ISU to push pace more this season

AMES (AP) — There wasn’t a high-major program in the country with a more potent offense than Iowa State last season.

The Cyclones plan on being even more explosive in 2014-15.

The hottest topic surrounding Iowa State in recent weeks has been coach Fred Hoiberg’s desire to “play fast.” The 14th-ranked Cyclones want to push the tempo as much as they can this season behind sophomore point guard Monte Morris and a cast of athletic scorers. Iowa State (28-8 in 2013-14) host Oakland in its season opener tonight.

“I think we have a lot more weapons,” forward Georges Niang said. “A bunch of guys can really score the ball.”

Morris is the key component in Iowa State’s plan to top the 82.9 points a game it scored last season, which was tops among the power five conference schools. He set an NCAA record as a freshman with an assist-to-turnover ratio of 4.97-to-1, and he’ll be asked to control the offense more than ever now that DeAndre Kane has graduated.

Morris shot more than 40 percent from 3-point range and averaged nearly seven points a game last season. But he’ll be looked upon more for assists than baskets.

Morris believes the key to a better offense is a better defense, which will allow the Cyclones to attack opponents in space before they can get back and get set.

Niang scored 16.7 points a game last season, and he should be able to run better than he ever has after dropping 25 pounds following foot surgery.

But he’s far from the only option Iowa State will have on offense.

Senior forward Dustin Hogue will be a larger focus in Iowa State’s game plans after scoring 34 points in an NCAA tournament loss to Connecticut.

Guard Bryce Dejean-Jones led UNLV in scoring at 13.6 points a game last season and was named the Big 12’s preseason Newcomer of the Year. Dejean-Jones is more of a traditional shooting guard than Kane, but he’s expected to have a similar impact.

Naz Long was 6-of-7 shooting from 3-point range during the last five minutes of Big 12 and NCAA tournament games last season.

Center Jameel McKay won’t be eligible until Dec. 20, and he’s expected to have more of an impact defensively. But McKay also scored more than 1,000 points in two seasons of junior college ball at national power Indian Hills Community College.