Caleb Grill scored 18 points and Izaiah Brockington added 17 as visiting Iowa State had a double-digit lead with 1:36 to play then held on for 74-73 Big 12 Conference victory Saturday over Kansas State at Manhattan, Kan.
Tyrese Hunter had 13 points and 10 assists for the Cyclones (20-9, 7-9 Big 12), who avenged an overtime loss to Kansas State on Feb. 12.
Nigel Pack scored 32 points for the Wildcats (14-14, 6-10), while Markquis Nowell added 16 as Kansas State lost its third consecutive game, dealing a heavy blow to the team’s NCAA Tournament hopes. Pack has three games of at least 30 points this season with the Wildcats losing each one.
Iowa State used a 16-2 run early in the second half to turn a one-point edge into a 58-43 advantage with 11:13 remaining. Kansas State responded with a 12-0 run to cut it to 58-55 with 6:14 to play, but the Wildcats were unable to get even.
Iowa State led 72-62 with 1:36 remaining before Kansas State hit eight straight free throws to cut its deficit 72-70 with 49 seconds left. Grill missed a long 3-pointer on the next possession and Kansas State got the rebound with 16 seconds remaining.
But the Wildcats could not get a shot off before committing a turnover. Iowa State’s Aljaz Kunc hit two free throws with 2.9 seconds left to ice the victory. Pack hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer for the final margin.
Iowa State has won four straight games since blowing a 15-point second-half lead in the loss to Kansas State two weeks ago. Grill was 6-of-10 from 3-point range for the Cyclones on Saturday.
Mark Smith added 12 points and nine rebounds before fouling out for the Wildcats. Nowell had 14 of his 16 points from the free-throw line.
The Cyclones struggled early, missing their first six field-goal attempts while falling behind 13-2. The Cyclones didn’t hit a shot form 2-point range until George Conditt scored from close range with 10:57 left in the half. Pack keyed the early Kansas State run, scoring eight of the team’s 11 points.
It didn’t take long for Iowa State to regroup, tying the score at 15-all on a 3-point shot by Jaden Walker at the 9:51 mark. Iowa State took a 37-35 lead into halftime.
Pack scored more than half of Kansas State’s points in the first half, with 20 on 6-of-7 shooting. Grill had 12 points and Brockington had 11 to lead Iowa State in the first half, while Hunter had eight assists.
–Field Level Media
