AMES – No. 20 Iowa State (8-2, 0-0 Big 12) shut down McNeese (3-7, 0-0 Southland) Sunday night Hilton Coliseum, 77-40.
The Cyclone defense was sharp in the win, forcing a season-high 30 turnovers, the ninth time in 10 games this season ISU pestered opponents into 18 or more miscues. Seven of the turnovers came via charges, as Osun Osunniyi, Robert Jones and Tamin Lipsey each had a pair.
The Cyclones were up by six points in the final minute of the first half but proceeded to hold the Cowboys scoreless in the next nine minutes of game action in a decisive 18-0 run. ISU held the Cowboys to just 16 second-half points.
Aljaž Kunc led all players by tying a career high in points (21), popping in 8-of-12 shots from the field and 3-of-5 from downtown. He also grabbed a game-high eight boards. Jaren Holmes poured in 17 points and Gabe Kalscheur chipped in with 15 points. Tamin Lipsey tallied four points and dished out a career-high eight assists.
The Cyclones made 10-of-18 shots from beyond the arc and shot a season-high 54.5 percent from the floor.
How It Happened
Kunc scored ISU’s first seven points via feeds from Lipsey, and Jaren Holmes buried a trey to push the Cyclones out in front 12-2 at the first media timeout. The Cyclones then went through a six-minute stretch with just one field goal, as the Cowboys dented the Cyclone lead to 14-11.
The Cyclones then scored eight-straight points, three by Holmes and five from Kalscheur. Kalscheur scored on a lay-up and a corner trey to give the Cyclones a 22-11 lead with 7:44 left in the first half.
ISU led at the break, 33-24. The Cyclones forced 14 turnovers but had seven miscues of their own.
A 15-0 Cyclone spurt to start the second half put the game out of reach. Again, Kunc was key in the Cyclone fast start, scoring seven of ISU’s 15 points in the run. McNeese State’s first points of the second half came at the 11:25 mark.
Top Performance
Gabe Kalscheur provided a spark for the Cyclones from off the bench. Kalscheur was 6-of-13 from the field, including a 3-of-7 effort from 3-point range, enroute to 15 points. He also had three rebounds, three steals and five assists.
Notes
-ISU recorded its best first half shooting percentage of the season. The Cyclones shot 48 percent (14-of-29) in the first half.
-Tamin Lipsey set a new career-high with eight assists against the Cowboys.
-Aljaž Kunc tied his career-high with 21 points against McNeese.
What’s Next
Iowa State has a week off before resuming play against Western Michigan (Sun., Dec. 18) in Hilton Coliseum. Tipoff is at Noon on Big 12 Now/ESPN+.
