Close games have been a curse for the Iowa State men’s basketball

team this season. The Cyclones moved one step closer to exorcising those

demons

Saturday, defeating Nebraska 85-79 in a Big 12 Conference contest.

Tyray Pearson had 20 points for Iowa State and Omar Bynum had a

career-high 19 points on seven of eight shooting. Shane Power added 20.

Brian Conklin led Nebraska with 20 points. Cary Cochran, who played his

high

school ball at Minden, added 14 for the Huskers.

The Cyclones won consecutive games for the first time since December

to

move their record to 11-15 and 3-9 in the Big 12.

The biggest play of the game may have been when Power drew a

charging

foul on Nebraska’s Jake Muhleisen with 1:32 left in the game. The crowd

erupted with the call and the Cyclones were able to burn clock with

two-point lead.

ISU shot a blistering 57 percent from the field in the first half,

but

trailed the Huskers 44-36 due in large part to Nebraska’s 10

three-pointers.

The Cyclones hit 11 of their first 13 shots to open the second half

and

erased the lead, pulling even at the 16:23 mark.

Iowa State had to play a portion of the second half without freshman

point

guard Ricky Morgan, who picked up his fourth personal foul with 11

minutes

remaining in the game. The ball-handler was welcomed back with six

minutes

remaining to help the Cyclones control the ball and hold on to the

game.

“I thought the biggest part of the game was that Ricky Morgan didn’t

foul

out,” ISU head coach Larry Eustachy said. “Our team looks different

when

he’s not in there.”

Morgan set a personal best with eight assists and just one turnover

for

the game. He’s had 15 assists in the last two games.

Sophomore Jake Sullivan, who chipped in with 18 points, said one

thought

came to mind as the Cyclones embarked on another close game with one

minute

left.

“Don’t blow this one,” Sullivan said. “That’s probably the most

nervous

I’ve been on free throws…we can’t lose this one.”

Eustachy and Sullivan agreed that Bynum’s contribution and the

improved

play of Morgan have been key the last two games.

“I’m tickled for him,” Eustachy said, referring to Bynum. “He’s

worked

hard and he’s a good guy.”

Bynum is lighting the box score on fire recently. The junior has

scored

37 points and has missed just one field goal in the last two games.

The Omaha, Neb. native admitted he was even more pumped up for the

game

with the Cornhuskers because he had the chance to go against his former

AAU

teammate, Nebraska’s Wilson Thomas.

He’s played so well that he’s drawn jokes from his teammates. Power

said

he asked Bynum if he “had the flu or something” after the game.

Sullivan called Bynum’s play a “huge bonus.”

“We’re all coming together as a team – all five of us” Sullivan

said.

Power agreed.

“We’re playing our best ball right now,” he said. “We’re the best

team…that we could be right now.”

It’s good timing for the Cyclones. They face No. 2 Kansas in a

nationally

televised contest Monday night. ISU hopes to play the role of spoiler,

as

the Jayhawks are undefeated in the conference this season.

Power said it’s a toss up between Kansas and Duke for the best team

in

the nation. He said the Jayhawks are especially tough at Allen

Fieldhouse.

The Cyclones have won the last two in Lawrence.

“Kansas plays with a lot of energy there,” Power said. “They’re

playing

really great ball right now.”