Iowa State Cyclones Hold Off Iowa Hawkeyes In Exciting Contest To Remain Perfect
It was a classic Cy-Hawk showdown, and for a minute there, it looked like the Iowa Hawkeyes were about to pull off the ultimate party-crashing move. The Iowa State Cyclones, sitting pretty at 9-0 and fresh off a win against the nation’s top team, welcomed their in-state rivals to town. But as any seasoned fan knows, when it’s a rivalry game, you can throw the records right out the window.
Let’s be honest: the first half was a train wreck for the Cyclones. It was the kind of performance that makes you check your TV to make sure you’re on the right channel. Iowa State stumbled to a measly 25 points, shooting a dismal 33% from the field and an even more painful 20% from beyond the arc. It felt like they were trying to shoot a basketball into a thimble. On the other side of the court, the Hawkeyes couldn’t miss, hitting a blistering 64% from the field and an insane 71% from deep. The fact that Iowa State was only down by eight at the half felt like a minor miracle, a gift from the basketball gods.
The box score for Iowa State’s stars was just as grim. Milan Momcilovic, usually a scoring machine, managed just 2 points. Freshman Guard Killyan Toure? A big fat zero on three shots. It was shocking, ugly, and had Cyclone fans everywhere nervously shifting in their seats.
A Second-Half Surge For the Ages For Iowa State
Whatever T.J. Otzelberger said in that locker room at halftime should be bottled and sold. The team that came out for the second half looked like they’d been shot out of a cannon. Iowa State unleashed a ferocious 14-0 run to start, fueled by the kind of suffocating defense that defines their identity. Suddenly, passes were being tipped, shots were contested, and the Hawkeyes looked completely rattled. The offense, which had been hibernating for the first 20 minutes, finally woke up.
That initial burst was just the beginning. By the second TV timeout, it was a staggering 22-4 extended run. The game had been completely flipped on its head. While Momcilovic and Toure found their rhythm, it was senior Forward Joshua Jefferson who put the team on his back, carrying the offensive load when they needed it most. This team’s depth is its superpower; on any given night, a new hero can emerge.
Though the Hawkeyes made a little noise down the stretch, the damage was done. The Cyclones held on for a nail-biting 66-62 victory, pushing their perfect record to 10-0. It was a thriller that proved this Iowa State team has more than just talent—they have grit. With a more manageable stretch of games ahead, this team looks poised to do something special. After a performance like that, there’s no doubt the sky’s the limit in Ames.
