Morris, Niang nab all-district honors

Junior forward Georges Niang runs off the court after the Big 12 Championship semifinal game against Oklahoma on March 13 at the Sprint Center in Kansas City, Mo. The Cyclones defeated the Sooners 67-65 to advance to the final championship game against Kansas on March 14.

Alex Gookin

ISU basketball standouts Georges Niang and Monte Morris picked up all-district 8 honors from the National Association of Basketball Coaches on March 27.

Niang earned first-team honors, while Morris earned a spot on the second team. The duo’s selection follows a long list of award watch lists this season, including Niang’s Wooden Award Final 15 selection and Morris’ Cousy Award finalist honors.

Niang, a junior, finished the season averaging 15.3 points per game, 5.4 rebounds per game and 3.4 assists per game. He was named the Big 12 Championship’s Most Outstanding Player during Iowa State’s Big 12 tournament title run and earned first-team All-Big 12 honors.

Morris finished a successful sophomore campaign as one of the nation’s top point guards, averaging 11.9 points and 5.2 assists and is on pace to lead the nation with an assist-to-turnover ratio of 4.63. His career-high 24-point performance that ended with a buzzer-beating fadeaway jumper to lift the Cyclones to a win against Texas in the Big 12 tournament helped win the team’s second straight Big 12 tournament title. He earned all-tournament team honors along with being a second-team All-Big 12 pick in the regular season.