Entering the 2005-06 season, it had been two years – 18 games – since the ISU men’s basketball team had lost a non-conference game at Hilton Coliseum.

After Saturday night’s 84-77 loss to Fresno State, the Cyclones have fallen in two of their last three home games, running their season record to 4-2 overall.

This is the first time since the 2002-03 season that the Cyclones have lost more than one home non-conference game, with losses that season coming from Boston College and Iowa in the second round of the NIT.

“You can’t win them all,” guard Will Blalock said. “We have to turn it around somehow and be more consistent on defensive rebounds and defense alone. We’ll get it going on offense, we just have to stop people.”

Iowa State will now finish their in-state rivalry games this week, playing Drake University in Des Moines on Monday and Iowa on Friday in Ames.

“I’m not ashamed of the effort we put forth,” coach Wayne Morgan said.

“I thought we made too many mistakes in critical positions again.”

Iowa State jumped out to an early advantage, scoring the first seven points of the game and holding that same seven-point lead with 8:26 to play in the opening half.

Seven points in under two minutes from Fresno State’s Dwight O’Neil pulled the Bulldogs to within two, and they would end the half trailing by just four.

“Those guys are pretty good,” Morgan said. “That’s not a fallacy or a joke. Those guys are good and those guys are going to win games.”

After holding Fresno State shooting star Ja’Vance Coleman scoreless through the first half, the Bulldogs’ leading scorer came alive after intermission.

Coleman hit five 3-pointers and scored all 20 of his points in the second half, putting a dagger through the Cyclones with his outside shooting.

The 6-foot-3-inch guard scored the first 11 points of the half, including three consecutive 3-pointers.

“He hit those and then he was on his way,” Morgan said.

Fresno State took the lead for good with 10:50 to play and didn’t look back.

Two minutes after taking the lead, the Bulldogs had their lead up to 12 points.

The Cyclones tried to make things interesting, mounting a late rally to move within four with 20 seconds to play.

In the end, it wasn’t enough as Fresno State improved to 3-1 on their season.

“Defensively we weren’t that great [Saturday], and they just lit us up,” Blalock said.

Blalock had another outstanding individual game, scoring 17 points and dishing out six assists. Sophomore Rahshon Clark also played well, scoring 15 points off the bench. Other than a wrap around the wrist, Clark showed no ill effects of an injury suffered against Northern Iowa on Tuesday.

The Cyclones also received an impressive game from Curtis Stinson. The junior guard scored 22 points, grabbed 12 rebounds and handed out seven assists to lead the team in all those categories.

“Curtis put forth a magnificent effort to win the game, and Will [Blalock] put forth a magnificent effort to win the game,” Morgan said.

With two games this next week, Iowa State is forced to turn their attention to another opponent who is playing well.

Drake has a 4-1 record this season, with one loss coming by just three points to No. 8 Boston College. Game time is set for 7 p.m. Monday at the Knapp Center in Des Moines.