The atmosphere was “loose” at the Sukup Basketball Complex before practice on Thursday afternoon.

ISU players Georges Niang and Naz Long were being chased around pool tables and couches by Micah Byars, director of basketball operations. Dustin Hogue was letting out yelps while being stretched by a student trainer. DeAndre Kane wore a practice jersey around his neck like a cape and chewed on handfuls of Twizzlers.

Clearly, after Wednesday night’s 83-66 win against West Virginia, the team was in good spirits after obtaining what it called “getting revenge.”

ISU coach Fred Hoiberg stepped out onto the floor and was asked if he thought it was a good thing for his team to be loose at this point in the season with just three games remaining, battling for the No. 2 seed for the Big 12 tournament two weeks away.

“Not necessarily, we’ll probably have to tighten them back up,” Hoiberg said. “It’s a group where they’ve got such good chemistry together and that’s one of the reason we’ve have success. These guys get along. They play well together on the court and they do a lot together off the court.

“Any time you can have that, that all helps as far as building a team.”

The chemistry is what a few players said has not only helped them stay loose at Sukup or Hilton in Ames, but in other places last year’s squad couldn’t. Last season the Cyclones dropped a game in Lubbock, Texas and this year’s win in Stillwater, Okla., was the first since 1987.

Iowa State has already won as many games on the road as last year’s team with three and has two more chances to better that mark. 

In Wednesday night’s win, Monte Morris set the ISU freshman single-game record for assists in a single game with 12. The previous record was held by Jeff Hornacek, Gary Thompkins and Will Blalock with 11.

Morris finished with 12 assists and zero turnovers, grabbed seven rebounds and scored five points.

“He’s really good,” Niang said. “I knew he was good, but to have 12 assists and no turnovers is impressive. The way he handles himself on and off the court, he’s just mature beyond his years.

“When you have someone like that in your program and they’re running the team as a freshman, that’s always comforting to have.”

But his coach pointed out that. defensively. Morris was just as important. After Wednesday’s win, Hoiberg was quick to point out that his young floor general chased West Virginia’s Eron Harris around nearly the entire game, holding him to 4-of-14 shooting.

Morris may be assigned to similar duties chasing his friend Marcus Foster around Saturday when Iowa State (21-5, 10-5 Big 12) heads to Kansas State (19-9, 9-6) to play in the “Octagon of Doom” where the Wildcats are a completely different team, going 7-0 in Bramlage Coliseum in conference play, but are only 2-6 away.

“We met at the super sophomore camp and we kept that friendship all the way up until now,” Morris said. “He texted me after the game (Iowa State’s first win against Kansas State) and said congratulations, but this one is going to be tougher for you guys.

“If he’s talking trash, I know the rest of his team is thinking the same way.”