The Lowdown

It took nearly 16 minutes for No. 17 Iowa State to make its first triple, 17 minutes to claim its first lead of the game and almost 37 to build a double-digit lead in a 71-60 win on the road at TCU. 

The Cyclones only hit one 3-pointer the entire game, going 1-of-11 (9%), the lowest mark of the season. 

Deandre Kane led Iowa State with 20 points on 8-of-14 shooting, grabbed six rebounds and added five assists. Niang followed with 19 points on 19 total shots and Melvin Ejim quietly added 14 points and four rebounds. 

X Factor

Deandre Kane — It was the other senior for Iowa State who stood out against TCU this time. The fifth-year guard led all scorers with 20 points on an efficient 8-of-14 shooting, added six rebounds and dished out five assists.

Kane was crucial late in the game, pushing Iowa State’s lead to double-digits, scoring six in the final few minutes. 

Turning Point

With 5:28 left in the game, Iowa State led 59-57 after TCU’s Kyan Anderson (18 points on 7-of-16 shooting, five rebounds, four assists) added another bucket around the rim. 

From there, the Cyclones finished the game on a 12-3 run, with Niang scoring six of the final 12 points. 

By The Numbers

1/2 — Iowa State is now one half game back from second place in the Big 12, where Texas sits at 9-4. 

70 — With Melvin Ejim’s layup with 1:18 to go, Iowa State broke the 70-point mark, continuing its streak as the nation’s only team that has scored at least 70 points in every game this season.

8.44 — Iowa State leads the Big 12, averaging 8.44 3-pointers per game this season and shoots as a team at an average of 34 percent. 

1 — The Cyclones made a single 3-pointer in the win against TCU, coming from Matt Thomas in the first half, which game the Cyclones their first lead of the game at 26-23. 

2 — Monte Morris was credited with two turnovers against TCU. He’d only had two in the last five games combined. 

Up Next

On Wednesday, Feb. 26, West Virginia comes to Hilton Coliseum. In the first meeting at the Mountaineers, they scored in bunches and controlled the game throughout, winning 102-77.