By JAY COHEN
AP Sports Writer
MILWAUKEE (AP) When Purdue needed him the most, when the Boilermakers were on the brink of a heartbreaking loss, Caleb "Biggie" Swanigan lived up to his nickname - over and over again.
Swanigan had 20 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists, and Purdue reached the Sweet 16 for the first time in seven years with a wild 80-76 victory over Iowa State on Saturday night.
The Cyclones erased a 19-point deficit in the second half, taking their first lead of the game on Deonte Burton's two free throws with 3:11 left. But P.J. Thompson responded with a critical 3-pointer for the Boilermakers, and Swanigan made several huge plays in the final minutes.
"It was an amazing game," Thompson said. "I thought we were pretty special tonight, at different moments we were really clutch when we needed to be. A lot of different guys made a lot of different plays tonight."
After Dakota Mathias missed the front end of a 1-and-1 with 11 seconds left and Purdue clinging to a 78-76 lead, Swanigan tracked down the rebound to set up Thompson's free throws with 7 seconds remaining. Monte Morris missed a 3 on the other end, and time ran out for Iowa State.
Vince Edwards had 21 points and 10 rebounds for No. 4 seed Purdue (27-7), which will play the winner of Sunday's Michigan State-Kansas game on Thursday in Kansas City, Missouri. Isaac Haas finished with 14 points, helping the Boilermakers to a 23-5 advantage in bench points.
"I'm excited. I'm ready to get back to campus and get to work and watch the game tomorrow, Kansas-Michigan State, and see who is left," Swanigan said.
Swanigan's typically clipped response drew a smile from coach Matt Painter.
"That's great," a grinning Painter said. "That's all we get? That's beautiful."
Yup, Swanigan did all his talking with his play. It was the 28th double-double of the season for the Big Ten player of the year.
Fifth-seeded Iowa State (24-11) had won 10 of 11, moving to the brink of its third appearance in the Sweet 16 in four years. But it eventually ran out of gas against the bigger Boilermakers.
Burton scored 17 of his 25 points in the second half, putting on a show in his hometown of Milwaukee. Matt Thomas, another Wisconsin kid, had 20 points on 9-for-11 shooting, and Morris finished with 18 points and nine assists in the final game of his standout career.
"We didn't rebound that ball at the end," coach Steve Prohm said. "But you know, game like this you can look back at a lot of difficult things."
For a while, it looked as if Iowa State's storied senior class was headed for a rough ending.
Swanigan helped Purdue pull away at the start of the second half, showing off his well-rounded game. He found Mathias and Edwards for layups on backdoor cuts in the first minute. He made a 3-pointer and Edwards got loose for a dunk as the Boilermakers grabbed a 58-39 lead with 14:23 left.
But the Cyclones responded with a furious comeback, backed by a boisterous crowd filled with red and yellow. Two free throws by Burton and a jumper by Thomas tied it at 71 with 3:45 remaining.
"Once we got on that run, you know, we made things happen and we made it interesting," Thomas said. "We just were one or two plays short of capping that win off."
After Burton put Iowa State in front, Thompson rattled in his only 3-pointer of the game. Burton then missed a stepback jumper, and Swanigan and Edwards each scored to give Purdue some breathing room at 78-73 with 1:36 left.
"I kept trying to tell myself (to) stay poised, stay calm," Edwards said. "And we were all just talking out and kept telling each other we got this, we got this. We were able to stick it out and win."
WORTH NOTING
The Boilermakers shot 48.4 percent (31 for 64) and had 27 assists on 31 field goals. The Cyclones shot 50 percent, but Naz Mitrou-Long only had five points after averaging 15.4 coming into the game.
BIG PICTURE
Iowa State: Burton, Morris, Mitrou-Long and Thomas are all seniors. The Cyclones could take a step back next year after a very successful run.
Purdue: Haas looked more comfortable than he did in Purdue's first-round win against Vermont, going 6 for 8 from the field. But he only played 4 minutes in the second half.
NEXT UP
Purdue plays the winner of Sunday's Michigan State-Kansas game on Thursday in Kansas City, Missouri.
Showing posts with label Iowa State. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Iowa State. Show all posts
Sunday, March 19, 2017
Friday, March 17, 2017
Morris leads Iowa State past Nevada in NCAA Tournament
By JAY COHEN
Associated Press
MILWAUKEE (AP) — Monte Morris delivered another solid all-around performance. Deonte Burton, Naz Mitrou-Long and Matt Thomas took turns coming up with big plays.
A little experience goes a long way this time of year.
Morris had 19 points, eight rebounds and eight assists, and Iowa State outlasted Nevada 84-73 on Thursday night to advance to the second round of the NCAA Tournament for the second straight year.
"He's the best point guard in the country," Iowa State coach Steve Prohm said. "He's a winner."
Burton added 14 points and eight rebounds as the fifth-seeded Cyclones won for the 10th time in their last 11 games, building on their impressive run through the Big 12 Tournament. Mitrou-Long and Thomas had 13 points apiece.
Iowa State (24-10) will try for its third Sweet 16 appearance in four years when it takes on No. 4 seed Purdue on Saturday. It was Nevada's first appearance in the NCAA Tournament in a decade, and the difference in experience was noticeable, especially during the Wolf Pack's slow start.
"We lost to a team that's really good," coach Eric Musselman said. "I thought in the first half that their experience really showed. Their seniors played really well and that was the difference in the ballgame. We really struggled to score in the first half."
Cameron Oliver scored 22 points for Nevada (28-7), which had won nine straight by an average of 15 points. Jordan Caroline had 20 points and eight rebounds, and Marcus Marshall finished with 16 points on 5-for-16 shooting.
"We just couldn't get over the hump this time," Oliver said.
It was a triumphant homecoming for Burton, Darrell Bowie and Donovan Jackson, three Milwaukee natives who have played a key role in Iowa State's success this season. Jackson scored 12 points on a perfect shooting performance, and Bowie finished with eight points and five boards.
"That's how you put on for your city," Bowie said. "That's what you call a home-court advantage. We just wanted to give the crowd a reason to get loud and be proud of us."
Iowa State led by as many as 15 in the first half before Nevada got back in the game by rediscovering its shooting touch. The Wolf Pack used Caroline's two foul shots and tip-in to close to 55-51 with 9:56 left, plenty of time for the Mountain West's regular-season and tournament champions.
But the Cyclones responded with nine straight points. Burton started and finished the run with layups, and Thomas had a 3-pointer during the surge. Morris then helped Iowa State finish it off with seven free throws in the final 3 minutes.
"We want more," Burton said. "This is one stepping stone until we get where we want to be, so we have to keep our focus until we get where we want to be."
The Cyclones played in front of a mostly red-and-yellow-clad crowd about 5 1/2 hours from their campus in Ames, and their fans had plenty of reasons to cheer during a solid first half.
Burton, a former Milwaukee prep star who began his collegiate career with Marquette, turned up the electricity with a vicious left-handed dunk that made it 30-20 Cyclones with 4:24 left. Morris contributed eight points, six rebounds and four assists and Iowa State held Nevada to 30 percent shooting on its way to a 40-27 halftime lead.
"Their defense is pretty good," Oliver said. "We wasn't finishing at the rim. We can't play catch-up ball with a team like that."
BIG PICTURE
Nevada: The Wolf Pack were never able to overcome their slow shooting start. They also shot 8 for 26 from 3-point range for the game.
Iowa State: The Cyclones had five players score in double figures and shot 56 percent from the field.
UP NEXT
The Cyclones face the Boilermakers on Saturday night. Purdue advanced with an 80-70 victory against Vermont.
Associated Press
MILWAUKEE (AP) — Monte Morris delivered another solid all-around performance. Deonte Burton, Naz Mitrou-Long and Matt Thomas took turns coming up with big plays.
A little experience goes a long way this time of year.
Morris had 19 points, eight rebounds and eight assists, and Iowa State outlasted Nevada 84-73 on Thursday night to advance to the second round of the NCAA Tournament for the second straight year.
"He's the best point guard in the country," Iowa State coach Steve Prohm said. "He's a winner."
Burton added 14 points and eight rebounds as the fifth-seeded Cyclones won for the 10th time in their last 11 games, building on their impressive run through the Big 12 Tournament. Mitrou-Long and Thomas had 13 points apiece.
Iowa State (24-10) will try for its third Sweet 16 appearance in four years when it takes on No. 4 seed Purdue on Saturday. It was Nevada's first appearance in the NCAA Tournament in a decade, and the difference in experience was noticeable, especially during the Wolf Pack's slow start.
"We lost to a team that's really good," coach Eric Musselman said. "I thought in the first half that their experience really showed. Their seniors played really well and that was the difference in the ballgame. We really struggled to score in the first half."
Cameron Oliver scored 22 points for Nevada (28-7), which had won nine straight by an average of 15 points. Jordan Caroline had 20 points and eight rebounds, and Marcus Marshall finished with 16 points on 5-for-16 shooting.
"We just couldn't get over the hump this time," Oliver said.
It was a triumphant homecoming for Burton, Darrell Bowie and Donovan Jackson, three Milwaukee natives who have played a key role in Iowa State's success this season. Jackson scored 12 points on a perfect shooting performance, and Bowie finished with eight points and five boards.
"That's how you put on for your city," Bowie said. "That's what you call a home-court advantage. We just wanted to give the crowd a reason to get loud and be proud of us."
Iowa State led by as many as 15 in the first half before Nevada got back in the game by rediscovering its shooting touch. The Wolf Pack used Caroline's two foul shots and tip-in to close to 55-51 with 9:56 left, plenty of time for the Mountain West's regular-season and tournament champions.
But the Cyclones responded with nine straight points. Burton started and finished the run with layups, and Thomas had a 3-pointer during the surge. Morris then helped Iowa State finish it off with seven free throws in the final 3 minutes.
"We want more," Burton said. "This is one stepping stone until we get where we want to be, so we have to keep our focus until we get where we want to be."
The Cyclones played in front of a mostly red-and-yellow-clad crowd about 5 1/2 hours from their campus in Ames, and their fans had plenty of reasons to cheer during a solid first half.
Burton, a former Milwaukee prep star who began his collegiate career with Marquette, turned up the electricity with a vicious left-handed dunk that made it 30-20 Cyclones with 4:24 left. Morris contributed eight points, six rebounds and four assists and Iowa State held Nevada to 30 percent shooting on its way to a 40-27 halftime lead.
"Their defense is pretty good," Oliver said. "We wasn't finishing at the rim. We can't play catch-up ball with a team like that."
BIG PICTURE
Nevada: The Wolf Pack were never able to overcome their slow shooting start. They also shot 8 for 26 from 3-point range for the game.
Iowa State: The Cyclones had five players score in double figures and shot 56 percent from the field.
UP NEXT
The Cyclones face the Boilermakers on Saturday night. Purdue advanced with an 80-70 victory against Vermont.
Thursday, March 16, 2017
Nevada-Iowa St. Preview
Stats, LLC
Iowa State, the champions of the Big 12 tournament, is playing in its sixth consecutive NCAA Tournament — and this one comes with a location bonus.
The Cyclones, the No. 5 seed in the Midwest Region, will take on No. 12 seed Nevada at the Bradley Center in Milwaukee, a 373-mile drive from Ames, Iowa, which is the hometown of three Iowa State players. The game tips off at 9:57 p.m. ET on Thursday.
“I’ve played AAU ball in that building,” Cyclones guard Donovan Jackson, who played for Pius X high school on the city’s west side, just a few miles from the Bradley Center.
Guard Deonte Burton also knows the building and city well. He starred at Milwaukee Vincent High School and originally signed with Marquette, where he earned Big East all-rookie honors in 2013-14.
Burton, who transferred to Iowa State midway through his sophomore season, is third on the team this season with 14.8 points per game. The 6-foot-5, 250-pound senior leads the Cyclones with 6.2 rebounds per game. He hasn’t been known for his consistency, but he is playing some the best ball of his career, with six consecutive games of at least 16 points.
Now, he’s coming home.
“It’s a business trip,” Burton said. “We’re coming to play basketball, not to see friends and family. We’re coming to play basketball.”
Iowa State (23-10) has won nine of its last 10 games, including three in a row to capture the Big 12 Tournament title, but Nevada (28-6) has been on a tear, too, winning nine consecutive games.
The Wolf Pack held off Colorado State for the Mountain West regular-season title, then beat the Rams in the conference tournament title game to earn a NCAA berth for the first time in 10 years and just the seventh time in program history.
“It’s been our year-long goal, so obviously everybody feels great about seeing our name up there,” coach Eric Musselman told the Reno Gazette-Journal. “It’s great exposure for the university, and now we have to put some work in and figure out a way to compete with Iowa State.”
Nevada led the Mountain West in scoring at 80.0 points per game, shooting 45 percent from the field and a league-best 38.5 percent from 3-point range.
Senior guard Marcus Marshall, a transfer from Missouri State, leads the Mountain West with 19.8 points per game, shooting 38.6 percent from behind the arc. Forward Cameron Oliver averages 15.8 points and 8.7 rebounds, while wing Jordan Caroline averages 14.8 and 9.2.
Iowa State’s best player is senior point guard Monte Morris, averaging 16.3 points and 6.1 assists. He holds school career records for assists and steals. Guard Naz Mitrou-Long is averaging 15.5 points and is a high-volume 3-point shooter (94 of 244, 38.5 percent).
Musselman said Sunday he’s seen Iowa State play “four to five” games.
“I know they have two really star-quality players and they’re a veteran-laden team,” he said. “They’ve won their conference tournaments in three of the last four years, so they have a lot of experience and they’re used to playing in big games.”
The winner will face either No. 4 Purdue or No. 13 Vermont in Saturday’s second round.
Iowa State, the champions of the Big 12 tournament, is playing in its sixth consecutive NCAA Tournament — and this one comes with a location bonus.
The Cyclones, the No. 5 seed in the Midwest Region, will take on No. 12 seed Nevada at the Bradley Center in Milwaukee, a 373-mile drive from Ames, Iowa, which is the hometown of three Iowa State players. The game tips off at 9:57 p.m. ET on Thursday.
“I’ve played AAU ball in that building,” Cyclones guard Donovan Jackson, who played for Pius X high school on the city’s west side, just a few miles from the Bradley Center.
Guard Deonte Burton also knows the building and city well. He starred at Milwaukee Vincent High School and originally signed with Marquette, where he earned Big East all-rookie honors in 2013-14.
Burton, who transferred to Iowa State midway through his sophomore season, is third on the team this season with 14.8 points per game. The 6-foot-5, 250-pound senior leads the Cyclones with 6.2 rebounds per game. He hasn’t been known for his consistency, but he is playing some the best ball of his career, with six consecutive games of at least 16 points.
Now, he’s coming home.
“It’s a business trip,” Burton said. “We’re coming to play basketball, not to see friends and family. We’re coming to play basketball.”
Iowa State (23-10) has won nine of its last 10 games, including three in a row to capture the Big 12 Tournament title, but Nevada (28-6) has been on a tear, too, winning nine consecutive games.
The Wolf Pack held off Colorado State for the Mountain West regular-season title, then beat the Rams in the conference tournament title game to earn a NCAA berth for the first time in 10 years and just the seventh time in program history.
“It’s been our year-long goal, so obviously everybody feels great about seeing our name up there,” coach Eric Musselman told the Reno Gazette-Journal. “It’s great exposure for the university, and now we have to put some work in and figure out a way to compete with Iowa State.”
Nevada led the Mountain West in scoring at 80.0 points per game, shooting 45 percent from the field and a league-best 38.5 percent from 3-point range.
Senior guard Marcus Marshall, a transfer from Missouri State, leads the Mountain West with 19.8 points per game, shooting 38.6 percent from behind the arc. Forward Cameron Oliver averages 15.8 points and 8.7 rebounds, while wing Jordan Caroline averages 14.8 and 9.2.
Iowa State’s best player is senior point guard Monte Morris, averaging 16.3 points and 6.1 assists. He holds school career records for assists and steals. Guard Naz Mitrou-Long is averaging 15.5 points and is a high-volume 3-point shooter (94 of 244, 38.5 percent).
Musselman said Sunday he’s seen Iowa State play “four to five” games.
“I know they have two really star-quality players and they’re a veteran-laden team,” he said. “They’ve won their conference tournaments in three of the last four years, so they have a lot of experience and they’re used to playing in big games.”
The winner will face either No. 4 Purdue or No. 13 Vermont in Saturday’s second round.
Thursday, March 9, 2017
Morris leads No. 23 Iowa St past Cowboys in Big 12 tourney
By DAVE SKRETTA
Associated Press
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Monte Morris had the ball in his hands with Iowa State's victory assured, knowing he was only an assist shy of the second triple-double in the history of the Big 12 Tournament.
The senior star held the ball until teammate Naz Mitrou-Long came over and took it so he'd get the turnover instead when the shot clock ran out.
The moment at the conclusion of the No. 23 Cyclone's 92-83 victory over Oklahoma State in the quarterfinals Thursday was evidence of two things: How selfless and mature Morris has become during his career in Ames, and how respected he is by Mitrou-Long and the rest of his teammates.
"People were telling me about the triple-double," said Morris, who had 21 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists, "but you can play for stats or you can play for the win."
Well, the win pushed the Cyclones (21-10) into a semifinal matchup with either No. 1 Kansas or TCU on Friday night.
As for the stats? They had some gaudy ones, too.
Deonte Burton finished with 17 points and 10 rebounds. Mitrou-Long hit three of the Cyclones' 12 3-pointers and had 14 points. Darrell Bowie and Matt Thomas added 13 points apiece.
"They were terrific," first-year Oklahoma State coach Brad Underwood said. "They were the better team."
Sophomore guard Jawun Evans did everything he could to keep the Cowboys (21-11) afloat, pouring in 29 points and handing out four assists. Backcourt mate Jeffrey Carroll added 21 points and Phil Forte had 12, but not even that offensive output was enough to keep pace with the Cyclones.
The matchup to kick-off the quarterfinals was entertaining from start to finish, the shot clock rarely a factor as the teams raced up and down the floor during a frenetic 40 minutes.
Iowa State was clinging to a 62-57 lead with about 10 minutes left when the intensity finally boiled over. Morris was tied up near midcourt and several players got into a shoving match, the Cowboys' Brandon Averette and the Cyclones' Donovan Jackson getting hit with technical fouls.
The Cyclones retained possession and Morris quickly scored, beginning a brief charge that gave the 2014 and '15 tournament champions a cushion that they were never in danger of losing.
"We spent the majority of the week working on the defensive end, but give them credit," Underwood said. "Monte Morris, an assist away from a triple-double? Pretty effective day at the office."
Indeed, the only question down the stretch was whether Morris would get one more assist.
He had the ball in his hands on a couple of possessions, and a couple fans seated courtside were aware of his stat line, yelling for him to get one more assist. But the Cowboys often were quick to foul and Morris wound up short of his second career triple-double. Texas Tech's Kasib Powell had the only one in Big 12 Tournament play against Texas in 2003.
"I love the kid," said Iowa State coach Steve Prohm, adding he was glad the triple-double didn't happen on a meaningless basket. "I don't think he'd have wanted it that way. I wouldn't have."
COUSY SNUB
Morris was not among the 10 finalists for the Bob Cousy Award, given annually to the nation's top point guard. And that certainly caught Prohm's attention. "I don't know what tape they're watching," he said, "that he's not one of the top guards in the country. I'm going to make my own award for him at the end of the season. You couldn't have a better representative."
BIG PICTURE
Oklahoma State had won 10 of its last 13 games after losing six straight to start Big 12 play, and that should be enough to get the Cowboys into the NCAA Tournament. But the biggest strike against them is their record against Top 25 foes, which dropped to 1-8. "We put ourselves in a place to play in the tournament and hopefully get a good seed," the Cowboys' Leyton Hammonds said. "Going to be exciting."
Iowa State relied on its usual barrage of 3-pointers but also a massive crowd advantage. Cyclones fans always paint the Sprint Center red during the tournament, even for an early tipoff.
UP NEXT
Oklahoma State awaits its fate on Selection Sunday.
Iowa State prepares for the semifinals on Friday night. The Cyclones split the season series with Kansas and with TCU.
Associated Press
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Monte Morris had the ball in his hands with Iowa State's victory assured, knowing he was only an assist shy of the second triple-double in the history of the Big 12 Tournament.
The senior star held the ball until teammate Naz Mitrou-Long came over and took it so he'd get the turnover instead when the shot clock ran out.
The moment at the conclusion of the No. 23 Cyclone's 92-83 victory over Oklahoma State in the quarterfinals Thursday was evidence of two things: How selfless and mature Morris has become during his career in Ames, and how respected he is by Mitrou-Long and the rest of his teammates.
"People were telling me about the triple-double," said Morris, who had 21 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists, "but you can play for stats or you can play for the win."
Well, the win pushed the Cyclones (21-10) into a semifinal matchup with either No. 1 Kansas or TCU on Friday night.
As for the stats? They had some gaudy ones, too.
Deonte Burton finished with 17 points and 10 rebounds. Mitrou-Long hit three of the Cyclones' 12 3-pointers and had 14 points. Darrell Bowie and Matt Thomas added 13 points apiece.
"They were terrific," first-year Oklahoma State coach Brad Underwood said. "They were the better team."
Sophomore guard Jawun Evans did everything he could to keep the Cowboys (21-11) afloat, pouring in 29 points and handing out four assists. Backcourt mate Jeffrey Carroll added 21 points and Phil Forte had 12, but not even that offensive output was enough to keep pace with the Cyclones.
The matchup to kick-off the quarterfinals was entertaining from start to finish, the shot clock rarely a factor as the teams raced up and down the floor during a frenetic 40 minutes.
Iowa State was clinging to a 62-57 lead with about 10 minutes left when the intensity finally boiled over. Morris was tied up near midcourt and several players got into a shoving match, the Cowboys' Brandon Averette and the Cyclones' Donovan Jackson getting hit with technical fouls.
The Cyclones retained possession and Morris quickly scored, beginning a brief charge that gave the 2014 and '15 tournament champions a cushion that they were never in danger of losing.
"We spent the majority of the week working on the defensive end, but give them credit," Underwood said. "Monte Morris, an assist away from a triple-double? Pretty effective day at the office."
Indeed, the only question down the stretch was whether Morris would get one more assist.
He had the ball in his hands on a couple of possessions, and a couple fans seated courtside were aware of his stat line, yelling for him to get one more assist. But the Cowboys often were quick to foul and Morris wound up short of his second career triple-double. Texas Tech's Kasib Powell had the only one in Big 12 Tournament play against Texas in 2003.
"I love the kid," said Iowa State coach Steve Prohm, adding he was glad the triple-double didn't happen on a meaningless basket. "I don't think he'd have wanted it that way. I wouldn't have."
COUSY SNUB
Morris was not among the 10 finalists for the Bob Cousy Award, given annually to the nation's top point guard. And that certainly caught Prohm's attention. "I don't know what tape they're watching," he said, "that he's not one of the top guards in the country. I'm going to make my own award for him at the end of the season. You couldn't have a better representative."
BIG PICTURE
Oklahoma State had won 10 of its last 13 games after losing six straight to start Big 12 play, and that should be enough to get the Cowboys into the NCAA Tournament. But the biggest strike against them is their record against Top 25 foes, which dropped to 1-8. "We put ourselves in a place to play in the tournament and hopefully get a good seed," the Cowboys' Leyton Hammonds said. "Going to be exciting."
Iowa State relied on its usual barrage of 3-pointers but also a massive crowd advantage. Cyclones fans always paint the Sprint Center red during the tournament, even for an early tipoff.
UP NEXT
Oklahoma State awaits its fate on Selection Sunday.
Iowa State prepares for the semifinals on Friday night. The Cyclones split the season series with Kansas and with TCU.
Tuesday, January 17, 2017
No. 2 Kansas beats Iowa State 76-72 for 17th straight win
By LUKE MEREDITH
Associated Press
AMES, Iowa (AP) -- No. 2 Kansas passed its biggest Big 12 road test of the season, winning in a gym where losing was threatening to become a trend.
Frank Mason III had 16 points, Landen Lucas scored 14 and the Jayhawks held off Iowa State 76-72 on Monday night for their 17th straight win.
Svi Mykhailiuk added 13 for the Jayhawks (17-1, 6-0 Big 12), who snapped a two-game skid in Ames and opened 6-0 in the Big 12 for the 10th time.
"It's always tough (here)," Lucas said. "We should be proud to come in here and win. Our young guys maybe don't understand that."
Though it was never comfortable for Kansas, the Jayhawks led the entire second half. Iowa State star Monte Morris drilled a long 3-pointer and two free throws to make it 75-72 with 14.6 seconds left. But then Devonte Graham's free throw made it a two-possession game and Morris missed a 3 that would've made for an interesting finish.
Morris scored 23 points with seven rebounds and seven assists for the Cyclones (11-6, 3-3), who saw their recent string of success against the Jayhawks come to an end.
Iowa State had won four of its last six against the 12-time defending league champions.
"We've just got to figure out a way to become a better defensive team. They shot 14 layups in the first half. Layups. You can't give Kansas 28 points in layups and expect to beat them," Iowa State coach Steve Prohm said.
Deonte Burton had 21 points on 21 shots for the Cyclones, losers of two straight for the first time in six weeks.
BIG PICTURE
Kansas: This was a win Kansas has a right to be proud of. Hilton Coliseum is one of the most intimidating atmospheres in America - especially when the Jayhawks come to town - and over 14,000 fans braved an ice storm to scream at them. Victories like this are the reason Kansas keeps winning the Big 12. "No disrespect, but I think it was the best home court we've played in so far," Kansas coach Bill Self said.
Iowa State: The Cyclones let a huge opportunity slip by. Iowa State is very talented and remains a threat in the postseason because of its strong backcourt. But the Cyclones have lost tight games to Gonzaga, Baylor and Kansas, and their program has long since passed the day when moral victories mattered.
POLL IMPLICATIONS
In a slight surprise, voters picked Villanova over Kansas for the top spot on Monday. It'll be hard for the Jayhawks to pass the Wildcats after Villanova routed Seton Hall by 30 points on Monday. The defending national champions host Providence on Saturday. "It really doesn't matter. I told our staff that Villanova would jump us in (the) AP (poll). They beat Xavier by 25 last week. That didn't surprise me at all. We're in a pretty good spot right now," Self said.
TURNING POINT
Burton's three-point play brought the Cyclones within 67-63. But a quick 6-0 run capped by Mason's layup put Kansas up 10 with 1:57 left, and those baskets came in handy after Iowa State made its late surge. Given that the Jayhawks' first two road league wins were at TCU and scuffling Oklahoma, the resolve Kansas showed down the stretch was impressive.
THE DIFFERENCE
Kansas dominated Iowa State on the boards, 41-24, and scored 52 points in the paint. The Cyclones' guards did their part, with Naz Mitrou-Long chipping in 18 points, but the inability to hang with teams inside continues to haunt Iowa State against elite competition.
THE NUMBERS
Kansas shot 54.8 percent from the floor, helping mitigate its 18 turnovers. ... Iowa State was 9 of 27 from 3-point range. ... Graham had nine points and eight assists, freeing up Mason to attack the basket. ... Morris also had four steals, but he turned it over three times in the first half after committing just one such miscue in his first five Big 12 games.
UP NEXT
Kansas hosts Texas on Saturday. But next week will be brutal, with trips to West Virginia and Kentucky looming.
Iowa State plays at Oklahoma on Saturday.
Associated Press
AMES, Iowa (AP) -- No. 2 Kansas passed its biggest Big 12 road test of the season, winning in a gym where losing was threatening to become a trend.
Frank Mason III had 16 points, Landen Lucas scored 14 and the Jayhawks held off Iowa State 76-72 on Monday night for their 17th straight win.
Svi Mykhailiuk added 13 for the Jayhawks (17-1, 6-0 Big 12), who snapped a two-game skid in Ames and opened 6-0 in the Big 12 for the 10th time.
"It's always tough (here)," Lucas said. "We should be proud to come in here and win. Our young guys maybe don't understand that."
Though it was never comfortable for Kansas, the Jayhawks led the entire second half. Iowa State star Monte Morris drilled a long 3-pointer and two free throws to make it 75-72 with 14.6 seconds left. But then Devonte Graham's free throw made it a two-possession game and Morris missed a 3 that would've made for an interesting finish.
Morris scored 23 points with seven rebounds and seven assists for the Cyclones (11-6, 3-3), who saw their recent string of success against the Jayhawks come to an end.
Iowa State had won four of its last six against the 12-time defending league champions.
"We've just got to figure out a way to become a better defensive team. They shot 14 layups in the first half. Layups. You can't give Kansas 28 points in layups and expect to beat them," Iowa State coach Steve Prohm said.
Deonte Burton had 21 points on 21 shots for the Cyclones, losers of two straight for the first time in six weeks.
BIG PICTURE
Kansas: This was a win Kansas has a right to be proud of. Hilton Coliseum is one of the most intimidating atmospheres in America - especially when the Jayhawks come to town - and over 14,000 fans braved an ice storm to scream at them. Victories like this are the reason Kansas keeps winning the Big 12. "No disrespect, but I think it was the best home court we've played in so far," Kansas coach Bill Self said.
Iowa State: The Cyclones let a huge opportunity slip by. Iowa State is very talented and remains a threat in the postseason because of its strong backcourt. But the Cyclones have lost tight games to Gonzaga, Baylor and Kansas, and their program has long since passed the day when moral victories mattered.
POLL IMPLICATIONS
In a slight surprise, voters picked Villanova over Kansas for the top spot on Monday. It'll be hard for the Jayhawks to pass the Wildcats after Villanova routed Seton Hall by 30 points on Monday. The defending national champions host Providence on Saturday. "It really doesn't matter. I told our staff that Villanova would jump us in (the) AP (poll). They beat Xavier by 25 last week. That didn't surprise me at all. We're in a pretty good spot right now," Self said.
TURNING POINT
Burton's three-point play brought the Cyclones within 67-63. But a quick 6-0 run capped by Mason's layup put Kansas up 10 with 1:57 left, and those baskets came in handy after Iowa State made its late surge. Given that the Jayhawks' first two road league wins were at TCU and scuffling Oklahoma, the resolve Kansas showed down the stretch was impressive.
THE DIFFERENCE
Kansas dominated Iowa State on the boards, 41-24, and scored 52 points in the paint. The Cyclones' guards did their part, with Naz Mitrou-Long chipping in 18 points, but the inability to hang with teams inside continues to haunt Iowa State against elite competition.
THE NUMBERS
Kansas shot 54.8 percent from the floor, helping mitigate its 18 turnovers. ... Iowa State was 9 of 27 from 3-point range. ... Graham had nine points and eight assists, freeing up Mason to attack the basket. ... Morris also had four steals, but he turned it over three times in the first half after committing just one such miscue in his first five Big 12 games.
UP NEXT
Kansas hosts Texas on Saturday. But next week will be brutal, with trips to West Virginia and Kentucky looming.
Iowa State plays at Oklahoma on Saturday.
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