State has what it takes to blow out UAB by more than 20 points.
New-Look Iowa State a Legit Big 12 Title Threat After Downing Kansas
Jan 18, 2015
Two months ago, Iowa State big man Jameel McKay was like this mythical creature sent to Ames to take Fred Hoiberg's team to heights it had never reached before.
In November, when Hoiberg was asked what's different about this season's team, he spent the next couple of minutes talking about a guy who hadn't played a minute for the Cyclones yet.
Turns out Fred Hoiberg, master of the X's and O's, is some kind of Nostradamus as well.
Jan 17, 2015; Ames, IA, USA; Iowa State Cyclones forward Jameel McKay (1) defends the shot of Kansas Jayhawks forward Perry Ellis (34) at James H. Hilton Coliseum. Iowa State beat Kansas 86-81. Mandatory Credit: Reese Strickland-USA TODAY Sports
The 11th-ranked Cyclones had a program-defining 86-81 win over No. 9 Kansas on Saturday night that had McKay's fingerprints all over it.
Iowa State showed itself to be a legitimate threat to KU's 10-year stranglehold on the Big 12, and the newly unleashed McKay was everything Hoiberg said he would be.
The big fella, playing in his seventh game, was only on the floor for 21 minutes, but he scored 11 points, had three blocks and left the KU bigs in his dust in transition.
"People talk about how this is our most gifted team," Hoiberg told Bleacher Report back in November. "It's hard to say that when you lose two of the top players in the country. You lose DeAndre Kane and Melvin Ejim, who did everything for us, but there are some different dynamics to this team that we haven't had here.
"I think at the front of that is Jameel McKay because of his ability to protect the rim. We haven't had that."
Hoiberg has had some tremendous offensive teams, built on mismatches and transfers, but none of them could really win ugly with defense.
The Cyclones didn't do that on Saturday night, but they dominated the Jayhawks in the paint, which has been a rarity during the Bill Self era.
It was the first time in 11 meetings with Kansas since Hoiberg took over that Iowa State had more blocks: the Clones had seven to KU's three. Iowa State also scored more points in the paint (40-34).
Jan 17, 2015; Ames, IA, USA; Iowa State Cyclones head coach Fred Hoiberg applauds his teams effort against the Kansas Jayhawks at James H. Hilton Coliseum. Iowa State beat Kansas 86-81. Mandatory Credit: Reese Strickland-USA TODAY Sports
The Cyclones, with McKay, are no longer just some team that can beat anyone on the right night because of the three-ball. Don't get me wrong, they still love the three—they made nine on Saturday—but they're more well-rounded than they've ever been.
And they're just getting started.
The Cyclones (13-3) have lost two games with McKay in the lineup, but it takes some time to get used to playing with a weapon you've never had before.
McKay signed with Marquette out of junior college, but he never played a minute for the Golden Eagles. He transferred in December of last season, meaning he had to sit out the first semester this year.
Iowa State's coaches talked him up all offseason, yet he was stuck on the scout team during the first semester. Since debuting on Dec. 19, he has been exactly what Hoiberg said he would be. He's averaged 9.0 points, 5.0 rebounds and 2.7 blocks in 21.1 minutes per game, and his rim protection has changed how ISU can defend.
McKay has 12 blocks in the last three games, the most in a three-game span in the Hoiberg era.
"If we get a player on the perimeter that's beat, before, it might have been a basket," Hoiberg said. "But now, when you have a guy back there that can erase a mistake, that helps. His ability to run, to flatten out the floor, to bring the wings in, to open up some transition threes, which we love to shoot, is an element we haven't had in the past.
I think he and Georges [Niang] will complement each other very well. We've got a lot of pieces."
Such as Monte Morris, who has emerged as one of the best setup men in the country.
Morris had 11 points and 10 assists against Kansas, and he's leading the country in assist-to-turnover ratio for the second straight season.
Hoiberg also has one of the biggest mismatches in the game in Niang, who had been struggling but looked like himself again against Kansas, going for 15 points and five assists.
Jan 17, 2015; Ames, IA, USA; Iowa State Cyclones forward Georges Niang (31) signals a three pointer to the crowd during their game against the Kansas Jayhawks at James H. Hilton Coliseum. Iowa State beat Kansas 86-81. Mandatory Credit: Reese Strickland-U
Sharpshooter Naz Long nailed three treys and scored 20 points. Bryce Dejean-Jones, at his third school, has found a home as a do-everything wing at Iowa State. He had 12 points and seven rebounds against KU.
Hoiberg has had good talent before, but Saturday was the first time we watched his team play the Jayhawks, and it appeared the more talented group was in red and gold.
Kansas isn't going to just go away. Bill Self's team is getting better and Allen Fieldhouse is the ultimate equalizer.
This was just one game, but if you want to look big picture, consider this: After Ken Pomeroy's site (subscription required) was updated on Saturday night, Kansas (3-1 in the Big 12) was no longer projected to win the conference. The Cyclones (3-1) and Oklahoma (3-2) are now the favorites, projected to win with 12-6 records. Pomeroy has the Jayhawks projected to win 11 conference games.
It's not just the eye test that says the Cyclones have their highest ceiling ever; the computers say so too.
So if this team can win the Big 12 and last year's team got to a Sweet 16...
"Obviously I'm feeling a Final Four push and our aim is to win a national championship," Niang told Bleacher Report, also back in November. "That's where my goal is set."
Whoa. Easy there, Georges. Those eyes might be a little wide.
But with McKay, the Cyclones should dream bigger. They've got a lot of work ahead of them, but winning the deepest conference in America sure seems within reason.
C.J. Moore covers college basketball for Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter @CJMooreBR.
How Georges Niang Became the Biggest Mismatch in College Basketball
Jan 15, 2015
AMES, Iowa — Georges Niang called a few weeks ago before a dreaded calculus final.
"Why couldn't I have been one-and-done?" Niang joked. "... Too short and not athletic enough."
The Iowa State star is college basketball's version of a flawed Frankenstein. He was blessed with great hands, textbook footwork, a jumper, handles and the ability to master so many moves that his trainer calls him his guinea pig.
But he's always been undersized (a 6'8" post player), pudgy and stuck below the rim.
In Iowa State coach Fred Hoiberg's lab, he's found the formula to turn Niang into a mismatch despite any shortcomings.
Niang, a junior, is the centerpiece of one of the best (and most innovative) offenses in college basketball. The 11th-ranked Cyclones are a legitimate Big 12 title contender behind an offense that ranks 14th in adjusted efficiency this year, according to kenpom.com, and has finished sixth each of the last two seasons.
Niang doubles as a point forward and a back-to-the-basket scorer. Hoiberg claims that he shoots his jump hook from six different arm slots—like a pitcher fooling with batters—and he has a counter to just about every move in his arsenal.
"For a guy that has the perceived lack of athleticism, his ability to take off from one side of the rim and finish on the other without jumping very high, it's fascinating how he does it," Iowa State coach Fred Hoiberg told Bleacher Report. "I'll go back and watch film and say, 'How in the hell did that ball go in?' But he'll get that thing up on the rim, and it'll find a way to go in."
The first marquee player Hoiberg brought to Ames was Royce White, a 6'8" big man who preferred setting up teammates to scoring. White created his own name for the position he played in the Cyclones offense: the Hybrid.
"He wasn't a 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5," Hoiberg said. "He was an H."
When Niang made his recruiting visit to Iowa State and had the chance to play with the team, White went to Hoiberg's office and told him: "Coach, you've got another H out there."
An "H" with limitations.
Feb 10, 2014; Morgantown, WV, USA; Iowa State Cyclones forward Georges Niang (31) being guarded by West Virginia Mountaineers forward Devin Williams (5) at WVU Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Dan Friend-USA TODAY Sports West Virginia Wins 102 - 77
On a trip to West Virginia last February, Niang stepped on the scale and saw a "6" after the "2" for the first time.
After starting the season at 245 pounds, a regimen of late-night Jimmy John's runs, chicken fingers, cookie dough ice cream and whatever else sounded good had Niang up to 260 and his coaches worried.
"They would say stuff," Niang said. "But I was playing so well, it came to a point where if it ain't broke, don't fix it."
Niang had a point. He has always produced.
He was high school teammates with Nerlens Noel—a one-and-done lottery pick—and current Kansas guard Wayne Selden. Both were McDonald's All-Americans, and a who's who of college coaches visited Tilton School in New Hampshire.
"You've got [John] Calipari, you've got Bill Self, you've got Roy Williams, you've got all these coaches, and they're looking at Nerlens and they're looking at Wayne Selden," Hoiberg said. "And he was just kind of an afterthought on that team."
Some saw Niang as a lemon.
Jan 26, 2013; Lexington, KY, USA; Kentucky Wildcats forward Nerlens Noel (3) during the game against the LSU Tigers in the second half at Rupp Arena. Kentucky defeated LSU 75-70. Mandatory Credit: Mark Zerof-USA TODAY Sports
"What I saw when I went out there is the guy that was the most productive player," Hoiberg said. "I'm telling you, when I went out there, he absolutely abused Nerlens Noel. He was shooting over him. He was up and under. And Nerlens was barely missing blocking his shot. And if you can get your shot up over Nerlens Noel, you can get your shot up over anybody in the country."
Hoiberg had visions of using Niang all over the floor and has turned him into the most versatile big man in the country. Niang has guarded the center spot for most of his career, yet he shoots threes (291 attempts and counting) and often brings the ball up the court.
This puts traditional big men in an awkward spot, because Niang can shoot the three or drive right past them. Put a perimeter player on him, and Niang can abuse those smaller defenders in the post.
After White led Iowa State to the NCAA tournament for the first time in seven years in 2012, he left for the NBA, and in stepped Niang for a team picked to finish eighth in the Big 12 by the conference's head coaches.
Niang filled in right away and averaged 12.1 points per game as a freshman, helping the Cyclones finish fourth in the Big 12 and get back to the NCAA tournament.
Last season, he upped his scoring average to 16.7 points and became even more deadly as a one-on-one mismatch. He was one of two post players in the country who finished in the top 30 in scoring efficiency on isolation plays, according to Synergy Sports (subscription required).
He also ranked fourth in assist rate for players 6'7" or taller, according to Ken Pomeroy.
From February on, Niang averaged 18.4 points and led his team to a Big 12 tournament title for the first time since 2000.
That made it tough to question his habits. But everything changed for Niang on one play in the opening round of the NCAA tournament.
On a ball-screen switch, Niang found himself guarding North Carolina Central star Jeremy Ingram, who drove the ball hard to the basket. Niang went up to attempt to block the shot, and his right foot came down on teammate Dustin Hogue's.
Niang immediately felt pain and came out of the game, but he thought it was a foot cramp. Less than two minutes later, he was back in and scored two more buckets, but he couldn't move to his right. When he ran, he favored the inside of his foot because it hurt so much.
When he came back out of the game, he went straight to the locker room and got his foot X-rayed. He had broken the fifth metatarsal in his right foot and was done for the tournament.
"I wanted to sit there and pout and cry," Niang said. "By the time I got back to the locker room, I was ready to break down, but then I heard the guys yelling and celebrating coming in, and I really didn't want to take away anything from that.
"I felt like we still had a pretty solid team as it was, and I didn't want to take anybody's spirits down because I felt like we could still make a run. It wasn't about me."
Iowa State knocked off North Carolina in the next round and then lost by five to Connecticut in the Sweet 16.
"It was torture," Niang said. "Sitting there knowing you can't do anything.... It was like someone punching your best friend in the face and you're strapped down and can't do anything. You're helpless.
"It really helped me realize that you can't take this game of basketball for granted, and anything can be taken away in a manner of seconds."
Georges Niang's rehabilitation project this summer took him to the 6 a.m. yoga class at the Prasada Yoga Center in North Hampton, New Hampshire.
Niang and former high school teammate Alex Oriakhi, decked out in basketball gear, walked into a room full of soccer moms in spandex, and all eyes looked up at the giants in the room. Niang could see the wheels turning in their heads.
"What are these guys doing here?"
As the class started, a lot of grunts and choice words were coming from Niang and Oriakhi's side of the room.
"If they struggle with something on the court, they're not saying 'oh, gosh darn it.' They're more expletive than that," Niang's trainer, Noah LaRoche, said. "You can imagine this woman hearing this 6'9" guy drop the F-bomb because he can't go from a downward dog to a three-legged dog."
This summer, Niang went and did whatever it took to his get his body right.
After school was out, he moved in with LaRoche for five weeks.
Niang would wake up to a smoothie with kale, carrots, avocado, water and ice, and then head to the gym. After yoga, strength and conditioning and then getting some shots up, he'd head back to LaRoche's for a lunch that usually included a lean piece of chicken, grilled asparagus and a salad.
After lunch, it was back to the gym for more basketball until dinner—which included another salad with chicken or fish.
Dec 4, 2014; Ames, IA, USA; Iowa State Cyclones forward Georges Niang (31), guard Monte Morris (11) and guard Naz Long (15) react during a timeout against the Arkansas Razorbacks at James H. Hilton Coliseum. Iowa State beat Arkansas 95-77. Mandatory Cred
"I just really took everything to the extreme," Niang said. "I went from eating horribly to eating at the right times. Waking up every morning at six and starting my day off. I actually felt like I was living like a clean human being."
Niang got down to 225 pounds and unveiled his new body on Instagram in July.
"You can definitely catch Georges looking in the mirror, flexing his guns, checking his abs out a little bit," teammate Naz Long said. "You know, why not? He lost so much weight, and he looks great. He could be in a Weight Watchers before and after."
At first glance, Niang's game hasn't changed much. He's still going to the same moves and still looks to be moving in slow motion, but his production has gone up in areas where his weight held him back.
He's rebounding the ball better, fouling less and getting to the free-throw line more often. Even though his scoring average is down a tick (from 16.7 PPG to 14.9), he's more efficient.
Def. Reb. %
FC/40
FT Rate
Off. Rating
2013-14
11.9
4.2
22.2
106.1
2014-15
16.6
3.8
41.2
107.9
"I watched a lot of film when I was injured and seeing how lazy I was on the offensive and defensive boards," Niang said. "I figured if you're in better shape, you've got to have more energy to go do stuff.
"I'm never really tired. I don't really try to bail guys out of situations with fouls. I feel like I'm more mentally aware out there."
Hoiberg says he can play Niang for longer stretches now and has been able to use him differently on the defensive end, because he's quicker laterally.
"I don't think it's noticeable, but I feel faster," Niang said.
Now that Marquette transfer Jameel McKay is eligible—he played his first game on Dec. 20—Niang is getting to play next to a true big man for the first time.
Hoiberg told Bleacher Report earlier this year that once McKay was eligible, he planned to use some big lineups that would match up Niang against a smaller wing. The defensive impact of McKay next to Niang and his improved defense gives the Cyclones a legitimate chance to win the Big 12 regular-season title for the first time since 2001.
As for his weight, Niang has been able to maintain between 226 and 227 pounds.
He does have one weakness, though—his mom's chocolate chip cookies.
On a recent trip to Ames, an empty platter of Alison Niang's cookies was on the counter in the Iowa State players' lounge. Georges admitted he had indulged and then lit up when he started talking about his mom.
After Georges went back to school in August, Alison found out the name of the gym where her son had been training all summer and started working out five days a week.
By the time she went to visit Georges 11 weeks later, she had lost 20 pounds.
"It was something we could share together. Another way to connect," Alison said. "A mother and son at 21 years old, what do you have in common?"
Don't feel bad, Alison.
There are few in this world who share much in common with Georges Niang, and that includes the entire college basketball population.
C.J. Moore covers college basketball for Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter @CJMooreBR.
