Despite scrapping down to the final buzzer, Iowa State came up short of knocking off the nation’s third-ranked team, falling to Kansas 84-79 on Wednesday.

Hilton Coliseum was primed for a big game, with the athletic department honoring former coach Johnny Orr and fans covering the background with gold shirts.

It just wasn’t enough, as Kansas (16-0, 1-0 in Big 12) dominated the game inside the paint and stretched Iowa State’s (13-4, 0-2) losing streak to the conference foe to 11 games.

“I know I’m going to be sick watching this game, because there were so many mistakes that we made that we kind of got away from ourselves,” said ISU coach Fred Hoiberg. “Plays you can’t make against a team like Kansas. They’re too good. You can’t make those mistakes. We had a chance, we were there.”

Iowa State’s lack of size was too much to overcome, as the Jayhawks beat up the Cyclones on the glass and inevitably sat at the free throw line. Junior forward Marcus Morris finished with 33 points and 13 rebounds, and his twin brother Markieff piled up 17 points and 11 rebounds. Out-rebounding Iowa State 47-34, Kansas also took three times as many free throws as the Cyclones en route to victory.

“The stats tell it themselves, they’re really good,” said ISU forward Jamie Vanderbeken. “They’re probably the best front court in the nation and they proved that tonight.”

Kansas held the lead for all 40 minutes, letting the Cyclones get within two points on multiple occasions, but never relinquishing their advantage.

“We just needed a couple stops, to get that ball back and get the lead,” Hoiberg said. “Our crowd was phenomenal. If we get over the hump and get that lead I think we’re in really good shape.”

It was a strong effort against a top squad for the young Cyclones, and four freshmen played a total of 44 minutes on the thin bench. Diante Garrett had a breakout scoring effort that was diminished by Marcus Morris’ outburst, but the senior guard put up 27 points and five assists on 11-of-25 shooting.

“We had our runs and they had their runs, then we had our runs and it kept going back and forth like that,” Garrett said. “We had the stops there, and they’d get an offensive rebound or get that lay-up. We could never get a hold of that lead.”

Garrett was looking for his shot and to open up his teammates at every opportunity, but he came up short, and is now 0-7 himself against Kansas.

“Garrett was terrific, we couldn’t guard him,” said KU coach Bill Self after the game. “We know that’s an Achilles heel but it shouldn’t be with a couple of our perimeter defenders, but he was obviously too much for us, especially in one-on-one situations. He’s good.”

Despite Garrett’s team-high 27 points, and Vanderbeken’s 19, the team’s elders aren’t looking back with fondness.

“I don’t believe in moral victories,” Vanderbeken said. “You either win or lose.”

With the crowd appreciating the home team’s effort against No. 3 for much of the game, the former Cyclone-star-turned-coach understood what transpired after the game.

“The crowd was unbelievable, that’s Hilton Magic right there,” Hoiberg said. “I know if you give the kind of effort that our guys gave tonight, they’re going to support us. I saw that as a player, if you walk off the court after a tough loss like we had tonight and they’re clapping for you and giving you a standing ovation, that’s [ISU] basketball.”