Georges Niang ushers in CyHawk week with low-key jabs at “that other school”

Junior forward Georges Niang smiles to the bench against Iowa on Dec. 12 at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. The Cyclones beat the Hawkeyes 90-75. Niang finished the game with 14 points.

Chris Wolff

Georges Niang has become known for his trash talking, especially when it comes to the CyHawk series and getting underneath the skin of Iowa fans.

Two years ago, Niang declared Iowa to be “a Cyclone state” after beating the Hawkeyes. Last season, Niang blew a kiss to the Hawkeye student section as the Cyclones throttled Iowa at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. 

Niang has also been known to talk some trash on Twitter with Iowa fans, but the senior forward has given up the social media website this season. He dished out a little trash talk at his press conference Tuesday, just two days before the Hawkeyes come to town.

This will be Niang’s fourth time facing off against the Hawkeyes, and he wants to end it on a high note, as he could either end his career against Iowa 3-1 with a win or 2-2 with a loss.

“If I only went 2-2 with Iowa then what’s the point of playing?” Niang joked. “Obviously, the goal is to go 3-1.”

Here is the rest of Niang’s comments ahead of the CyHawk game, with some subtle and not so subtle jabs at Hawkeyes: