Southern Miss @ Iowa State preview

Iowa State is firing on all but one cylinder offensively as it prepares to host Southern Miss on Tuesday. The Cyclones shot 36.3 percent from 3-point range in 2018-19 but are converting only 28.4 this season - partly because the NCAA moved the line back 1 foot, 4 3/4 inches to the international distance of 22-1 3/4.

Iowa State leads the nation in assist-turnover ratio at 2.21 and is shooting 58.2 percent inside the arc. "Offensively, we’re actually playing all right,” fifth-year Cyclones coach Steve Prohm told reporters. “We’re assisting on (63.4 percent) of our baskets, and the national average is about 50. ... We just have to start making shots. That’ll come.” The Golden Eagles used only eight players, including three of their 11 newcomers, in a 66-63 loss at North Florida on Thursday. Southern Miss freshman forward Artur Konontsuk has exploded onto the scene by averaging 13.3 points, 4.3 rebounds and 2.7 assists in 31.3 minutes, and is 16-for-24 from the field - 4-for-9 from 3-point range.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, No TV

ABOUT SOUTHERN MISS (1-2): Senior forward Boban Jacdonmi scored a career-high 29 points in the season-opening 90-71 victory over Delta State and averages a team-high 19 points and 8.7 rebounds while shooting 67.6 percent from the field after playing 5.7 minutes in 23 games last season. Senior forward Leonard Harper-Baker (10.3 points) grabs a club-most 10 rebounds per contest and is the biggest reason the Golden Eagles were tied for 14th nationally entering Monday with a plus-13 rebounding margin. Junior guard LaDavius Draine, the Conference USA co-Sixth Man of the Year last season, contributes 8.3 points, 5.7 rebounds, three assists and two steals but is 9-for-37 from the field and 5-for-21 from beyond the arc as one of four players averaging more than 31 minutes.

ABOUT IOWA STATE (2-1): Sophomore guard Tyrese Haliburton (10.3 points, six rebounds) leads the country with 10.7 assists and the Big 12 at 3.7 steals, and has scored or assisted on 44.6 percent of the Cyclones' 101 field goals this season. Senior forward Michael Jacobson (12.7 points, 10 rebounds) is one of three Big 12 players averaging a double-double. Sophomore guard Rasir Bolton averages a team-high 14 points while junior forward Solomon Young contributes 11.3 points and 4.3 rebounds after missing last season with shoulder and groin injuries.

TIP-INS

1. The Cyclones have a minus-2.3 rebounding margin -- worst among Big 12 teams.

2. The teams could meet again Nov. 29 in the Battle 4 Atlantis, although they are in opposite ends of the bracket.

3. Iowa State is 14-3 versus C-USA.

PREDICTION: Iowa State 84, Southern Miss 74