Cyclones Head To Big 12 Championships

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AMES, Iowa - No. 13 Iowa State (22-8, 12-6) heads to the Big 12 Championships with hopes of bringing the trophy back to Ames for the second-straight year. The second-seeded Cyclones will face either seven-seed Texas or 10-seed Texas Tech on Thursday at 6 p.m. in the quarterfinals.

Where: Kansas City, Mo. - Sprint Center (18,972)
When: Thursday, March 12, 6 p.m. (CST)
Radio: Cyclone Radio Network/Learfield
Talent: John Walters (PxP), Eric Heft (Color)
TV: ESPNU
Talent: Dave Flemming (PxP), Miles Simon (Analyst)
Webcast: WatchESPN
Sirius/XM: 84/84
Live Stats: Available at Big12Sports.com
Live Blog: Available at Cyclones.com.

@CycloneMBB Notebook
- Iowa State enters the 2015 Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship as the No. 2 seed after going 22-8 overall and 12-6 in conference play. The Cyclones won the 2014 Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship as the 4-seed, defeating Kansas State, Kansas and Baylor to become the lowest seed to win the title.
- The Cyclones' 22 wins are the the fourth most in the regular season in program history. Only the 1999-00 (26), 2000-01 (25) and 2013-14 (23) had more than this year's team. For the fourth consecutive season, ISU finished better than where it was picked in the Big 12 Preseason Coaches Poll (finished 2nd, picked 5th).
- The Cyclones are ranked No. 13 in the AP poll, their school-record 36th consecutive week in the top-25. ISU's 16 wins against top-25 teams in the last two seasons are the most in the nation.
- ISU had a good Sunday, with multiple players receiving recognition from the Big 12 coaches. Georges Niang was an All-Big 12 first team pick, with Monté Morris and Jameel McKay earning second and third-team honors, respectively. Dustin Hogue was an honorable mention selection. McKay was named the league's defensive player of the year and also earned a spot on the all-newcomer team and all-defensive team.
- ISU is pacing the Big 12 with 79.3 points per game, 5.2 points more than the second-best scoring team in the league. Iowa State is the only team in the nation with six players scoring in double figures. The Cyclones are trying to become the first team in Big 12 history to achieve the feat. Iowa State's field goal percentage of 48.5 percent also leads the Big 12. The Cyclones have shot 50 percent or better from the field 15 times this season, including 56.6 percent in the season finale against TCU (71.4 percent in 2nd half).
- Iowa State is shooting 41.8 percent from behind the arc the last eight games. Morris has hit 60 percent of his tries during that stretch, connecting on 12-of-20 attempts. Niang drilled a career-high five 3-pointers on seven attempts at Kansas State and has hit 8-of-13 in the last three games. ISU has made 238 threes this season, the fifth most in school history. The top five marks have come during the Fred Hoiberg era.
- McKay has been a difference maker for the Cyclones, bringing energy on both ends of the floor. He's second on the team with 14.1 points to go along with 9.8 rebounds and 2.7 blocks in the last nine games (eight starts). Before McKay (50 blocks) entered the lineup, ISU had 26 blocks as a team in nine games.
- Niang (15.2) leads ISU and is fourth in the Big 12 in scoring. In the last five games, Niang is averaging 18.8 points, while shooting 50 percent from the field and 45.5 percent (10-22) behind the arc. He is also ninth in the Big 12 with 3.4 assists per game and his 5.4 rebounds are a career high.
- Morris is leading the Big 12 with 5.4 assists (30th nationally) and a 4.6 assist-to-turnover ratio (1st). He's dished out 161 assists and just 35 turnovers. Since the start of last season, Morris has 97 steals. He is the only Big 12 player with more than 90 steals the last two seasons.
- Naz Long has been the top 3-point threat connecting for the Cyclones, who are averaging 8.9 made threes the last eight games. Long has hit 71 3-pointers, the 11th-most in a single season for Iowa State. He is shooting 41.3 percent from long distance and is second in the Big 12 with 2.4 threes per game. Long has 140 career threes, 135 of which have come the last two seasons.

Iowa State Trends
- ISU finished 12-6 in the Big 12, bettering its projection in the preseason poll for the fourth season in a row...the Cyclones have won at least 11 league games in each of the last four seasons, which is a school record.
- In the Fred Hoiberg era, the Cyclones have made 10 or more 3-pointers in a game 68 times.
- ISU is 93-11 when leading at the half under Hoiberg...including 18-1 this season (at Kansas State)...ISU is 2-6 when trailing at the half, with the wins coming in the final two regular season games.
- Iowa State is 24-1 under Hoiberg when scoring 90+ points...ISU has scored 45 points in a half 18 times this season...the Cyclones scored 59 points in the second half against Oklahoma and followed with 63 points in the second half against TCU.
- ISU has won 27 regular season home games in a row against nonconference opponents...the Cyclones have won 22 of their last 23 games at home, including 15 of 16 league games.
- The Cyclones shot 51.1 percent from the field at home...ISU shot 50 percent or better from the field in five of nine Big 12 home games.
- McKay has double-doubles in three consecutive games...he's averaging 13.7 points and 10.7 rebounds in those three games...the last Cyclone with a double-double in four consecutive games was Marquis Gilstrap (2009-10).
- Despite playing just 21 games, McKay has attempted 124 free throws, the most on the team...he's averaging 5.9 attempts per game.
- Morris has 241 assists and 52 turnovers in 46 career starts... ISU is 28-5 when Morris has at least five assists...in the last nine games, Morris has a combined nine turnovers.
- Morris is averaging 17.7 points in the last three games...he's shooting 58.8 percent from the field, 71.4 percent (5-7) from behind the arc and 88.9 percent at the line in that stretch.
- ISU is 14-2 in the last two seasons when Morris and Niang combine for 10 or more assists.
- Long has 13 career games with 4+ threes made...ISU is 11-2 when Long makes four or more 3s.
- Hogue has made a team-high 66 consecutive starts... has shot 50 percent or better from the field in 23 games this season.
- Niang leads the Cyclones with 76 career double-figure scoring games...he has hit eight of his last 13 3-pointers.
- After shooting 34.2 percent from 3-point range in non-conference play, Niang shot 45.3 percent in Big 12 action, which trailed only Oklahoma's Isaiah Cousins.
- Niang has made his last 13 free throws and 18-of-19 in the last five games (94.7).
- In the last five games, Niang is averaging 18.8 points...in the second half of the last five games he's averaging 13.2 points and shooting 55.8 percent from the field and 93.3 percent at the line.
- Iowa State has had at least 15 assists in all but 10 games this season.
- Iowa State is 24th nationally averaging 15.6 fouls per game.
- ISU has shot as many or more free throws as all but five opponents this season...the Cyclones own a 22.2-14.7 edge in free throw attempts per game...ISU has shot 20 free throws in a game 16 times this season...opponents have attempted 20 free throws just nine times...ISU averages 15.4 free throw makes, more than its opponents attempt in games.
- Eight different Cyclones have led the team in scoring this season...nine players have led the team in rebounding.
- Iowa State is shooting 55.4 percent on 2-point field goals, which ranks eighth nationally.
- Morris has at least one steal in 25 of the last 26 games.
- McKay has 50 blocks in the last 20 games...McKay has a block in seven games in a row...he is shooting 63.6 percent from the field and 74.1 percent from the line in the last four games.
- ISU's shooting has been better in the second half of games this season, both at the line and behind the arc: 1st half- 34.8 3FG%, 64.5 FT%. 2nd half- 38.9 3FG%, 72.3 FT%.
- Morris has played 35 minutes or more 18 times this season.
- Iowa State has outrebounded eight of its last 11 opponents (+3.0 rebounding margin).
- Morris has made his last five 3-point attempts...the school record for consecutive threes made is nine by Mike Taylor (2006-07) and Lucca Staiger (2008-09).

Last Time Out - Another Strong Second Half Lifts ISU
- For the second game in a row, ISU blistered the nets in the second half to earn a Big 12 win...the Cyclones trailed TCU, 32-26, at the break, but shot 71.4 percent in the second half and scored 63 points to earn their 12th conference win...the final score was 89-76 as ISU beat TCU for the sixth time in a row.
- The Cyclones were led by Niang and Morris' 19 points each, but it was Bryce Dejean-Jones who provided the biggest spark...after being held scoreless the last two games, Dejean-Jones hit 7-of-10 free throws and scored 15 points...McKay finished with 14 points and 10 boards, his third double-double in as many games.
- ISU was 9-of-14 from behind the arc, including 6-of-8 in the second half.

Series Notes vs. Texas Tech/Texas
- Iowa State is 15-12 all time against Texas Tech, while Texas leads the series 17-13...the Cyclones split with the Red Raiders this season and swept the Longhorns...the Cyclones' three-game winning streak against the Longhorns matches their longest in the series.
- Fred Hoiberg is 6-3 against Texas Tech and 5-5 against Texas.

Iowa State Conference Championship History
- The Cyclones earned the No. 2 seed in the Big 12 Championships...this is the first time the Cyclones have been the No. 2 seed at the Big 12 Championships.
- It is just the eighth time ISU has received an upper-half seed in the Big 12 Championship: 1997 (4), 2000 (1), 2001 (1), 2005 (5), 2012 (3), 2013 (5), 2014 (4), 2015 (2).
- ISU is 11-16 in Big 12 Championship history with two Big 12 titles (2000, 2014).
- ISU is 69-88 all-time in conference tournaments with five league tournament championships (1955-Big Seven; 1959-Big Eight; 1996-Big Eight; 2000-Big 12; 2014-Big 12).
- The Cyclones face No. 7 Texas or No. 10 Texas Tech in the second round after receiving their seventh first-round bye: 1997, 2000, 2001, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015.
- Iowa State has met Texas twice at the Big 12 Championships, falling in 2010 and 2012 to the Longhorns...the Cyclones and Red Raiders have met twice as well, splitting the two meetings...ISU won in 1997 and Tech won in 2005.
- ISU has won its first game in the Big 12 Championship the last two seasons after dropping the first game the previous seven seasons.

Cyclones Head To Big 12 Championships

Players Mentioned

Bryce Dejean-Jones

Dustin Hogue

Dustin Hogue

Jameel McKay

Jameel McKay

Nazareth Mitrou-Long

Georges Niang

Georges Niang

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Cyclones Head To Big 12 Championships

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Players Mentioned

Bryce Dejean-Jones

Dustin Hogue

Dustin Hogue

Jameel McKay

Jameel McKay

Nazareth Mitrou-Long

Georges Niang

Georges Niang

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