North Dakota State hung around for longer than Iowa State would have liked, but a timely second-half run put the Cyclones in control as they cruised to an 84-64 win. 

The Cyclones started out hot, but so did the Bison. Iowa State (6-0, 0-0 Big 12) led 11-9 after the first four minutes of play, during which both teams looked strong offensively and poor defensively.

NDSU took the lead with 5:54 left in the first half. ISU fans felt their hearts skip a beat when Georges Niang went down with an apparent injury at around the same point in the game. Hilton Coliseum fell silent as fans watched Niang squirm on the ground in obvious pain.

Iowa State later announced the injury as a right thigh contusion, and Niang was able to return to play in the closing minutes of the half.

Without Niang, the Cyclones fell behind, 30-27, with just over two minutes remaining in the half. Niang then returned and scored a bucket that spurred a late ISU run to end the half.

Naz Mitrou-Long got free for a layup, Abdel Nader hit a 3-pointer and McKay threw down a dunk to send Iowa State into halftime with a 36-30 lead.

The Bison wouldn’t go away in the second half, as they were able to respond to every run Iowa State made. The Cyclones had a narrow 52-50 lead at the under-12 timeout in the second half.

A pair of steals by Hallice Cooke and Mitrou-Long lead to easy buckets, and the Cyclones stretched their lead to nine points as the clock clicked below eight minutes remaining in the game.

NDSU had been able to respond to every ISU run previously, but couldn’t come up with enough in the final minutes of the game. Iowa State kept the foot on the gas pedal and run away with control of the game. 

Iowa State is off until next Monday, when it will take on Buffalo at 8 p.m. at Hilton Coliseum.