When he gets hot, Jake Sullivan could put up 3-pointers from the end zone at Jack Trice Stadium and still find the bottom of the net.

Sullivan connected on seven baskets from long range, scoring a season-high 23 points and helping the Cyclones to an 89-74 win over Nebraska. Six of his 3’s came in the first half, giving Iowa State what seemed to be a comfortable 46-35 advantage after the first period.

“You get a rhythm going as a shooter, and it was one of those great nights,” Sullivan said. “You just go with it as long as you can and unfortunately, we had to have a halftime.

“The team played well, too; we had a lot of guys play extremely well.”

The win allowed Iowa State to stay unbeaten in Big 12 play (2-0) and move its overall record to 9-2.

Sullivan ended the game 8-of-15 from the field and shot 7-of-11 from beyond the 3-point line.

“This year Jake has done a tremendous job of trying to scale back his shooting to try and have everybody figure out what they’re doing,” ISU head coach Wayne Morgan said after gaining his 100th win as a head coach. “At this point, we’re figuring out how to play and get him his shots.”

With much of Nebraska’s defensive attention focused on freshman guard Curtis Stinson, Sullivan was left to do what he does best — spot up and shoot.

“Curtis probably got me the shots tonight and the points tonight,” Sullivan said. “They had to take their best defender and put him on [Stinson] to start the game. The credit goes to him; he got me the shots because the focus was on him.”

Five Cyclones scored in double figures, and the team totaled 22 assists, showing off Iowa State’s balance and selflessness.

Stinson and senior forward Jackson Vroman recorded 15 points each. Vroman also pulled down 11 rebounds and handed out five assists.

Iowa State’s other big man, Jared Homan, scored 11 while junior-college transfer Damion Staple came off the bench to score 10.

“Sitting on the bench, we wait and watch the game,” Staple said. “I sit there and watch the big guys, and when they make mistakes, I go in and try to correct them.”

The Cyclones ended the first half on fire, going on a 16-6 run in the last four minutes of play to end the half. Stinson had the exclamation point, nailing a long 3-pointer from just inside halfcourt as time expired.

But Cyclone success was fresh on the minds of the Huskers when play began in the second half, as Nebraska responded with a run of its own, tying the game at 49 only five minutes into the half.

Senior guard Nate Johnson led Nebraska with 23 points, and Jake Muhleisen added 16 in the losing effort.

“Basketball is a game of runs,” Morgan said. “If [Nebraska is] a good team, which they are, they’re going to have a run in the second half. The thing is for us is to get good enough to withstand those runs and overcome them and get a larger lead.”

Iowa State responded Saturday by turning up the intensity on both ends of the floor.

“Our best offense is in transition,” Morgan said. “It’s hard to run if they make it, so you have to get them to miss.”