Miles, KU expect hostile crowd at Iowa State

? Mild-mannered Aaron Miles seems like the last guy who ever would get involved in a fracas on the basketball court.

But it was Miles, Kansas University’s 6-foot-1, 175-pound point guard from Portland, Ore., who popped 6-foot-9, 245-pound Iowa State center Jared Homan in the back of the head, earning a technical foul in the Jayhawks’ 70-51 victory over Iowa State last season at Allen Fieldhouse.

Miles, who will start at point guard in today’s KU-ISU contest at 3:05 p.m. at Hilton Coliseum, was sticking up for teammate Wayne Simien, who had been pushed in the back by ISU’s Jackson Vroman, who also received a technical foul.

“I don’t know what happened, I just reacted,” said Miles, who was not suspended by the Big 12 Conference because his open-fisted swat was not considered a punch. “I already apologized to him, the fans and everybody for what I did, so I don’t really want to bring that back up.”

Miles, who averages 10.4 points and 7.0 assists for the Jayhawks (13-3 overall, 5-0 Big 12), says he won’t be bothered if Cyclone fans heckle him today.

“I don’t care if they boo me,” Miles said. “It doesn’t hurt my feelings.”

Ditto for Simien, who said he wasn’t extra fired up about facing the Cyclones.

“All road games are important if you want to win a league championship,” Simien said. “It’s going to be a tough game up there in Ames. They have a good team. I don’t know. We’ll see how it goes. I’m sure they’ll be ready to play.”

The Jayhawks won last year in Ames, 83-54.

Cyclone fans did get under the skin of Iowa’s Pierre Pierce, who heard the chants of “No means no,” in ISU’s 84-76 victory Jan. 21 over the Hawkeyes.

Pierce, who had red-shirted last season after pleading guilty to misdemeanor assault after injuring a woman, was verbally harassed by fans after the game, prompting ISU officials to apologize to Hawkeye coach Steve Alford.

Aside from that isolated incident, the ISU fans have been outstanding this season, first-year coach Wayne Morgan said.

His Cyclones (12-4, 3-2) are 11-0 at home following Wednesday’s 91-82 victory over Texas A&M.

“I think we have tremendous fans, no question,” said Morgan. He was promoted from assistant coach to head coach last spring after Larry Eustachy was fired in part because of an incident in which Eustachy admittedly drank beer with Missouri students at a campus party in Columbia, Mo.

“There’s a great atmosphere in Hilton,” Morgan said. “Our fans create an atmosphere where it’s difficult for the other team to play. I think we have a great homecourt advantage.”

The Cyclones have been less than stellar outside of Hilton. Iowa State is 1-4 away from home this year, having dropped 19 straight Big 12 road games.

“We have to be mentally tougher, physically tougher to go in someone else’s home to beat them. It’s as simple as that,” Morgan said.

Morgan’s first ISU team has a nice mix of youth and experience.

Veterans Jake Sullivan (14.1 ppg), Homan (12.7 ppg, 6.9 rpg) and Vroman (13.2, 9.9) start along with freshmen Curtis Stinson (14.7, 6.1) and Will Blaylock (8.4 ppg).

Stinson, a 6-foot-2, 205-pounder from Brooklyn, N.Y., right now is the leading candidate for the Big 12’s freshman of the year award. He has hit 47.8 percent of his shots, including nine of 29 three-pointers.

Blaylock, 5-11 from Boston, has 65 assists against 34 turnovers.

He hit three three-pointers and had a clinching steal with less than 30 seconds left in the Cyclones’ 70-65 win over Missouri. In that game, Stinson scored 16 points in the second half.

“I’ve never seen two freshmen play like that in the Big 12,” Sullivan said.

The Cyclones are hoping to somehow sneak into the NCAA Tournament.

KU coach Bill Self certainly thinks that’s a possibility.

“Wayne and his staff have done a great job,” Self said. “They are off to a great start and have really good talent. Inside they are athletic and they can run. Kansas got ’em good there last year so they (Cyclones) will be ready.

“This is a great opportunity for us to get a fourth road win. We know that’s a place not many people will go in and win.”

KU has won at Colorado, Texas A&M and Kansas State already this Big 12 season.

“I have been to Hilton Coliseum many times,” Self said. “That’s a tough venue to play.”