Iowa State is heading down South to break up its conference game slate Saturday for the eighth-annual Big 12/SEC Challenge against Mississippi State (9-8, 4-5 SEC). But the challenges of a COVID-19-depleted roster will be following the Cyclones to Starkville, Mississippi.

Iowa State will play in just its second game since coming out of a program COVID-19 pause, a pause that left the team down four starters and two walk-ons Monday against Oklahoma State.

Iowa State Head Coach Steve Prohm told the media Thursday the roster availability should not be much different from Monday, but potentially one player could be back Saturday. Whether that player plays or not remains to be seen.

“I don’t know how much actual change, possibly one guy, we could have one more guy back possibly,” Prohm said. “Whether they play or not I’m not sure, but we’ll have more guys on the trip for sure.”

Prohm would not say who that player was but did mention that usual starter Jalen Coleman-Lands was back in the practice facility Thursday shooting. Prohm did not say if he was the player who could possibly return for the Cyclones.

So, with the roster still being depleted, it’s going to have to be another case of young players stepping into bigger roles. 

Iowa State’s main focus will be on the defensive end and the glass for Saturday.

Mississippi State comes in averaging 39 rebounds a game, 13 of which are offensive rebounds. And with Solomon Young potentially out again and Xavier Foster out for the year with an injury, Prohm knows the Bulldogs will be attacking down low. 

Iowa State’s limited numbers allowed Oklahoma State to win the rebounding battle 49-19 and offensive boards 13-4 during Monday’s 81-60 loss.

“I think the biggest thing they present for us is just the physicality and the size up front,” Prohm said. 

One of the pseudo post-players Iowa State had to turn to Monday and might have to rely on again is freshman Darlinstone Dubar to help George Conditt IV in the post.

Dubar, a 6-foot 6-inch wing, is undersized for the post and primarily is used as a wing-defender who can crash the glass if he needs to.

But Prohm talked with all of the young guys still available and told them now is the time to show out in extended minutes because once starters return, nothing is guaranteed anymore. 

Dubar said he and the other freshman have to remain focused and trust in each other, even if they have to play out of place at times or fill in new shoes.

“We just have to continue to grow as a team and trust in each other and just play harder each day,” Dubar said.

One of the three remaining freshman is guard Jaden Walker, who played a career-high 34 minutes with a career-high 8 points Monday.

The pauses, postponements and roster shortages have been an admitted challenge for Walker and his teammates to gain chemistry and learn how to play together, but the 6-foot 5-inch freshman is just focusing on what he can control.

Obviously, Iowa State would like to have its starters back into the fold, but Walker said this experience will help the team in the long run because at some point, you have to build depth.

“It’s just allowing us to learn each other better and learning how to play well together without the four starters we’re missing, and we just gotta build off of that,” Walker said.

Iowa State and Mississippi State will tip off at 5 p.m. Saturday on ESPN2.