CEDAR FALLS, Iowa (AP) - Northern Iowa is looking forward to its second home game of the season tonight, and not just because the opponent is Iowa State.

They're just eager to play again after what happened last week, when they blew an 18-point lead in a 76-70 double-overtime loss at Cincinnati.

"When you lose one like we did, the last thing you want is a whole week of preparation before the next one," UNI coach Greg McDermott said. "You'd like to get right back out there. So they're antsy and ready to get back on the floor (tonight)."

Iowa State (3-0) will be playing away from Hilton Coliseum for the first time this season. It will be the first visit to the UNI-Dome for several ISU players, including sophomore guards Curtis Stinson and Will Blalock.

The wide open spaces behind the baskets can be a difficult shooting background for first-timers.

"Jake Sullivan and John Neal told me the rims there are pretty bad and hard to shoot on," Blalock said. "We didn't play there last year, so I don't know anything about it. I'm just going to attack it as a regular game and not worry about it."

Sullivan has completed his eligibility, but the Cyclones could use his 3-point shooting touch now because they're struggling in that area.

In victories over Northern Colorado and Bucknell last weekend, Iowa State went 6-for-28 from 3-point range.

"We're pretty sharp in our running game. We've just got to tighten up our half-court (offense)," Blalock said. "We're not always going to get 18 to 20 points on fast breaks."