AMES (AP) — For once, Iowa State gave its fans a game they didn’t have to sweat out until the final buzzer.
Naz Mitrou-Long scored 23 points and Iowa State cruised past Oklahoma 80-64 on Saturday, sending the Sooners to their seventh straight defeat.
Mitrou-Long buried five 3s for the Cyclones (15-9, 7-5 Big 12), who blew the game open with a 21-4 run midway through the second half.
It was just the second time in 12 games decided by more than 10 points for Iowa State — which followed an overtime win over No. 3 Kansas with an agonizing two-point loss at Texas.
“It was definitely nice,” Iowa State senior Matt Thomas said. “That’s what should’ve happened. That’s the way we need to play, especially at home.”
Iowa State blew a nine-point lead early just after halftime, allowing Oklahoma to tie it at 41-all. But the Cyclones tightened up their defense, letting up just four points during an eight-minute stretch that was among their best all season.
Back-to-back 3s from Donovan Jackson pushed Iowa State’s lead to 68-48 with just over six minutes to go.
Thomas scored 13 points and Monte Morris had 13 with nine assists and six rebounds for Iowa State, which went 12 of 26 from 3-point range.
“This game had a lot of runs... but we hit them with the last run and we didn’t let them get back in it,” Iowa State coach Steve Prohm said.
Freshman Kameron McGusty led the Sooners (8-16, 2-10) with 13 points.
Oklahoma star Jordan Woodard left the game with an apparent right knee injury with 6:58 and didn’t return. He finished with nine points.
“I thought they were aggressive and active,” Kruger said of Iowa State. “We battled back there a couple of times, but not enough.”
BIG PICTURE
Iowa State: The Cyclones were up and down — but they’ve been that way all season. Still, Iowa State bounced back from a sloppy loss at Texas with a strong start and a decisive spurt when Oklahoma threatened to make a game of it. The Cyclones haven’t left themselves much room for another bad loss on their resume, but Oklahoma was the worst team left on their schedule.
Oklahoma: The Sooners ensured that they’ll finished Big 12 play with a losing record just a year removed from the Final Four. Oklahoma’s youngsters showed some fight in a hostile gym though, which it’ll have to hope pays off in future trips to Ames.
THE NUMBERS
Rashard Odomes had 11 points and Darrion Strong-Moore had nine for Oklahoma. ...Jackson finished with 10 points and, like Morris, no turnovers. Iowa State turned it over just four times while forcing 14. ...Still, Iowa State was outrebounded by 15. ...Oklahoma’s youth was apparent in one key stat. The Sooners had just seven assists on 24 made baskets.
YOUNG’S MOMENT
Iowa State’s struggles in the paint were a big reason why Prohm started freshman Solomon Young in the paint for the first time. Young finished with eight points and two blocks, and Prohm hinted that Young might start the rest of the way. “I think he’s earned it,” Prohm said. Senior post player Darrell Bowie played just 12 minutes, and Merrill Holden was held out with a minor injury.