Iowa State basketball: 3 takeaways from the Cyclones’ win over Texas Tech

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Texas Tech may have been unranked in major polls, but all the analytics pointed to Saturday being a trap game for Iowa State men’s basketball.

The Red Raiders were ranked No. 15, according to KenPom, and boasted a top 10 offense and a defense that was rated in the top 60.

Iowa State passed the test, though, to acquire its 11th-straight victory.

The third-ranked Cyclones escaped Lubbock with an 85-84 overtime win, fending off a tenacious Texas Tech team that led for the majority of the game.

Joshua Jefferson hit the game-winning free throw with 4.1 seconds remaining in overtime, going 2-for-2 at the line to put the Cyclones up by one point. Texas Tech got a last-second shot at the buzzer, but it was no good.

Jefferson also hit the game-tying layup at the buzzer in regulation to force the extra period.

More: Iowa State basketball vs Texas Tech recap: Highlights from Cyclones’ OT win

Curtis Jones had a season-high 26 points. Jefferson finished with 17 points and eight boards. Keshon Gilbert had 14 points, four assists, four steals and six turnovers. Tamin Lipsey had nine points, two assists, four steals and four turnovers.

Here are three takeaways from Saturday’s game:

Iowa State’s Joshua Jefferson (2) came up big in crunch time for the Cyclones on Saturday.

Iowa State gets a gutsy win, first victory in Lubbock since 2019

Out of the full 45 minutes of game action between regulation and OT, Iowa State only held the lead for a combined 99 seconds. Despite that and all the momentum shifts in between, the Cyclones were able to find a way to come out on top in a hostile environment.

Road wins are never easy to come by in the Big 12, and the No. 3 Cyclones are going to get everyone’s best shot. Iowa State was down by as many as 13 points midway through the first half, but it was able to overcome that slow start.

The Cyclones didn’t get their first lead until the 9:24 mark in the second half. The Red Raiders regained the lead quickly, but Iowa State was able to get the buzzer-beater to push the…

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Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/iowa-state-basketball-3-takeaways-120259380.html

Author : The Des Moines Register

Publish date : 2025-01-12 12:02:00

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