Alabama @ Iowa State preview

Last Meeting ( Nov 24, 2014 ) Iowa State 84, Alabama 74

Sophomore guard Tyrese Haliburton looks to put together back-to-back huge performances when Iowa State opens play in the consolation bracket of the Battle 4 Atlantis on Thursday against Alabama at Paradise Island, Bahamas. Haliburton poured in a career-high 25 points to go along with nine rebounds, five assists, four steals and a block as the Cyclones fell short 83-76 against Michigan in Wednesday’s first round.

Haliburton’s efforts were not enough because Iowa State made just 5-of-21 from 3-point range and allowed the Wolverines to shoot 57.7 percent from the field, including 10-of-21 from behind the arc. Cyclones coach Steve Prohm, a graduate of Alabama, said his team played well in stretches but could not sustain it while telling the Ames Tribune: “We know our team right now, this time of year, we’re kind of a work in progress, figuring out the best way for us to do things on both ends of the floor.” The Crimson Tide are dealing with the same issues for first-year coach Nate Oats, but they showed some progress by beating Furman with a strong defensive effort before coming to the Bahamas and sticking with No. 4 North Carolina throughout in a 76-67 loss in Wednesday’s opening round. Alabama’s Kira Lewis Jr. will be a good matchup in the backcourt for Haliburton as the sophomore guard is averaging 21.2 points (20 on Wednesday), 6.2 rebounds and 4.8 assists in the first five games.

TV: 6:30 p.m. ET, ESPN2

ABOUT ALABAMA (2-3): Lewis has been the main man all season, but junior guard John Petty Jr. is starting to heat up after scoring 16 versus Furman on Nov. 19 and following that up with seven 3-pointers and 23 points against North Carolina. Petty is third on the team in scoring (12.4) behind Lewis and freshman guard Jaden Shackelford (13.4), who was just 2-of-8 from the field Wednesday - 0-for-5 from 3-point range - for four points after scoring 25 against Furman. Freshman forward Javian Davis had strung together three straight double-figure scoring efforts before being held to five points on Wednesday.

ABOUT IOWA STATE (3-2): Haliburton tops the Cyclones in scoring (13.6), assists (9.2) and steals (3.6) in the early going and has registered just nine turnovers in 175 minutes of playing time. Sophomore guard Rasir Bolton, a transfer from Penn State, and junior forward Solomon Young are both averaging 12 points while senior guard Prentiss Nixon scored 14 and added five assists along with two steals Wednesday. Senior forward Michael Jacobson averages 9.4 points - just behind Nixon (9.6) - and a team-high 8.6 rebounds after grabbing eight boards to go with his first two blocks of the season in the loss to Michigan.

TIP-INS

1. Iowa State’s 6-10 sophomore forward George Conditt IV averaged 10.5 points in the first four games, but had five in the first round.

2. The Crimson Tide had a plus-10.5 rebound margin in their first four games but were pounded on the glass 60-31 by North Carolina.

3. The teams have split two previous meetings with the Cyclones winning the last matchup 84-74 during the 2014-15 season.

PREDICTION: Iowa State 73, Alabama 65