New Iowa State basketball coach Steve Prohm wanted to install a tougher defensive mentality with the Cyclones. It took all of one game for it to show up.

No. 7 ISU, a team that won back-to-back Big 12 tournament championships under former coach Fred Hoiberg with offense, won its season opener thanks to its defense in a 68-62 win over Colorado on Friday in Sioux Falls, S.D.

ISU (1-0) held Colorado (0-1) to 36.5 percent shooting in the contest. Both teams struggled from the floor early, but the Cyclones took a 30-25 lead into halftime thanks to an 8-0 run late. Monte Morris was the key offensively, scoring 12 points and handing out four assists. He also had six rebounds. Georges Niang led the Cyclones with 17 points.

Colorado fought back in the second half thanks to the 3-point shot. The Buffaloes made nine threes and used an 11-0 run to cut their deficit to 43-40 with 9:48 left, but they never seized the lead in the second half.

George King came off the bench to lead the Buffaloes with 14 points.

Prohm won his first game as the replacement of arguably ISU's most beloved coach, Hoiberg, who left to coach the Chicago Bulls in the summer. Hoiberg was an All-American player and first coach to take the Cyclones to four straight NCAA tournaments.