The No. 12 Iowa State Cyclones (24-9, 13-7 Big 12) and No. 17 BYU Cougars (24-8, 14-6 Big 12) traded blows in a high-scoring ranked matchup in the second round of the Big 12 men's tournament this afternoon. The first half of this game was explosive on the offensive end of the floor for both teams, with the Cyclones and Cougars combining for over 100 points in the game's first 20 minutes.
A banged-up Iowa State squad absorbed some punches from an efficient BYU offense in the second half. Head coach TJ Otzelberger and the Cyclones were missing two starting guards from the starting five vs. BYU, including junior Tamin Lipsey and senior Keshon Gilbert.
BYU and Iowa State went back and forth with the scoring leads in the second half. The swings saw both Iowa State and BYU lead by double digits at different points for today's game.
But BYU's active defense in clutch time helped to generate a couple of key turnovers and guard Richie Saunders nailed some big shots late in the game to give the Cougars the edge.
BYU continues on in the Big 12 Tournament to face the winner of the Colorado Buffaloes and Houston Cougars in the semis this upcoming weekend.
Despite not having Lipsey and Gilbert in the backcourt starting for this game, Iowa State still put up a great fight on both ends of the floor to give such a competitive game to a good BYU squad in the Big 12 Tournament.
The Cougars hung on against a fiesty Iowa State squad in the second half to secure a hard-fought 96-92 victory over the Cyclones in the Big 12 Tournament quarterfinals on March 13.
Curtis Jones lights up BYU's defense
No player came out firing for Iowa State and/or BYU in this game in the second round of the Big 12 Tournament as much as senior Cyclones' guard Curtis Jones. The Big 12 Sixth Man of the Year for the Cyclones this season exploded for a game-high 22 first-half points on a sparkling 8-of-12 shooting from the field and 6-of-9 from beyond the arc.
Iowa State stormed out to a six-point lead late in the first half to take control of this game for the first time, thanks to an impressive 21-7 run led by double-digit scoring from Jones. In the first half alone, Jones tied the single-game Big 12 men's tournament record for Iowa State three-pointers made.
Three Iowa State players spearheaded the Cyclones' first-half scoring outburst. Jones, along with Milan Momcilovic and Joshua Jefferson, each scored in double figures in the first half.
BYU did a better job on the defensive end of the floor, limiting Jones to just nine points in the game's final 20 minutes. That said, Jones finished up the game with a game-high 31 points on 50 percent shooting from the field and over 45 percent from deep.
Injuries hamper Iowa State's communication and off-ball play on defense
Without the team's leader on the perimeter on the defensive end of the floor, Big 12 All-Defensive Team guard Lipsey for Iowa State, the Cyclones were hurt off-ball trying to chase down the ball against BYU's quick-moving offensive sets. BYU hit double-digit catch-and-shoot three-pointers against an Iowa State defense that allowed over 90 points for the first time all season.
Iowa State's perimeter defense didn't have the answer for BYU's reigning three-pointers this afternoon in the Big 12 Tournament. BYU set a season-high with over 17 three-point field goals, while shooting over 50 percent from deep for most of this game against Iowa State's defense.
Depth and bench scoring competition was an issue for Iowa State against BYU's efficient rotation scoring, with forwards Fousseyni Traore and Mihailo Boskovic both scoring in double figures off the bench for the Cougars.
For only a handful of contests this past regular season, Iowa State's opponent was allowed to shoot at least 45 percent from beyond the arc.
Iowa State should be a lock for a high single-digit seed for the NCAA Tournament
Regardless of what happened in the Big 12 Tournament late this week, the Cyclones were essentially a lock to be no lower than a five-seed for the Big Dance this postseason. Kenpom ranks Iowa State among the 15 best teams in the nation in college hoops before Selection Sunday this weekend.
Iowa State is one of roughly a dozen teams with at least nine Quad 1 victories this past regular season. Otzelberger and the Cyclones have a great case to be one of the Big 12 teams projected to be a three or four-seed for the NCAA Tournament on Selection Sunday in a few days.