The Lowdown

MANHATTAN, Kan. — Winning on the road in the Big 12 remained difficult for Iowa State on Saturday as it fell to 1-4 on the road in league play with a loss to Kansas State. 

The Cyclones (16-7, 6-4 Big 12) fell to the Wildcats (19-4, 8-2), 79-70. The top six teams in the Big 12 have now gone 25-4 at home during the 2012-13 season.

Iowa State was led by Tyrus McGee, who attempted to ignite the team in the second half. After going scoreless in the first half, McGee scored 15 points in the second half behind three 3-pointers. 

Turning Point

Kansas State led 53-52 with 11:42 remaining in the game when Rodney McGruder hit a jumper to kickstart a run. The shot started an 18-5 run during the course of nearly seven minutes and extended the Wildcats’ lead to 71-57. 

During the run Kansas State made three 3-pointers.

X Factor

Rodney McGruder — After scoring just 13 points in 40 minutes when Kansas State lost at Hilton Coliseum on Jan. 26, McGruder led the Wildcats to victory against the Cyclones on Saturday.  

McGruder scored 22 points and dished out five assists in the K-State win. The senior went 7-of-13 from the field and sunk three 3-pointers in 39 minutes of play Saturday. 

By the Numbers

20 — Iowa State was hurt by turnovers in the loss, ending the game with 20. The Cyclones committed 10 turnovers in each half. 

22 — When Kansas State lost to Iowa State in January, ISU guard Chris Babb helped hold McGruder to 13 points. In the loss Saturday, McGruder scored 22 points, including 12 in the first half. 

12 — The Cyclones made 12 3-pointers on Saturday, going 12-of-27 from beyond the arc in the road loss. It was the 12th time this season in which Iowa State has made at least 10 3-pointers. 

6 — ISU guard Will Clyburn entered the game averaging 15.2 points per game for the Cyclones. In the loss, Clyburn was held to six points on 2-of-9 shooting from the field with all points coming in the second half. 

Quotables

“Turnovers and offensive rebounding [was the difference]. We did a great job in the first half I thought on the glass [but] they got too many of them in key times down the stretch. It seemed like every time a shot went up they got the rebound and it led to points.” — ISU coach Fred Hoiberg on the difference in the game.

“That killed us. When he has to go out it kind of throws off our whole offense. Him and Bubu — both points guards — it’s hard to win like that. But we did good, we ended the [first] half well. The second half we just kind of didn’t push ahead like we needed to.” — ISU guard Chris Babb on Korie Lucious picking up his third foul in the first minute of the second half. 

“I kind of wanted to stay in, but coach told me he didn’t really want me to have the chance to pick up my fourth [foul].” — ISU point guard Korie Lucious on picking up his third foul. 

“Well, we lost to Kansas when we made 14 [3-pointers] and we lost to Oklahoma State when we made 13 of them. Tonight we made 12 of them and just didn’t find a way to get the win.” — Hoiberg on losing despite Iowa State making 12 shots from beyond the arc.

“Tyrus is a big-time player, he’s a great shooter. I think everybody knows that. He’s instant offense and he just showed that again today. He came in and really helped us.” — ISU forward Melvin Ejim on Tyrus McGee, who scored 15 points in the second half for the Cyclones.