photo by: Nick Krug

Kansas guard Frank Mason III (0) tries to settle down teammate Kansas guard Kelly Oubre Jr. (12) during the second half on Saturday, Jan. 17, 2015 at Hilton Coliseum.

photo by: Nick Krug

Kansas guard Frank Mason III (0) tries to settle down teammate Kansas guard Kelly Oubre Jr. (12) during the second half on Saturday, Jan. 17, 2015 at Hilton Coliseum.

The Kansas basketball team’s first rematch of the season doubles as the first time the 2014-15 schedule has provided the Jayhawks with a chance for revenge.

Sixteen days after the Cyclones handed KU what is still its only Big 12 loss, the conference’s marquee teams will battle again at Allen Fieldhouse on Big Monday.

Hilton Coliseum, as the Jayhawks (18-3 overall, 7-1 Big 12) learned up close and personal, can be a living nightmare for visiting teams. KU hurt its chances even more by getting burned in transition for 21 fast-break points, several even coming off of Kansas made baskets on the other end of the floor.

ISU (16-4, 6-2) punished Kansas from long range, too, as Naz Long and Georges Niang combined to shoot 6-for-12 from 3-point range and the Cyclones hit 9-for-20 as a team.

KU at least went 9-for-23 on its 3-pointers, doing far better of matching Iowa State there than in fast-break points: 10.

Fred Hoiberg’s teams run it and gun it, and when they’re hitting on all cylinders, the Cyclones can be lethal offensively.

In Big 12 games, ISU leads the conference in scoring (77.2 points), field goal percentage (48.6%) and assists (16.1), is second in defensive rebounds (26.9) to KU (28.3) and ranks third in 3-point percentage (36.2%).

Time for the refresher course: Here are the Cyclones KU will have to worry about in the rematch at Allen Fieldhouse.

CYCLONES STARTERS

No. 31 — Georges Niang, 6-8, junior F

photo by: Nick Krug

Kansas guard Wayne Selden Jr. (1) hangs for a shot against Iowa State forward Georges Niang (31) during the first half on Saturday, Jan. 17, 2015 at Hilton Coliseum.

— Jan. 17 vs. KU: 15 points, 5
rebounds, 5 assists, 6/14 FGs, 3/6 3’s
in 32 minutes

As versatile offensively as any player in the conference, Niang is the only non-guard to rank in the top 10 in the Big 12 in assists per game (3.5, 10th). Plus, he puts hip 15.2 points, grabs 5.4 rebounds and shoots 46.5% from the floor and 38.8% on 3-pointers.

How important is his passing? Iowa State is 13-1 the last two seasons when he and point guard Monté Morris combine for at least 10 assists.

For his career, Niang averages 16.1 points, 4.6 rebounds and 4.0 assists vs. Kansas, but only shoots 38.7% against the Jayhawks and 30.9% from 3-point range in six games.

Niang has scored in double figures in nine straight games this season, and is coming off a 23-point, 8-rebound showing vs. TCU.

On the year, he has hit 26 of 67 3-pointers (38.8%), second-most among ISU players.

He’s one of four players in the power conferences averaging at least 15 points, 5 boards and 3.5 assists.

— hoop-math.com update: As a team, the Cyclones really finish well inside (now up to 76.2% on FGs at the rim, which still ranks third in the nation). They’re so good, in fact, that Niang’s 66.47% shooting at the rim is one of the worst among rotation players. Niang has converted 38 of 57 from point-blank range.
http://hoop-math.com/IowaSt.2015.php

No. 13 Bryce Dejean-Jones, 6-6, senior G

photo by: Nick Krug

Kansas forward Perry Ellis (34) has his shot blocked by Iowa State guard Bryce Dejean-Jones (13) during the second half on Saturday, Jan. 17, 2015 at Hilton Coliseum. At right is ISU guard Dustin Hogue.

— Jan. 17 vs. KU: 12 points, 7
rebounds (3 offensive), 2 assists, 2
blocks, 2 turnovers, 4/10 FGs, 0/2
3’s, 4/8 FTs in 31 minutes.

Not only do his 12.8 ppg put him eighth in the Big 12, and his 52.8% FG percentage put him third, defensively the large guard averages 1.47 steals (ninth in Big 12) and pulls in 4.32 defensive boards (eighth in league).

In ISU’s wins last week against Texas and TCU, he averged 17.0 points and made 76.9% of his shots.

He was one of six Cyclones in double figures when ISU beat the Jayhawks in Ames, Iowa.

Dejean-Jones remains the only ISU player with two double-doubles this season.

Four times this season he has been on the receiving end of a Niang alley-oop pass.

But Dejean-Jones isn’t having much luck outside: 15-for-51 shooting on 3-pointers (29.4%).

— hoop-math.com update: His scoring versatility shows in his shot selection. 30.7% of Dejean-Jones shots have come at the rim, 38.0% on 2-point jumpers and 31.3% from 3-point range. He’s actually a good mind-range scorer, hitting 50% on 2-point jumpers (which you don’t see too often).

No. 15 — Naz Long, 6-4, junior G

photo by: Nick Krug

Iowa State guard Naz Long (15) squeezes in for a bucket between Kansas forward Hunter Mickelson (42) and guard Devonte Graham during the second half on Saturday, Jan. 17, 2015 at Hilton Coliseum.

— Jan. 17 vs. KU: 20 points, 5
rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, 7/12
FGs, 3/6 3’s, 3/4 FTs in 32 minutes.

Long led ISU in scoring vs. Kansas, in Ames, in primetime.

The Cyclones’ top long-range marksman has drilled 52 of his 126 3-pointers (41.3%, third in Big 12).

Since the win over KU, Long has come back down to earth:

• 2/7 FGs, 10 points vs. Kansas State

• 2/8 FGs, 5 points at Texas Tech

• 2/4 FGs, 8 points vs. Texas

• 1/2 FGs, 3 points vs. TCU

In his previous four games, he has shot 6-for-19 from behind the arc (31.5%).

In Long’s career, Iowa State is 11-1 when he hits at least four 3-pointers.

— hoop-math.com update: He has been Iowa State’s most effective shooter. Long’s eFG% is 63.6%, leading ISU’s rotation players, just edging out forward Dustin Hogue’s 63.3%.

No. 22 — Dustin Hogue, 6-6, senior F

photo by: Nick Krug

Iowa State forward Dustin Hogue (22) pulls away a rebound from Kansas guard Kelly Oubre Jr. (12) with a minute remaining in regulation on Saturday, Jan. 17, 2015 at Hilton Coliseum.

— Jan. 17 vs. KU: 14 points, 6
rebounds, 1 steal, 5/7 FGs, 2/3 3’s,
2/3 FTs, in 30 minutes.

No one in the Big 12 hits his shots as consistently as Hogue (59%), and he averages 11.1 points and 5.1 rebounds.

He’s not a guy who camps out behind the 3-point line, but if you leave him, you’ll pay for it. Hogue has hit 7 of his las 15 from deep and is shooting 12-for-27 (44.4%) on the season.

Hogue thrives on defensive mistakes and leads ISU with 35 offensive rebounds.

In his first career meeting with Kansas, last season, he burned KU for 6 offensive rebounds. But in the two games since then, the Jayhawks have limited him to 3 total offensive boards in 61 minutes.

He had 12 points and 7 boards Saturday vs. TCU.

— hoop-math.com update: Somewhat surprisingly, Hogue only has 10 put-backs this season. And just 5.2% of his attempts at the rim have come on the offensive glass. But he’s a finisher. On total shots at the rim (61 of 77), he converts 79.2% of the time.

No. 11 — Monté Morris, 6-2, sophomore G

photo by: Nick Krug

Kansas forward Landen Lucas (33) loses the ball as it is stripped by Iowa State forward Dustin Hogue (22) and guard Monte Morris (11) during the first half on Saturday, Jan. 17, 2015 at Hilton Coliseum.

— Jan. 17 vs. KU: 11 points, 10
assists, 7 rebounds, 3 steals, 4/10
FGs, 0/1 3’s, 3/5 FTs, 2 TOs in 37
minutes.

The guy nearly put up a triple double vs. Kansas, and he’s primarily known for his passing skills — Big 12-best 5.7 assists, and a ludicrous 5.14 assist-to-turnover ratio.

In his career, ISU is 22-3 when he passes out at least 5 assists.

Morris averages 11.1 points and 3.7 boards this season, while hitting 50.3% of his shot attempts and 15 of 47 from 3-point distance (31.9%).

He also swipes 1.7 steals a game and has at least one steal in 16 straight games, coming away with 31 takeaways during that streak.

In the last six games, Morris is averaging 13.7 points, 4.5 rebounds and 6.3 assists. He went for 16 points, and 6 assists vs. TCU this weekend.

— hoop-math.com update: As good as the point guard is at running the team and setting others up, Morris also can score inside. He has shot 46-for-58 on shots at the rim (79.3%).

CYCLONES BENCH

No. 1 — Jameel McKay, 6-9, junior F

— Jan. 17 vs. KU: 11 points, 2
rebounds, 3 blocks, 4/5 FGs, 3/6 FTs
in 21 minutes.

He might’ve impacted the game as much as anybody wearing an ISU uniform in his first game against the Jayhawks. At times, the athletic backup big destroyed Kansas (and the rim).

On the defensive end of the floor, he’s a guy who will make guards and big men alike think about where he’s at before they put up a shot inside.

His energetic approach has produced 9.4 points, 5.2 rebounds and 2.2 blocks a game for ISU.

As KU learned, the guy can really finish inside, and that’s why he has a 56.9 FG percentage.

A 53.7% free-throw shooter on the season, McKay has improved of late, connecting on 70% of his attempts in the last four games.

— hoop-math.com update: He’s the only guy who will play meaningful minutes and not take a 3-pointer (0 attempts this season). McKay primarily lives in the paint, with 64.6% of his shots coming at the rim. He makes 73.8% of them.

No. 2 — Abdel Nader, 6-6, junior F

photo by: Nick Krug

Iowa State forward Abdel Nader (2) is defended by Kansas forward Landen Lucas (33) and guard Wayne Selden Jr. during the second half on Saturday, Jan. 17, 2015 at Hilton Coliseum.

— Jan. 17 vs. KU: 3 points, 1 block, 1
rebound, 1/2 FGs, 1/1 3’s in 9
minutes.

His impact doesn’t always show up but he’s had his moments this season.

ISU was down 5 vs. K-State and Nader scored seven consecutive points in the second half and delivered a blocked shot as ISU went on to win by 6, avoiding a letdown after the big win over Kansas.

Nader scored 11 against the Wildcats, and had 19 points vs. both Iowa and West Virginia earlier in the season.

In Big 12 games, he’s averaging 6.5 points and 2.8 boards in 15.3 minutes, while making 47.5% of his shots, but just 5 of 17 3-pointers (29.4%).

— hoop-math.com update: He’ll settle for 3-point shots (43.5% of his attempts come from long range) and so far he has only made 3-pointers (9 of 40) when a teammate assists him.

No. 21 — Matt Thomas, 6-4, sophomore G

— Jan. 17 vs. KU: 0 point, 1 assist, 1
block, 0/1 FGs, 0/1 3’s in 8 minutes.

He has never hit more than 2 shots, nor scored more than 6 points in three career meetings with Kansas.

But Thomas will shoot the ball. His 17 made 3-pointers are third on the team. He has attempted 57, making him a 29.8% 3-point shooter on the season.

He had his best Big 12 game at Texas Tech, scoring 12 points while hitting just 2 of 8 3-pointers.

— hoop-math.com update: Only Long is more likely to take 3-pointers than Thomas. 67.9% of his 84 shot attempts this season have come behind the arc. All but 2 of his 17 makes have been assisted.