When Texas Tech coach Bobby Knight told Jake Sullivan that he could play for him any day after Sullivan dropped 29 on Knight’s Red Raiders Wednesday night, Sullivan said it was the highest compliment he’s ever received.

But he said he would have rather won the game.

Texas Tech outscored the Cyclones 42-27 in the second half after coming out tied at 46 to garner its first Big 12 road win of the season. “This is the best we’ve played down the stretch in any game,” Knight said. “If I was told Iowa State would have 46 at the half, I would have thought we were going to be in trouble.”

Iowa State shot over 70 percent in the first half but countered by shooting under 40 in the second half. Defense, or lack thereof, was the deciding factor as the Red Raiders shot over 62 percent in both halves.

“Maturity, toughness, better leadership,” head coach Larry Eustachy pinpointed as the difference in halves. “There was a stretch in the second half where we just played some real terrible basketball and we just couldn’t stop them, we can’t stop anybody.”

Jackson Vroman was the only other Cyclone in double figures with 24 points; he also grabbed a team-high eight boards. Marcus Jefferson added nine and Tim Barnes threw in eight points for Iowa State.

“I’m proud of Vroman,” Eustachy said. “He’s a product of his practices, he’s worked hard, he’s part of the solution.”

Iowa State’s other big-man, Jared Homan, played just 18 minutes and has been struggling with the flu. “He was awfully sick, it was great that he even played,” Eustachy said.

Sullivan was on fire in the first half, draining five of nine attempts from beyond the arc. He ended the game 11-of-20 from the field.

“I love Sullivan, he really works his ass off,” Knight said. “He really competes.”

Texas Tech’s Nathan Doudney kept the Red Raiders even with the Cyclones in the first 20 minutes. In just eight minutes off the bench, Doudney was perfect on three attempts from beyond the arc.

Sullivan hit three consecutive shots from long range, but Doudney took the momentum away with his first three. He matched Tim Barnes’ three moments later.

After Sullivan put the Cyclones up 54-53 with 14:46 remaining in the game, Texas Tech went on a 12-0 run and never looked back.

“I knew that they would come in here more determined than they had all year,” Eustachy said. “They were very determined and they refused to get beat tonight.”

After the game Sullivan talked about the instance when Knight approached him after the game to praise him.

“As a player that’s the greatest compliment you can receive,” he said. “I think he is a genius to be honest with you. He is, in my opinion, one of the greatest coaches to ever coach this game.”

Andre Emmett led Texas Tech with 25 points, making 11 of 12 from the field.

“He was unbelievable,” Sullivan said of Emmett. “He’s a great player and that’s obvious.”

Will Chavis scored 22, making five three-pointers, and Kasib Powell added 19 for the Red Raiders.

“We’re not buying into what coach is trying to coach us right now and get stops, it’s difficult,” Sullivan said. “Coach Knight made some great adjustments going small and we couldn’t stop them tonight.”

Tough games continue for the Cyclones as they hit the road to face nationally-ranked Kansas on Sunday.