While Iowa State usually holds its own at Hilton Coliseum, this season has been slightly different.

The Cyclones have now won two of their last three conference games on the road, and have fallen three times in Ames — something generally not seen very often.

And after their last win on Wednesday over Kansas State in Manhattan, Kansas, even point guard Monte Morris thinks the Cyclones are better when they hit the road.

“We’ve been playing better on the road, to me, this year,” Morris said last Wednesday. “A lot of our games came down to the last possession in conference beside TCU. We’ve just got to string some home games together and play better at home. That’s the key.”

Iowa State (16-9, 8-5 Big 12) will have a chance to pick up another home win on Saturday when they host TCU (17-9, 6-7 Big 12), and attempt to pick up three straight wins.

And while they have dropped three games at home this season, Iowa State coach Steve Prohm notes they haven’t been major losses.

“When you really break it down, you’re up two against Cincinnati — who is 23-2 — you have the ball and you’re probably going to win that game you think, because they’re going to foul,” Prohm said. “Then you turn it over. That’s the last thing this team does is turn it over. Then you get beat in overtime by one.

“Then you lose to Kansas and West Virginia. So it’s not like you’ve just lost to some podunk teams. We’ve lost to some really good teams. But I don’t think we’ve played our best either.”

Last time against the Horned Frogs, though, the Cyclones struggled. Iowa State fell 84-77 and were dominated by big man Vladimir Brodziansky — who dropped 25 points and grabbed 14 rebounds.

“We have to guard him collectively as a team,” Prohm said. “Too many easy baskets in the paint, everything was at the rim last game. We’ve got to be much improved if we want to win tomorrow.”

Solomon Young, who just entered the starting lineup two games ago against Oklahoma and had a career-high double-double 18 points and 12 rebounds on Wednesday, will likely guard Brodziansky on Saturday.

While the Cyclones likely won’t need a massive night out of Young like he had on Wednesday, Prohm said the biggest key for Young is to limit Brodziansky down low — something they failed to do back in early January.

“I think I can be a difference maker just by stopping him from scoring and be aggressive,” Young said. “Because I remember last game he wasn’t really being that much of an aggressor, so I think I can just kind of like keep on him.”

And even though they fell to TCU the first time this season, Morris said the Cyclones are in a much different place than they were when they were down in Fort Worth, Texas.

“I’m sure tomorrow you’re going to see a whole different Iowa State basketball team,” Morris said. “I’m excited to get things going, and I’m ready to play against those guys, because we weren’t there mentally or physically that night.”