This is the last dance for Iowa State senior forward Georges Niang. It’s what he came back for. In a sport where nearly every elite talent is a one-and-done player bolting to the NBA, the 22- year-old Niang returned to the Cyclones for his senior season in hopes of becoming the leader needed to bring the program its first national championship.
It was hard for Niang and the Cyclones to get the bad taste out of their mouths from their NCAA Tournament disappointment of a year ago. They had Final Four aspirations and were a trendy pick to make a deep run in the tournament. Instead, they headed home early after a 60-59 upset loss to UAB in the first round.
The Cyclones’ coach, Fred Hoiberg, left in the summer to coach the Chicago Bulls.
Now Niang and the Cyclones are looking for redemption after that stunning loss last season. Iowa State’s NCAA Tournament opener is Thursday at the Pepsi Center against Iona.
“You’ve got to have a confidence about you, a swagger about you, that you’re not just going to let something that happened before happen again,” Niang told reporters in Ames, Iowa, on Sunday. “That should be with everything in your power and will to not let that happen.
Bracket:
“Iona’s a great team. I’ve watched them a ton on TV against Monmouth, Fairfield, Saint Peter’s — you name it, I’ve watched them just because I have a personal interest from being on A.J. English’s (Adidas Nations camp) team this summer.”
Niang, a first-team all-Big 12 selection, leads the Cyclones in scoring with an average of 19.8 points per game. He also pulls down 6.2 rebounds per game and shoots 55 percent from the floor. Most important, he is healthy.
The Cyclones’ offense is as potent as ever, but this time it all hinges on the 6-foot-8 Niang. His post moves have advanced year by year and his unique style is a Rubik’s Cube of puzzles for defenders to solve. Also, he can hit the 3-pointer.
Niang is one of 15 finalists for the John Wooden Award honoring the nation’s best player — and a finalist for the Karl Malone Award that goes to the nation’s best power forward.
A run to the Final Four is possible, but first Iowa State needs to get past Iona and the memories of its ouster a year ago.
“They’re a really great team,” Niang said of Iona. “They really get up and down the court and do a great job of sharing the basketball, and they can really score it. So obviously we’re going to have our hands full, but it’s their will against ours.”
Cameron Wolfe: @Cameron Wolfe or cwolfe@denverpost.com
No. 3 Utah
26-8 overall, 13-5 in Pac-12; 77.6 points per game, 69.1 allowed
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Poeltl doesn’t miss. Utes 7-footer Jakob Poeltl shot 66 percent from the field to earn Pac-12 player of the year honors. He averaged 17.6 points and 9.1 rebounds. The sophomore big man is the most polished interior scorer in the Midwest bracket. There’s a good chance he’ll be a lottery selection in the NBA draft this summer.
The other Coach K. It wasn’t too long ago that Utah worried about Selection Sunday. Coach Larry Krystkowiak has now taken Utah to three consecutive NCAA Tournaments. The Utes made the Sweet 16 last season.
Quick trip. The Utes have the shortest travel to Denver (521 miles). Their opponent, Fresno State, will have to travel 1,142 miles from California.
VS.
No. 14 Fresno State
25-9 overall, 13-5 in Mountain West; 75.3 points per game, 70.4 allowed
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Smoking hot. The Bulldogs head into the tournament on a nine-game winning streak capped off by a Mountain West Tournament championship win over San Diego State.
What a Marvelle. The Bulldogs counter with their own star, senior guard Marvelle Harris, who is the coaches’ Mountain West player of the year. Harris averaged 20.6 points. He has the most points scored in Fresno State history with much credit to his quick moves to the basket.
Fresh feet. The Bulldogs are making their first tournament trip since 2011, but they shouldn’t be overwhelmed. They went 6-0 in games decided by one possession this season and lost at Oregon by five points. They also stayed close to Arizona.
No. 4 Iowa State
21-11 overall, 14-2 in Big-12; 81.8 points per game, 75.0 allowed
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A new era. Cyclones first-year coach Steve Prohm had huge shoes to step in to replace Fred Hoiberg, who left to become coach of the Chicago Bulls in the offseason. After tremendous success at Murray State, Prohm has led the Cyclones to their fifth consecutive tournament appearance.
Heal quickly. Forward Georges Niang gets headlines, but point guard Monte Morris makes the Cyclones go. Morris, who is Iowa State’s all-time leader in assists-to-turnover ratio, suffered a shoulder injury in the last regular-season game, at Kansas. He struggled in a Big 12 tourney loss to Oklahoma. His health is key, as depth is an issue for the Cyclones.
One speed. Iowa State’s up-tempo offense makes it exciting to watch. ISU is 15th in scoring nationally.
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No. 13 Iona
22-10 overall, 16-4 in MAAC; 79.6 points per game, 73.7 allowed
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Remember the name. Every year the tournament has a midmajor star who jumps on the national scene because of his offensive skill set. Senior guard A.J. English could be the next. He’s one of five finalists as the Jerry West shooting guard of the year. English averaged 22.4 points 6.2 assists and five rebounds per game.
Let the 3 fly. Iona’s offense is predicated on the 3-pointer. English knocked down 92, but two of his teammates also eclipsed 75 3s.
Party crashers. First, the Gaels ruined conference favorite Monmouth’s tournament bid in the MAAC championship. Now, they plan to travel 1,794 miles to Denver to cause more trouble. They’ve won eight consecutive and 11 of their past 12 games.
No. 6 Seton Hall
25-8 overall, 12-6 in Big East; 74.8 points per game, 67.8 allowed
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23 years. The wait was long, but the culmination made all of the memories that much sweeter. Seton Hall had arguably the most impressive conference tournament run in the country, having knocked off a pair of No. 2 seeds, Xavier and Villanova, to win its first Big East championship in 23 years. Hot teams do well in March.
Pride of New York. Brooklyn native Isaiah Whitehead leads Seton Hall with averages of 18.4 points and 5.0 assists. He’ll have to be a star if the Pirates hope to make some noise.
Flash Gordon, the leader. Guard Derrick Gordon is the lone senior on a young Pirates team. He is the first openly gay player in the NCAA Tournament.
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No. 11 Gonzaga
26-7 overall, 15-3 in West Coast Conference; 79.7 points per game, 66.2 allowed
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Stars are born. When senior guards Kevin Pangos and Gary Bell went down with injuries early in the season, Gonzaga struggled. Senior Kyle Wiltjer took grasp of the team’s reins. The 6-10 pure shooter averaged 20.7 points per game and shot 42 percent from 3-point range.
18 and counting. The Zags have been tournament locks coming into March, but this season they needed to win the WCC Tournament to get in. A 10-point victory over St. Mary’s marked Gonzaga’s 18th consecutive NCAA Tournament trip.
Coming home. Guard Josh Perkins, a Park Hill native, starred at Regis Jesuit High School. Now, he’ll try to be the hometown favorite again this week. Perkins averages 10.3 points.
No. 5 Purdue
26-8 overall, 12-6 in Big Ten; 78.2 points per game, 64.5 allowed
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Fundamentals first. The Boilermakers aren’t flashy, but they are efficient. Purdue is one of the best rebounding teams in the country (41.2 per game, tied for 10th) and passing (17.8 assists, fifth). They don’t make many mistakes.
The rock in the middle. Any scorer heading into the paint against Purdue probably will have close interaction with center A.J. Hammons, who was named Big Ten defensive player of the year. He averages 2.5 blocks per game, but he also adds scoring — 15.1 points.
Size matters. The 7-foot Hammons, 7-2 Isaac Haas and 6-9 Caleb Swanigan present a huge problem for all teams, especially smaller ones such as Little Rock.
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No. 12 Ark.-Little Rock
29-4 overall, 17-3 in Sun Belt; 70.9 points per game, 59.6 allowed
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Suffocating D. The NCAA Tournament highlights offensive stars, but a potential Cinderella makes its name on the defensive side of the ball. And Little Rock excels at defense.
Out of nowhere. Trojans coach Chris Beard shuffled between Division II and III programs before landing the Little Rock gig. Beard’s return on investment was shifting a 13-18 team to an NCAA-best 29-4 record and a tournament appearance as a first-year coach.
The 5-12 magic. It’s become everyone’s favorite first-round matchup, typically pairing solid major programs against elite midmajors. Little Rock has been to the round of 32 only once, but this balanced, senior-laden team could be one of those No. 12 seeds that can do it.
