Hoop Bits (10-9-14)

Debunking A Myth
A number of articles recently have described new Cyclone transfer Bryce Dejean-Jones as a “volume shooter.” I’m not really sure where this notion came from.

Dejean-Jones, a 6-6 shooting guard, has averaged 9.2 shots per game over the course of his career. Last season, when he led UNLV in scoring with 13.6 points per game, Dejean-Jones took 11 shots a game. He shot 42.7 percent from the field, which would have ranked 11th in the Big 12.

By taking 11 shots a game for UNLV, Dejean-Jones accounted for just under 18 percent of the team’s shots. As a shooting guard and top scorer, this is hardly volume shooting. Last season, the Cyclones had three players take more than 19 percent of ISU’s shots.

On a per minute basis, Dejean-Jones averaged a shot roughly every 2.4 minutes he was on the floor. That would have been fifth among Cyclones, who averaged about five shots more per game than UNLV a year ago.

Welcome Back
Iowa State returns 57.8 percent of its scoring from last season, despite losing its top-two scorers. This is the most returning scoring of the Fred Hoiberg era. Here is the breakdown:

2014-15 – 57.8%
2013-14 – 35.3%
2012-13 – 47.2%
2011-12 – 38.7%
2010-11 – 23.5%

Did You Have A Hoiburger? Most Did!
Nearly 15,000 Hoiburgers were sold this summer at Applebees, raising nearly $15,000 for United Way of Story County.

Tweet, Tweet
Iowa State’s Fred Hoiberg (@ISUMayor32) and Bill Fennelly (@ISUCoachFen) are among the top tweeters in college hoops.

Hoiberg is sixth nationally among men’s coaches with 54,537 followers and Fennelly is eighth nationally with 10,363. (as of 10-9-14)

So if you aren’t following them, click the little blue button. Both are worth it.

On a side note, men’s basketball is currently 13th nationally with 37,703 followers. We are nipping at the heels of Illinois, so spread the word about @CycloneMBB.

Note: Rankings were compiled by the Tennessee media relations department.

Tweet, Tweet Pt. II
Georges Niang (@GeorgesNiang20) is also heavily followed. He’s the fifth most followed basketball player in the Big 12 with 24,220.

Morris Gets Nod As Potential Breakout Star
Monté Morris has people talking. And rightfully so. While people point at his NCAA record-breaking 4.79 assist-to-turnover ratio, I think perhaps as encouraging was the fact that in the NCAA Tournament he averaged 13.3 points. On the biggest stage, with Georges Niang injured and out, Morris was able to do something he hadn’t been asked to do much of before….score. And he did just that.

Throw into the fact that his defensive game may be the most overlooked part of his game and you have the makings of a potential star. In the second half against UCONN he moved over to guard Shabazz Napier, holding the NCAA Tournament’s Most Outstanding Player to 1-of-6 shooting as both played all 20 minutes. Morris had a team-high 46 steals (1.8 steals per 40 minutes) last season despite playing limited minutes early in the season.

On Thursday, NBCSports.com named Morris its No. 2 potential breakout star for the season. You can read it here.