As the saying goes, free-throw shooting is contagious. Fortunately for Iowa State, the team picked the right time to shake the bug and catch the fever.

“My assistants had been handling the free-throw coaching and I took it over this morning and we got better real quick,” Coach Tim Floyd joked Saturday night after his team defeated Coppin State in overtime.

In ISU’s opening round win over Texas Southern in the Cyclone Challenge, the Cyclones shot a dismal 55 percent from the foul line, for 22 of 40 shooting. However, ISU easily outdistanced the Tigers on the scoreboard 83-60.

Things were different for ISU in the championship game, as the team swished 31 of 37 free throws to claim the title by the final score of 77-74.

Klay Edwards paved the way for the Cyclones in the championship, tallying a career-high 28 points. He capped off his double-double with 11 rebounds.

Edwards down-played his individual performance saying, “The main thing is we got the win.

“It’s the biggest win of the season by far for us,” he said. “We just stepped up our defense, and that will prove a little something to our young guys.”

With a mixture of dunks, hook shots and offensive rebounds, Edwards played tough down the stretch in helping ISU battle back from an eight-point deficit with 4:03 to play in regulation.

“Klay Edwards was outstanding. It seemed like he got every board late,” Floyd said.

Down 59-51, ISU stiffened up on defense, holding the Eagles scoreless for the next three minutes. One key was the “un”intentional fouling of poor-shooting Eagle, Tyran Watkins, who missed three straight one-and-one opportunities in the final minutes.

ISU dominated the offensive glass and made key shots at the charity stripe in the late stretches. With five seconds left, ISU pulled ahead on a pair of free throws by forward Paul Shirley.

However, after the two makes, Coppin State point guard Danny Singletary drove the length of the court and scored on a lay-up as the buzzer sounded, pushing the contest into an extra frame.

In the overtime, ISU again went inside to Edwards. He hit for nine of the Cyclones’ 13 points in the period.

After some sloppy play in the waning moments, ISU held on to escape with the 77-74 victory.

“It would have been difficult for this group to come back after a loss in this type of game,” Floyd said, comparing it to an emotional lift his team gained two years ago after a road win over Drake.

The game was tough competition in the early going for the Cyclones.

Coppin State, blessed with one of the best backcourts in the country according to Floyd, defeated Missouri earlier this year, and upset third-seeded South Carolina in the NCAA Tournament last year.

The guard combination of Singletary and Antoine Brockington scored 49 points.

Guard Jerry Curry and Edwards were named to the All-Tournament team. Curry was named captain of the squad after netting 20 points in each of the two games.

“It makes me feel great. I’m playing the ball I’m capable of playing,” he said. “I just tried to come in and finally give this ball club a boost. We needed some outside scoring.”

The Hilton crowds took a liking to Curry’s scoring outbreak, a much-needed lift from a team receiving most of its scoring from the post in earlier games.

“I was glad I was able to get this crowd into it. And when I did get the crowd into it, our players got into it. That was a big key right there,” he said.

“Curry’s making baskets and I think that’s changing our team,” Floyd said. “He’s making everything right now and I just hope he continues. That’s why we signed him.”

Curry said the inside play of the ISU big men has collapsed the opposing defenses into the lane, allowing for more looks for the Cyclone perimeter players.

With Curry as a long-range threat, Edwards, Shirley, Marcus Fizer and Martin Rancik should have more room to roam in the paint.

In addition to his shooting, Floyd said Curry played an all-around game from his off-guard position. Curry also brought the ball up the court, rebounded and defended the perimeter.

Floyd said, “He’s getting better on the defensive end and continues to go back and get himself on the defensive boards.”

Delvin Washington and Shirley each tossed in nine points.

Fizer, who was benched after receiving a technical foul midway through the second half, picked up only five, but contributed nine caroms.

ISU shot 37 percent for the game, three percent lower than Coppin State.

Friday night, Curry’s 20 points led the cardinal and gold, while Fizer added 14 points and Shirley and Rancik hit for 13.

The Cyclones led by 10 at the half, and kept the lead in double digits for the game’s final 10 minutes.

ISU made better than half of its field goal attempts against the Tigers, while Texas Southern shot an ice-cold 31 percent.

Also named to the Cyclone Challenge All-Tournament team were Coppin State’s Singletary and Brockington, Southwest Texas’ Donte Mathis and Texas Southern’s Randy Bolden.

Bolden scored 20 against ISU on Friday and hit for 45 in TSU’s consolation loss to Southwest Texas.

The Cyclones face their first road test of the season on Wednesday night at Drake at 7 p.m.

“I think that it will be a true test of where we really are right now,” said Edwards, the team’s leading scorer and rebounder on the season.