Buzzer-beating shots to end the first half and big runs to start the second half should be added to Iowa State’s scouting report if it isn’t already a part of it.

For the second game in a row, the Cyclones were locked in a tight first half battle before a basket at the buzzer propelled the team into a momentous second half run that neither opponent would be able to recover from. 

But the similarities between the games ended there. 

The Iowa game was a near-perfect team performance without one of Iowa State’s leading scorers, as Bryce Dejean-Jones served a one-game suspension. Against Southern, defensive breakdowns and an uncharacteristic pace kept the Jaguars in the game longer than ISU coach Fred Hoiberg wanted.

Why such a drop-off in level of play?

“Probably [us] thinking our crap doesn’t stink,” said forward Georges Niang of the team’s performance against Southern. “They punched us in the mouth, credit to Southern. They did a great job of getting in us and playing the type of basketball we don’t like to play.”

Less than 48 hours after defeating the Hawkeyes 90-75 in Iowa City, the Cyclones were forced to make the quick turnaround, both physically and mentally for the game against a 2-7 Southern team that wasn’t turning any heads in the college basketball world.

However, Hoiberg wasn’t surprised by the result, saying the emotional hangover from the Iowa game was to be expected.

“I remember playing in this rivalry and how intense it is and have to come back less than 48 hours later basically making it a back-to-back game … you knew there was going to be a little bit of a letdown,” Hoiberg said.

Despite stretches of poor play, there was no letdown for Bryce Dejean-Jones as he returned from a suspension following his arrest Dec. 11. The senior picked up where he left off, finishing with 18 points, six rebounds and two assists in 30 minutes of action.

He has made 23 of his last 30 shots as the Cyclones finished their sixth game shooting above 50 percent, going 52.8 percent from the floor against the Jaguars. Iowa State also made 29 of their 33 free throws, improving on their top-20 free throw shooting ranking.

But the team’s signature spark plug at Hilton — three-point shooting — was no where to be found. Making just 3-of-17 from outside, the team could never spark a run to pull away from Southern.

Is it a problem going forward? Hoiberg and Niang certainly don’t think so. But as the team looks forward to Finals Week and their final stretch of non-conference games before Oklahoma State on Jan. 6, the slow starts are something the team is focused on fixing.

“You let any team come in here and get confident, you’re going to be in for a battle and that’s what happened today,” Hoiberg said. “We’re going to have to do a better job of urgency coming out of the gates and establishing ourselves.”