RANDY PETERSON

Big 12 media day notebook: Shooting misfires, face of ISU athletics, and Bill Self on Isaiah Moss

Randy Peterson
The Des Moines Register

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — There’s no panic in the Iowa State men’s basketball locker room about the most glaring statistic in last weekend’s 77-68 overtime scrimmage loss against Minnesota.

Despite shooting just  22 of 72 from the field, and just 7-for-32 from 3-point range — there’s still confidence that shooting accuracy will eventually become solid.

“It’s not a concern,” coach Steve Prohm told a gaggle of local reporters Wednesday at the annual Big 12 Conference media day.

The starting backcourt of Tyrese Haliburton, Rasir Bolton and Prentiss Nixon were a combined 7-for-31, including 3-for-14 from long range.

“We got a lot of good looks,” Haliburton said. “I watched film with Coach the next day. We just weren’t hitting shots. Defensively, I thought we played really well. Offensively, we have to figure out our flow and what works better.”

Prohm charted all missed shots. Half, he said, were good looks. Half were bad looks.

“On the ones that were not good looks, we have to make the extra pass and get ball reversal.”

Iowa State sophomore guard Tyrese Haliburton poses for a photo during media day for Iowa State mens basketball on Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2019 in Ames.

Haliburton was 3-for-12. He missed five of his six 3-point shots. Last season, he was a 43 percent 3-point shooter.

“We’re going to take some bad shots,” Prohm said. “Haliburton will force one or two at times.”

Haliburton will be an ironman

If the scrimmage is an indication, expect Haliburton to log as many minutes as he can take. He played 40 in the 45-minute game, which seems like a bunch for a scrimmage.

“It didn’t feel like that at the time,” Haliburton said Wednesday. “It’s fine. That’s what I’m probably going to have to do a lot. It’s not a big deal.”

Haliburton averaged 33.2 minutes as a true freshman last season. As the most talented player on the team, he’ll be right around that average this season.

“I don’t foresee 40, but I could see 32 to 35 minutes a game,” Prohm said “Maybe 37.”

Oct 19, 2019; Lubbock, TX, USA; Iowa State Cyclones quarterback Brock Purdy (15) drops back to pass against the Texas Tech Red Raiders in the second half at Jones AT&T Stadium.

The face of ISU sports: Purdy or Haliburton?

Take your pick — a star quarterback or a star basketball player?

Haliburton addressed that question Wednesday like this:

“I guess Brock can have it, (but) I’m sure he doesn’t want it.”

If you know them both, you know that Purdy is the more reserved of the two — at least so far.

“Brock is a guy that doesn’t want all the attention,” Haliburton said. “He’s a laid-back dude. I know I’m a little bit more outgoing than him.

“It’s great for our university that he’s playing really well.”

The Cyclones' biggest surprise

That continues to be sophomore Zion Griffin, who actually was one of the better shooters during the scrimmage. The 6-foot-6 forward was 3-for-7 from the field, including 2-for-6 from 3-point range. After an injury-plagued freshman season, it sounds like he’s ready to play a significant role.

“He’s been playing great,” Solomon Young said. “He’s the most improved on the team so far, from last year to this year. He’s shooting it really well, crashing the boards and going hard every day. He’s one of those everyday guys. I’m proud to see it.”

Iowa State sophomore forward Zion Griffin poses for a photo during media day for Iowa State mens basketball on Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2019 in Ames.

Griffin averaged 6.6 minutes while playing just 17 games last season. He came to Iowa State as a four-star, top-125 recruit.

“Zion has made the biggest jump from a consistency standpoint,” Mike Jacobson said.

Ex-Hawkeye Moss expected to contribute at Kansas

Kansas coach Bill Self pulled no punches when asked what he has planned for Iowa graduate transfer Isaiah Moss.

“I think he should be our best shooter,” the Jayhawks coach said. “He’s the most proven shooter we have in our program, without question, because he’s done it, obviously, for three years in Iowa City.”

Moss played three seasons at Iowa, during which he averaged 21.8 minutes a game and shot 39.1 percent from 3-point range.

Iowa freshman Isaiah Moss fires from three-point range against Northern Iowa on Saturday, Dec. 17, 2016, at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines.

“I think he’s going to be a contributor,” Self said. “Whether or not he’s a starter, I don’t know, because I haven’t settled in on anything.”

Moss has been set back a bit by what Self called a “tweaked hamstring.”

“I really believe that Isaiah Moss gives our big guys a chance to be the best they can possibly be, because he can stretch the defense. He obviously has experience and has played in big games. He’ll certainly help our young guys in that area.”

Iowa State columnist Randy Peterson has been writing for the Des Moines Register for parts of five decades. Reach him at rpeterson@dmreg.com, 515-284-8132, and on Twitter at @RandyPete. No one covers the Cyclones like the Register. Subscribe today at Des Moines Register.com/Deal to make sure you never miss a moment.