Melvin Ejim, DeAndre Kane, Georges Niang power Iowa State
With the NCAA event nearly a month away, groups are visiting lean on their stars more than ever.
Iowa State standouts Melvin Ejim, DeAndre Kane and Georges Niang showed why the Cyclones could be in fantastic form come March.
Ejim racked up 25 points, DeAndre Kane included 22 and Niang had 20 to assist No. 17 Iowa State defeated 19th-ranked Texas 85-76 on Tuesday evening for its 5th triumph in 6 games.
The trio try 57 percent from the flooring to lead the Cyclones (20-5, 8-5 Large 12), which ended up being the third-fastest team to 20 wins in college history.
"It's obviously essential that your essential people are playing well for you," coach Fred Hoiberg said. "Even though those guys all scored over 20, I think it was an overall synergy.".
Iowa State outscored Texas 25-12 late in the 2nd half to pull away and relocate within a game of the second-place Longhorns in the Huge 12.
The Cyclones were keyed by Ejim, that had his second-best rating game of the season, while Kane chipped in with five helps and zero turnovers and Niang helped keep Cameron Ridley without a basket.
Isaiah Taylor had 26 points to lead the Longhorns (20-6, 9-4), which have followed up a seven-game winning streak by splitting their previous 4.
"They really did not do one point that we didn't think they 'd do. We weren't difficult sufficient to safeguard it, quit it," Texas train Rick Barnes said. "We didn't can be found in with a tough enough frame of mind to begin the game.".
Yet despite the fact that Texas fired just 33 percent from the flooring, it still hit some big shots in the second one-half.
The Longhorns might barely miss from the line, either.
Javan Felix hit a 3 to match a crowd-energizing one from Matt Thomas, and Connor Lammert did too with Iowa State on the verge of going ahead by dual figures with 8:08 left.
Texas also hit its first 16 free throws and 23 of 25 total to hang close. Yet Jonathan Holmes ultimately missed with 6:26 left, and Niang's taking place putback offered Iowa State a 75-65 lead.
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Felix had 16 factors, however he required 22 gos to obtain there.
"Train (Hoiberg) addresses poise and fix. I believe when they were striking big shots we would certainly merely boil down and try and make a play once again. I think that was significant. We ended up acquiring some quits to help acquire the lead up," Niang claimed.
Holmes and Ridley, that combined for 39 factors and 18 rebounds in an 86-76 Texas sway Iowa State last month, collaborated for just 18 points and 14 rebounds Tuesday.
Iowa State likewise outscored Texas 40-18 in the paint even with a 44-35 shortage on the boards.
"Although they defeat us on the glass, we obtained them when it was crucial. We got them at important times. There was a great deal of durability revealed by our team," Ejim shared.
The Cyclones had battled of late on protection. They quit 102 points in a loss at West Virginia on Feb. 10-- and complied with that up by blowing an 18-point residence lead against Texas Tech.
Iowa State's very first defensive stand against the Longhorns was a catastrophe.
It got better from there, though.
The Cyclones enabled four consecutive offending rebounds by Texas to open play, and Kane visited the bench with a neck injury. However Kane returned in time to attack Iowa State's first basket, and the Cyclones quickly took a lead it would hold for most of the one-half.
Monte Morris found Ejim for an alley-oop to assist Iowa State push its result in 36-27, and his reverse dunk from the baseline made it 43-33. Yet Texas, which shot an awful 10-of-37 from the floor in the first one-half, struck 6 of its following 10 to pull even at 48-all with just more than 14 mins to go.
The Longhorns really did not have an answer for Ejim, though-- and Kane and Niang additionally had their method with the Texas protection.
"It had not been an actual sweet talk at halftime. Yet I do think they came out and reacted. Then, when we linked it at 48 in the 2nd one-half, we just weren't wise enough," Barnes said.
