On a night set up in his honor, John Neal came through.

The senior guard from Winterset made his first start of the season in the last home game of his Cyclone career.

Neal made the most of his moment in the spotlight, scoring 14 points in helping lead Iowa State to an 85-78 win over Missouri.

Neal and Anthony Davis were recognized before the game, honored on senior night by their teammates, coaches and fans.

“We were especially happy to win the game for John Neal and Anthony Davis,” said ISU coach Wayne Morgan. “I thought they did a great deal for us during the game to help us get the final victory.”

Neal’s previous claim to fame was the two three-point baskets he made as a sophomore against Iowa, knocking them both down in the closing minutes.

Now he can add another chapter to his ISU legacy.

The senior sharpshooter set a season high with his 14 points, also setting personal season marks with four 3-pointers. He tied his season highs with three rebounds and two steals.

“It was special,” Neal said. “Being able to play for Coach (Larry) Eustachy and then Coach Morgan, I’ve been blessed to play with two good coaches. It’s been a great experience for me. Tonight was a good way to end it – with a win.”

A 60-percent free-throw shooter in his career, Neal was fouled with under a minute to play. Despite not having taken a foul shot yet this season, he stepped to the line and calmly drilled both the shots, much to the delight of the crowd at Hilton Coliseum.

“I was trying to make it through the whole year without getting fouled,” Neal said, breaking into a smile. “Unfortunately they got me.”

He’s hitting 48 percent of his shots from behind the three-point line and is on pace to be ISU single-season efficiency leader from behind the arc.

Tonight was also bittersweet for Morgan.

On one hand, he was able to enjoy the success of his seniors one last time. On the other, the game was the last time two Cyclones will play in front of their hometown fans.

“I’m so happy for him and I’m happy for Anthony [Davis],” Morgan said. “It’s sad. That’s the hard part about this is when they leave. That’s really hard.”

Leading by six at halftime, Iowa State allowed Missouri to stay in the game throughout much of the second half.

With Missouri trailing by one with just over 13 minutes to play, ISU guard Will Blalock was called for an intentional foul.

Tiger guard Jimmy McKinney missed both free throws following the foul, and the call proved to be the spark that ignited an ISU team that, to that point, had been playing sluggishly.

“That’s the one time this year I can really say the referees helped us,” Morgan said.

In the next four minutes the Cyclones hit five 3-pointers, going from down one to up 10.

Iowa State shot a school-record 32 shots from behind the arc, hitting 11. Blalock and Neal had four 3-pointers each.

“They were in a 1-3-1 [defense] and we kept getting the ball in the middle, and the opposite wing was there and they were open,” Curtis Stinson said. “They were clogging the middle so the three was open a lot.”