Radcliffe

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Cedar Rapids Gazette
Taj Manning and Tre Singleton's tenacity fuel No. 18 Iowa State's 83-57 win over Southern Miss
AMES — Iowa State forward Taj Manning is unlikely to fill up the stat sheet enough to participate in many postgame news conference’s this season. But that didn’t stop him from earning a strong special mention from his head coach, T.J. Otzelberger, after his trademark tenacity put a firm stamp on the No. 18 Cyclones’ 83-57 win over Southern Miss in Friday’s home season opener. “The guy (who) will be the most unheralded, (who’s) probably been the most winning player is Taj Manning,” Otzelberger said after Manning swatted away a career-high four blocks before a crowd of 13,920 at Hilton Coliseum. “He makes play after play defensively, at the rim, in rotation, guarding the basketball. His minutes are gonna continue to elevate. It’s real hard to keep him off the floor and it’s not always gonna show up with the points, but defensively, he really gives us an indignity and we’re gonna continue to lean into that.” That’s at least partly because this ISU team (1-1) is still trying to forge that identity. It always stems from stern defense, forcing live ball turnovers, and hoarding rebounds, and Otzelberger said his talented, but largely new group of players are a “work