Cyclones break three-game skid

Iowa State forward Melvin Ejim (3) drives to the basket past Kansas State guard Shane Southwell during the second half of the No. 16 Cyclones’ 81-75 victory over the No. 22 Wildcats on Saturday at Hilton Coliseum in Ames, Iowa. Ejim scored 20 points to lead the Cyclones, who broke a three-game losing streak.

Iowa State forward Melvin Ejim (3) drives to the basket past Kansas State guard Shane Southwell during the second half of the No. 16 Cyclones’ 81-75 victory over the No. 22 Wildcats on Saturday at Hilton Coliseum in Ames, Iowa. Ejim scored 20 points to lead the Cyclones, who broke a three-game losing streak.

Sunday, January 26, 2014

AMES, Iowa - One of these days, Kansas State Coach Bruce Weber might trust his team to push the pace a little more.

Just not now.

The 22nd-ranked Wildcats rushed a few too many shots, had too many breakdowns on defense and lost to No. 16 Iowa State 81-75 on Saturday.

The Wildcats rallied from deficits of 12 and 11 points to tie the score in the second half, but never got the stop or basket they needed to take the lead and allowed a team to top 70 points for only the fourth time this season.

“When we move the basketball and move, we’re a pretty good team,” Weber said. “But we go 1-on-1 too much. Some of it’s youth. Some of it you’ve got to put on my shoulders. We’ve got to do a better job of preparing them and making sure they move the basketball and get it to the right people at the right times.”

Melvin Ejim scored 20 points to lead Iowa State (15-3, 3-3 Big 12), which regained its shooting touch in breaking a three-game losing streak.

Georges Niang had 18points and freshman Matt Thomas matched a season high with 14 for the Cyclones, who blew a 12-point halftime lead, rebuilt the lead to 11, then hit another lull as the Wildcats (14-6, 4-3) rallied to tie the score at 66-66 with 5 minutes left.

Niang hit a three-pointer from the top of the key 19 seconds later after Ejim grabbed an offensive rebound and Iowa State led the rest of the way.

Weber felt the Wildcats too often got away from the controlled game they need to play.

“Just some quick shots,1-on-1 shots, when we were a little impatient,” he said. “We’re too young. A year from now, maybe we can play a little quicker. But right now, we’re a little young to put up those quick shots.”

Still, Kansas State got within three points at the end, but Ejim blocked a potential game-tying three-pointer from Shane Southwell and hit two free throws to put the Cyclones ahead 79-73 with 23 seconds left.

Marcus Foster scored 20 points for Kansas State, which lost consecutive games for the first time since November.

In other Big 12 games Saturday, Texas freshman guard Isaiah Taylor scored a career-high 27 points and the Longhorns stretched their winning streak to five games with a 74-60 victory over slumping No. 24 Baylor. The Longhorns (16-4, 5-2) have won three consecutive games against Top 25 teams for the first time in school history. … LeBryan Nash scored a career-high 29 points and had nine rebounds to help No. 11 Oklahoma State beat West Virginia 81-75. Nash was 10 of 13 from the field for the Cowboys (16-3, 4-2), who swept the season series with the Mountaineers. … Buddy Hield scored 18 points, 12 on three-pointers, to lead No. 25 Oklahoma to a 74-65 victory over Texas Tech. Cameron Clark added 17 points and Jordan Woodard had 15 to lead the Sooners (16-4, 5-2). ... Andrew Wiggins scored 19 of his career-high 27 points in the first half and No. 8 Kansas never gave TCU a shot at a repeat of last year’s huge upset, beating the Horned Frogs 91-69.

Sports, Pages 25 on 01/26/2014