AMES, Iowa – Iowa State (1-0) tallied an 80-63 season-opening victory over the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (0-3) on Sunday afternoon at Hilton Coliseum. Cyclone newcomer Jalen Coleman-Lands, a transfer from DePaul, scored a game-high 17 points to lead the way.
In total, seven different Cyclones made their debut in the Cardinal & Gold vs. UAPB. Fellow transfer Tyler Harris joined Coleman-Lands in double figures with 14 points, while Javan Johnson chipped in eight. The freshman quartet of Dudley Blackwell, Darlinstone Dubar, Xavier Foster and Jaden Walker all saw their first collegiate action and combined for 19 points.
Junior guard Rasir Bolton also stuffed the stat sheet with 16 points, seven rebounds and seven assists on the afternoon. The Cyclones took control of the game after halftime, outscoring UAPB 46-26 in the second half.
How It Happened
The Golden Lions got off to a fast start to begin Sunday’s season-opener. The visitors scored the game’s first 10 points, and eventually extended their lead to as much as 14-2 before the Cyclones righted the ship. Iowa State then rattled off nine straight, including back-to-back 3-pointers by Coleman-Lands and Harris to cut the UAPB lead to 14-11 with 11:53 to play in the first half.
Shooting struggles continued to plague Iowa State throughout the first 20 minutes, shooting just 38.2 percent from the field in the first half. Bolton and freshman Darlinstone Dubar scored seven each to lead the way, including a Dubar lay-in in the closing seconds of the half to cut the deficit to 37-34 at the intermission.
Following halftime it was Iowa State’s turn to come out with a flurry. The Cyclones started the second stanza with a 9-1 spurt to take their first lead of the game. Coleman-Lands scored six of Iowa State’s nine points during the stretch, while Harris knocked down the deep triple with 19:16 remaining that would give ISU the lead for good.
Iowa State would take control of the contest from that point forward. The Cyclones made up for a cold shooting first half by knocking down 8-of-14 attempts from deep in the second. Coleman-Lands scored 12 of his game-high 17 after the intermission, and the Cyclones cruised to an 80-63 season-opening victory.
Players of Note
Rasir Bolton did a little bit of everything for the Cyclones in the first game of his junior campaign. Bolton poured in 16 points on a tidy 7-of-11 shooting performance, and also tallied team-highs in rebounds (7), assists (7) and minutes (34).
Jalen Coleman-Lands provided an offensive spark for the Cyclones, particularly in the second half. The senior guard shot 7-of-14 from the field, including 4-of-5 on 2-point attempts. Coleman-Lands chipped in four rebounds, two steals and two assists.
Up Next
Iowa State is back in action at Hilton Coliseum on Wednesday at 6 p.m. vs. South Dakota State. The game will be broadcast live on Big 12 Now on ESPN+.
