Aggravating defeat
February 23, 2005
COLLEGE STATION, Texas — Antoine Wright scored 21 points, Joseph Jones added 17 and Texas A&M went on a 17-0 run in the second half to end Iowa State”s seven-game winning streak 75-59 on Tuesday night.
Wright started the decisive spurt with a layup and Jones ended it with a putback, turning a close game into an improbable rout for the resurgent Aggies (17-7, 6-7 Big 12).
Coming off an impressive overtime win at then-No. 2 Kansas on Saturday, Iowa State”s remarkable turnaround following a 0-5 start in the Big 12 came to an ugly end in College Station.
The Cyclones (15-9, 7-6) went more than 13 minutes without a basket during one miserable stretch in the second half and finished the game by shooting 28 percent — easily their worst performance of the season.
Curtis Stinson led Iowa State with 15 points. Will Blalock and Jared Homan each scored 14.
The Aggies had little trouble solving Iowa State”s ‘attack’ zone, opening a huge lead even though starting point guard Acie Law missed much of the second half with foul trouble. Texas A&M shot 50 percent against the Big 12″s top defense, including 7-of-16 from 3-point range, and committed only 13 turnovers.
Stinson, who scored 29 points in the win over Kansas, had a rough night against the 6-foot-7 Wright. He finished with 15 points on 6-of-16 shooting, was called for a technical in the second half and fouled out with more than five minutes remaining in the game.
Homan, a senior, was also completely frustrated by the Aggies” freshman big man, 6-9, 245-pound Jones.
- Texas A&M went on a 20-2 run in the second half to throw the door wide open. Curtis Stinson”s layup was the only basket Iowa State scored in that time period.
- The Cyclones did not make a field goal in over 13 minutes in the second half. Curtis Stinson hit a runner in the lane with 15:26 to play, the last Iowa State field goal until Tasheed Carr hit a three with 1:59 remaining.
- Entering Tuesday”s game, Iowa State was 7-2 all-time against the Aggies. The Cyclones won the first five matchups against Texas A&M, but are 2-3 in their last five games.
- Stinson picked up five fouls, the third time he has fouled out this season. He also fouled out of the Northern Iowa and Iowa games. Iowa State is 0-3 in games in which Stinson picks up five fouls.
- This was the first Cyclone loss of the season when leading at halftime. Iowa State was 12-0 on the season when leading the half, and took a one-point lead into the intermission.
- After missing key free throws late in Saturday”s game at Kansas, the Cyclones hit 28 of 33 foul shots. Blalock was 10 of 11 from the line while Homan hit 8 of 12 free throws.
— Grant Wall