Mar 18, 2017; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Iowa State Cyclones head coach Steve Prohm looks on during the first half of the game against the Purdue Boilermakers in the second round of the 2017 NCAA Tournament at BMO Harris Bradley Center. Mandatory Credit: James Lang-USA TODAY Sports
MILWAUKEE — Steve Prohm said it himself following Saturday night’s 80-76 loss to Purdue in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
“I have an infatuation with point guards.”
That makes it even more of a bummer that the career of the great Monte Morris has come to a close.
Records and the fact that Monte’s number will eventually hang in the Hilton Coliseum rafters aside, Prohm choked up following Saturady’s game when saying the following about Morris.
“I’ll miss him a lot,” Prohm said. “Just the kid he is and how good he is with my son. Monte is a great representative of this school. I didn’t know him at all two years ago and now I can honestly say that I love him to death and that he feels the same way about me.”
Very cool. And Coach went on…
“You just hear good things about Monte Morris, from how he represents his hometown and the pride that he has in his hometown. I have coached a couple of kids who opted to come back to school. The thing that I always say is, do you ever look back or do you say, ‘Man I should have left? We are 8-4 and we just got beat by Iowa.’ But he said, ‘Hey coach we need to get this thing figured out. What do we have to do to get it right?’”
There is no doubt that this group of seniors – led by Morris – was a special group.
“It is the winningest class to ever come through here,” Prohm said. “They led a renaissance of Iowa State basketball. They brought it back. Now it is our job and my staff and the young guys to continue to make them proud.”
