GAMER: No. 14 Iowa State 85, Texas 77
Sophomore guard Matt Thomas moves the ball to the net during Iowa State’s matchup with the Drake Bulldogs on Dec. 20 at Wells Fargo Arena. Thomas scored 10 points with two assists, helping Iowa State defeat the Bulldogs during the Hy-Vee Big Four Class with a final score of 83-54.
February 21, 2015
The Lowdown
The Cyclones put on a 3-point shooting clinic in Austin, Texas to claim their second straight road game and improve to 20 wins this season with the 85-77 win against the Longhorns.
Iowa State (20-6, 10-4 Big 12) hit 12-of-21 3-pointers to stay within one game of first-place Kansas. Texas (17-10, 6-8 Big 12) dropped to 3-4 at home in the Big 12 this season.
Nothing came easy, as poor free-throw shooting and turnovers nearly gave Texas an opportunity to get back in the game after being down double digits with about four minutes to play. The Longhorns weren’t able to capitalize on critical possessions as Jameel McKay and Naz Long helped ice the game away from the line.
Matt Thomas and Georges Niang led the Cyclones with 17 points, followed by Bryce Dejean-Jones’ 16 points, Naz Long’s 12 points and Dustin Hogue’s 11 points.
The first half was a low-scoring affair with Iowa State shooting less than 40 percent for much of the period. However, down 31-27, the Cyclones went on an 8-0 run to close the half with a 35-31 lead.
Matt Thomas started the game hot, hitting his first three shots, two of them 3-pointers, to keep the cold-shooting Cyclones in the game.
The Cyclones were able to get out to a comfortable double-digit lead with six minutes to play, but Kendal Yancy’s 29-point effort nearly led the Longhorns back into the game. Isaiah Taylor’s 23 points provided the only other double-digit scoring effort for the Longhorns.
The Turning Point
With less than a minute to play, Texas had two opportunities to make it a one-possession game down 80-75, but couldn’t convert on either possessions, forcing Jameel McKay to go to the free-throw line, where he made both free throws.
The X-Factor
Matt Thomas — In the best game of his career, Thomas led the Cyclones with a career-high 17 points, including 4-of-6 3-pointers.
Thomas hit two free throws with less than two minutes to go, helping cushion the ISU lead. He also grabbed two rebounds and recorded a steal in the winning effort.
By the Numbers
3 — Blocks by Jameel McKay
14 — Fastest ISU team to 10 conference wins in 14 years (2000-01 season, 10-2)
43 — Texas rebounds, 11 more than Iowa State’s 32
50 — Second-half points by the Cyclones
57.1 — Percent from the 3-point line by Iowa State
