Courtesy: cyclones.com –
LAWRENCE, Kan. – Kansas’s Ben McLemore banked in a 3-pointer from the top of the key with 0:01.5 seconds left in regulation to force overtime, as the sixth-ranked Jayhawks (13-1, 1-0 Big 12) defeated Iowa State (10-4, 0-1 Big 12), 97-89 in an extra-period thriller Wednesday night in Lawrence, Kan.
Iowa State went ahead, 77-73 with 0:29 seconds left in regulation after Melvin Ejim scored in the paint. After KU’s Elijah Johnson made one free-throw on the other end for the Jayhawks, ISU’s Korie Lucious was fouled with 0:20 seconds left, setting up a one-and-one situation.
Lucious missed the front end, however, and KU quickly answered with a Johnson bucket to make it 77-76 with 0:14 ticks left. Lucious was fouled again, this time making both foul shots with 0:08 seconds left to move ISU back up, 79-76.
McLemore then made the big shot to force the overtime, as the Cyclones were ever so close to ending KU’s 30-game homecourt winning streak and securing their first win in Allen Fieldhouse since 2005.
ISU struggled in the extra session, as KU scored the first 11 points to take a comfortable 90-79 lead. ISU never threatened the rest of the way.
Six players scored in double figures for the Cyclones, led by Ejim’s 19 points. He also grabbed 11 boards to record his sixth double-double of the season. Tyrus McGee, Chris Babb and Lucious all had three 3-pointers each to help ISU record a season-high 14 treys for the game.
Iowa State bounced out to a quick lead when Georges Niang scored ISU’s first eight points on a pair of 3-pointers to give the Cyclones an 8-3 advantage. Niang got his second start of the season and quickly forced KU’s Jeff Withey, the nation’s leading shot-blocker out of the paint to cover him.
The Jayhawks then scored 10-straight points to go up 13-8, but McGee helped the Cyclones re-take the lead on a pair of 3-pointers, as ISU led 14-13 with 14:40 left in the first half.
McLemore helped KU get a little separation with a pair of deep, contested 3-pointers to push the Jayhawks out in front, 40-32 with 1:52 left in the first half.
The Cyclones trimmed the KU lead to 42-38 at the break, as Babb knocked down a 3-pointer at the buzzer.
McLemore ended the game with 33 points on 6-of-6 shooting from downtown.
Iowa State kept its 70-point streak alive in the loss. ISU is still the only team in the nation to score at least 70 points in every game this year.
The Cyclones are back in action this Saturday, playing host to Texas in a 1 p.m. CST tip.
