New venue, same story.

Missouri (20-4, 7-2) shot 57 percent from the field and just as it had in Columbia, Mo. three weeks ago, used big 3-pointers to keep Iowa State (12-11,1-7) chasing all day in the Tigers 82-68 win Saturday at Hilton Coliseum.

The Cyclones never had a lead — in either game.

“When we put the ball in the basket we had a hard time getting stops,” coach Greg McDermott said. “We would get the crowd into the game and they would deflate the crowd by making a big play.

“We just couldn’t quite get over the hump.”

Missouri’s DeMarre Carroll provided constant scoring with his 31 point effort, and Kim English made 4-of-5 3-pointers enroute to a 16-point day. Missouri made nine threes (56 percent), to stir memories of the Tigers 13 threes in the teams’ first matchup on Jan. 17.

“Our inability to stop them kind of affected our entire mood,” McDermott said. “A mature team won’t allow that to happen.”

The Jan. 17 loss, a 77-46 stomping, sent the Cyclones into a tailspin that has seen the Cyclones lose six straight, and struggle to play consistent on both sides of the ball. During the skid the Cyclones stuck close in losses to Kansas and Oklahoma, but also couldn’t quite get the big plays down the stretch to emerge with a win.

“It’s no fun, and I say that because I know how hard these guys are working at practice,” said McDermott of the six game skid. “As a coaching staff you are going to get over the hump when all that hard work and dedication starts paying off with success. And to not get that right now it can stall your progress if you allow it to and that is our challenge, that even in defeat we continue to move the team forward.”

Iowa State was down just six at the half and had avoided excessive turnovers against Missouri’s press defense that leads the Big 12 in steals. But, the team came out “stale”, McDermott said, to start the second half and had back-to-back turnovers that resulted in four quick points that allowed Missouri to open the lead to 10.

The Tigers never looked back.

“You can’t turn the ball over against them, that’s what they really feed on is getting turnovers and getting points off turnovers,” ISU point guard Diante Garrett said. “I just think that gave them an edge and helped their motivation go up a bit more and that’s when they went on that run.”

In the Cyclones earlier loss to Missouri they shot just 33 percent from the field, but even good shooting couldn’t rescue the Cyclones against Missouri and stop their slide to the bottom of the Big 12 standings.

The Cyclones shot well above their Big 12 field goal percentage at 47 percent, and had five players score in double-figures. But the Cyclones struggled from the arc – as they did when they made just two 3-pointers in the first meeting – shooting just 25 percent on 7-of-28 shooting.

Missouri, unfortunately for the Cyclones, did not struggle from the arc in the first matchup or the second.

“Their three point shooting against us in the two games is pretty remarkable,” McDermott said. “They probably shot close to 54 percent in two games and that can be hard to do with nobody guarding you.”

Craig Brackins scored eight points in the first five minutes of the second half, then didn’t score again, while Lucca Staiger’s struggles continued as he didn’t score a point.

Missouri, which was sitting at No. 28 in the AP Top-25 poll before the game, reinforced McDermott’s earlier feelings.

“I said the first time we played them it wouldn’t surprise me when it all shakes down that they might be the best team in our half of the conference and when they play like that I think they are.”

The Cyclones play Colorado at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday in Hilton Coliseum.