Ejim provides spark off ISU bench

Iowa State lost its fourth-straight game at home against Oklahoma 82-76.

Jake Lovett
January 30, 2011

For much of the first half against Oklahoma on Saturday, the ISU offense was stagnant.

The first five minutes saw the Cyclones fall behind 14-3 to the Sooners, digging another deep, first-half hole in a game against a Big 12 opponent.

Around the 15-minute mark, first-year coach Fred Hoiberg brought freshman Melvin Ejim off the bench, hoping to spark his team. Ejim, normally a starter, made an impact right away by helping the Cyclones climb back into the game.

“Melvin gave us great energy off the bench,” Hoiberg said. “He went in there and played without thinking.”

The 6-foot-6 forward had 13 points and six rebounds in the first half, easily outshining Iowa State’s leading scorers Jamie Vanderbeken and Diante Garrett, who combined for two points and three rebounds in the half.

By game’s end, Ejim held team highs with 19 points and 12 rebounds.

“Coming into the game I felt good,” Ejim said. “I was just trying to be aggressive like everyone told me to and crash the boards and do what I’ve been doing.”

The freshman from Toronto had been struggling in his last four contests, and made his first appearance off the bench since the Nov. 21 matchup with Creighton.

In the Cyclones’ last four games, Ejim had averaged just 5.75 points and 4.75 rebounds.

“When I talked to him yesterday about changing his role, I just talked to him about getting back to doing what he was doing,” Hoiberg said.

“I thought it might take a little pressure off of him and just come off the bench and be our spark plug. I thought he was terrific.”

Ejim was one of the lone bright spots for the Cyclones in their 82-76 loss to the Sooners — their fourth-straight loss — and is now averaging 20.5 points and 11 rebounds in his two games off of the bench.

However, Hoiberg said it wasn’t a done deal that Ejim would continue to be the Cyclones’ sixth man.

“We’ll evaluate that over the next couple of days,” Hoiberg said.

Saturday was Ejim’s 13th game scoring in double digits, but his first since Jan. 8 against Nebraska, and was the freshman’s fourth career double-double.

Ejim’s 19 points was his second-highest total of the season, and was second only to his 22 in that matchup with Creighton.

“I played well, but we couldn’t get the W,” Ejim said.