Wins are hard to come by when you’re shooting 31 percent – and against a dominant team like Kansas, you’ll have no chance.

Iowa State made just 19 of 61 shots against the No. 2 Jayhawks on Wednesday, going 6-for-28 from downtown. On offense, the Cyclones showed little patience, often opting for a quick outside jump shot, even when their shots weren’t falling. The Cyclones’ impatience also showed through in a lack of assists – the entire team combined for seven.

On the other end of the court, Kansas shot a blistering 50 percent overall and 50 percent from the three-point line. The Jayhawks spent more time passing the ball, getting 22 assists on just 32 baskets and earning a lot of easy shot opportunities.

It doesn’t get a lot easier

If the Cyclones are looking for an easy game to get back on track, it won’t be coming this weekend.

Iowa State heads to Manhattan, Kan. to take on a red-hot Kansas State Wildcats team that is just a week removed from a 75-54 home drubbing of then-No.10 Texas A&M.

The biggest challenge will be stopping freshman beast Michael Beasley.

And after being bruised and bullied down low by Kansas’s big men, it could be a rough evening for whoever is assigned to guard the 6-foot-9-inch, 235-pound Beasley.

Finding a way to protect the paint will go a long way toward helping Iowa State get a big road win.

Big hopes for the future

Wes Eikeier, part of next year’s recruiting class, made headlines in a big way last week.

The 6-foot-3-inch guard scored a career-high 59 points, leading his Archbishop Bergan (Neb.) team to a 94-64 win.

The senior hit 19 of 27 field goals and went 10-for-13 from the three-point line. The 59 points were the 15th most ever in a Nebraska high school boys’ basketball game.

Another incoming guard, Dominique Buckley, has his Romulus (Mich.) team at 9-2 and ranked No. 4 in Class A, Michigan’s highest class.

He recently scored 15 points in an 82-61 demolishing of Flint Southwestern.

Big man Justin Hamilton’s Lone Peak (Utah) squad is sitting at 12-2 and has a No.1 ranking in the state’s Class 5A. Lone Peak just knocked off fifth-ranked Pleasant Grove.