MILWAUKEE — While the Cyclones were studying film Monday on Nevada, their first round opponent, they found a striking resemblance. 

Nevada’s play looked a whole lot like Iowa State’s. 

The 12-seeded Wolf Pack (28-6, 14-4 Mountain West) likes to shoot the 3-point ball, averaging 9.2 3-point makes per game, which ranks 34th in the nation. It also sits 34th in offensive efficiency, according to kenpom.com, which is 21 spots below 5-seeded Iowa State (23-10, 12-6 Big 12). 

The Cyclones rank highly in most offensive categories, so they’ll have to bring out the big guns on defense when they play Nevada in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Thursday night at the Bradley Center. 

“They’re very similar to us, to be honest,” senior Naz Mitrou-Long said at the team hotel. “A bunch of scorers and a bunch of guys that they play through. They have people that we respect.

“[Preparation] has been good. We’ve been real competive in our practices today and in our preparation and understanding that we’ve got to be locked in to beat this team.” 

Nevada also boasts a couple of NBA draft prospects. Guard Marcus Marshall and forward Cameron Oliver average almost 35 points per game together. Oliver, a sophomore, is the No. 61 prospect for the NBA draft, according to DraftExpress.com. 

But Marshall, a senior, is no slouch either, averaging a team-leading 19.8 points per game to go with his 3.6 assists per game. 

“The best thing [Marshall] does is he really can make shots, but he also has 100-plus assists as well,” coach Steve Prohm said shortly after arriving in Milwaukee. “Obviously, he’s a big key to the game and he’s playing with a lot of confidence. He’s a good player.”

Prohm has plan in place in case wife goes into labor

Prohm’s wife, Katie Prohm, is due with the family’s second child March 27, which can cause complications for Prohm while traveling during the NCAA Tournament. 

But Prohm has a plan in place in case he needs to make an emergency exit, even as soon as this weekend in Milwaukee. 

Assistant coach William Small would assume coaching duties in Prohm’s absence and Prohm would board a flight waiting to take him back to Ames. 

“[Small’s] been with me for six years now and I trust him and he’s great with the guys and understands what I want,” Prohm said. “So if that happens, he will take over.”

Prohm’s son, Cass, celebrated his second birthday in Kansas City on Saturday, when the Cyclones won the Big 12 Tournament title. But the Prohm family didn’t make the trip to Milwaukee this week. 

“I hate that my wife is not here,” Prohm said. “That’s probably the toughest thing because you want to share these moments. She’s done a lot for me to come here and take this job.”