Iowa State's Georges Niang says he's returning next season

Iowa State forward Georges Niang told ESPN he will return for his senior season.

Iowa State forward Georges Niang told ESPN he will return for his senior season.

Niang, a 6'8" forward who just concluded his junior season, averaged a team-high 15.3 points with 5.4 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game for the Cyclones. Iowa State, a No. 3 seed in the NCAA tournament, was upset by No. 4 seed UAB in the schools' opening-round game on March 19.

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Niang scored 11 points on 4–of–15 shooting and added seven rebounds, but said he did not want to end his college career with a loss like that.

"I was weighing it, but I want to be loyal to the program and didn't want to go out this way," Niang said. "I didn't want to leave my mark like that."

Iowa State finished 25-9 (12-6 Big 12) and will likely enter next season as a top preseason team.

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Over his three seasons at Iowa State, Niang has averaged 14.7 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game.

- Mike Fiammetta