Looking ahead: Iowa State tries to thrive without Georges Niang

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It’s never too early to look at what’s to come. Over the next few weeks, we will give you a peek at what is ahead for teams in the Power 5 conferences and some other teams expected to be players on the national scene. Next up: Iowa State Cyclones.

Iowa State coach Steve Prohm may find it more difficult to replace second-team All-America forward Georges Niang than he ever felt in his first season replacing “The Mayor.” Fred Hoiberg, the popular, homegrown former player, established quite the legacy in just five seasons as coach. When Hoiberg headed off to coach the Chicago Bulls, he left Prohm a roster ready to compete at the highest levels.

Prohm did that in leading Iowa State to wins over Kansas and then No. 1 Oklahoma. The Cyclones’ first-year coach also guided the team to a Sweet 16 appearance for the second time in three years before its season ended against a hot-shooting Virginia squad. But that almost seems like the easy part now that Niang is gone.

Niang, who took home the Karl Malone Award recognizing the nation’s best power forward, was the first Iowa State player to win a national individual honor. He was the team’s leading scorer in each of the past two seasons and the one player everyone looked to when the team needed a basket. Who gets that title now is anybody’s guess.

One of the top returning point guards in the nation, Monte Morris will have first crack at being “the guy” for Iowa State. John Rieger/USA TODAY Sports

Senior Monte Morris will have the first crack at being that guy for the Cyclones. As one of the top …

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