KANSAS CITY, Missouri — When a team is shooting 52 percent going into the half and 50 percent in the game and their opponent is shooting 38.9 percent from the first half and 40.3 percent in the game, they should be feeling pretty good about a victory.

Iowa State was in that spot heading into the half and at the end of the game, but the Cyclones were feeling the complete opposite. No. 7 seed Texas was up 34-31 at the half and eventually won the game 68-64, ending Iowa State’s season.

A 10-percentage lead at the end, but a four-point loss, there’s got to be a reason behind it.

Three words.

Turnovers. Offensive rebounds.

“At the end of the game, too many turnovers and offensive rebounds,” said coach Steve Prohm. “I [haven’t] looked at any stats, but I’m sure those are the big numbers that’ll stick out.”

Even though Iowa State was the No. 10 and last seed in the Big 12 Tournament, the Cyclones were playing a Longhorns team that couldn’t play its best player, freshman phenom Mo Bamba.

Bamba was dealing with a toe injury and Iowa State was planning to take advantage of that loss, but Texas had other plans. Freshman forward Jericho Sims replaced Bamba tonight and started off on a hot streak with five rebounds in the first four minutes.

Out of those five rebounds, three of them were offensive rebounds. At halftime, Sims led both teams with 10 rebounds and the Longhorns outrebounded the Cyclones 20-16 overall and 9-2 in the offensive category.

At the end of the game, Texas was still on top with 37 total rebounds and 14 coming from offensive rebounds. Iowa State had five fewer total rebounds and half of the Longhorns’ offensive rebounds.

“Sims, he just played harder than me tonight,” said redshirt freshman forward Cameron Lard.

Lard finished the game with 14 points, but only five rebounds compared to Sims’ 15 total rebounds. Lard was third in rebounds tonight behind Zoran Talley Jr. (nine) and Lindell Wigginton (eight).

Turnovers were another key part of Iowa State’s loss with 17 turnovers at the end of 40 minutes. Wigginton led the team with nine turnovers and Lard was second with three. Texas committed 10 turnovers but was able to capitalize on the Cyclones’ turnovers with a 13-9 lead in points off turnovers.

The turnovers started early for Iowa State, but to Wigginton it wasn’t something Texas was doing. It was on Iowa State’s play.

“I don’t think it was something [Texas] was doing,” Wigginton said. “I think we rushed at times, mishandled the ball.”

Even with all the negativity and the fact that the Iowa State basketball season is over, Prohm and the Cyclones have some bright spots to look forward to and learn from this season.

It was a rebuilding season for Iowa State and everyone said that heading into the season, but after tonight’s game there’s a handful of players that have stepped up because of injuries on the team.

Players like Talley Jr., Wigginton, Lard and Terrence Lewis, who all combined for 51 of Iowa State’s 64 points. Wigginton has been talked about throughout the season as a highly-recruited high school player and with him leading the team in points per game, it’s expected his name comes up more often.

Lard became a dominant post player halfway through the season and had his shining moments throughout the Big 12 regular season.

Talley Jr. dealt with a stress fracture in his foot the first half of the season, but found his spark in the Texas Tech game at the end of January and has been consistent ever since. Tonight was nothing new for him as he finished with 12 points, nine rebounds and four assists.

“Once we get back from spring break, it’s on,” Talley Jr. said. “All the older players need to get involved and get this train back rolling [for next season].”

Lewis was a freshman that not many Iowa State fans were able to see for the majority of this season until Nick Weiler-Babb and Solomon Young had season-ending injuries. Then, Prohm needed everyone to help and Lewis showed what the future could bring with three more seasons left as a Cyclone.

He had six points against TCU, 12 points at West Virginia and 12 points against Oklahoma State. Lewis is known for his 3-point ability and the expectation to grow will be there for him in the coming years.

The future may look bright for Iowa State and the 2018-19 season, but Prohm can’t wash away this season.

“I didn’t do a good enough job [this season],” Prohm said. “It’s unacceptable, it’s sickening, and we got to get to work.

“I don’t want to go through another season like this.”