AMES — Baylor didn’t go away quietly, but its desperate attempts to salvage the game came a minute too late.
Iowa State basketball (21-2, 8-2 Big 12) held on for a 72-69 win over the Bears, completing the regular-season series sweep over Baylor at Hilton Coliseum on Saturday, Feb. 7.
Iowa State led 37-33 at the half and it led by as many as 15 points with 3:04 remaining in the game.
Milan Momcilovic led the Cyclones with 21 points. Joshua Jefferson had 15 points, while Tamin Lipsey added 14.
For Baylor, Cameron Carr had a game-high 24 points.
Here are five numbers that stood out from the Cyclones’ win:
15-4 — Iowa State’s second-half, six-minute game-changing run
The Bears hung around for a good chunk of the game until Iowa State’s defense stiffened up and created transition opportunities. The Cyclones also strung together quality plays on both ends of the court to gain separation.
Dominykas Pleta and Killyan Toure hit back-to-back baskets before Momcilovic followed up with a 3-pointer. Blake Buchanan had a highlight putback dunk after a missed 3-pointer, and then Lipsey capped off the run by carving up the Baylor defense with a couple of smooth finishes inside.
The run lasted for more than six minutes, with the final Lipsey basket giving the Cyclones a 63-51 lead with 7:04 remaining. Baylor shot 2-of-10 during this stretch, while the Cyclones rolled with momentum.
The Cyclones ended up leading by as many as 15 points with 3:04 remaining. Some sloppy play by Iowa State in the final minutes and desperation on Baylor’s end made it a much closer final margin of victory, but that second-half run for the Cyclones made all the difference.
+12 — Rebounding margin for Iowa State
The battle on the boards was going to be a key aspect of the game. Both teams are some of the country’s best at getting rebounds, especially on the offensive glass.
The Cyclones hustled on the floor, tracked down long rebounds, and they had the scrappiness to match Baylor’s physicality when it came to fighting for boards.
Iowa State outrebounded Baylor, 37-25. The Cyclones had 14 offensive rebounds.
In their previous meeting, Baylor had the edge on the boards, 47-44.
21 — Milan Momcilovic points for Iowa State
High-scoring performances or leading the Cyclones in points on a single-game basis are nothing new for Momcilovic.
However, how many times have we seen him lead the team in free-throw attempts? How many 20-point performances has he had where he only shoots 2-of-6 (33.3%) from beyond the arc?
Momcilovic further showcased his offensive savviness. From drawing fouls and going a perfect 7-for-7 at the line, or knowing when to drive inside or post up a much smaller guard. Momcilovic had a team-high 21 points on 6-of-11 shooting.
28.6% — Iowa State 3-point shooting percentage
The Cyclones actually got plenty of really good, open looks. A bunch of them were created by offensive rebounds.
The shot selection and passing that led to these optimal opportunities from the perimeter were good.
If a couple more of those wide-open 3-pointers fall, Iowa State likely pulls away or gets greater separation earlier. Momcilovic was 2-of-6 from deep, Lipsey went 0-for-4, and Toure also had a couple chances.
It’s not an indictment on the Cyclones that Baylor, despite its struggles in Big 12 play, kept it close, since open shots don’t always fall, but the Cyclones managed to find another avenue to victory.
The Cyclones finished 6-of-21 (28.6%) from deep, but they shot 50.0% for the entire game overall.
29.4% — Baylor’s second-half 3-point shooting percentage
The first half saw Baylor make long-range bombs from the logo and projected first-round draft pick Carr making a series of contested 3-pointers in the face of Lipsey’s defensive efforts.
Those 3-point buckets helped Baylor stick around, especially with Carr getting into a rhythm.
The Bears shot 6-of-14 (42.9%) from deep in the first half, but they were limited to shooting just 5-of-17 (29.4%) the remainder of the way. Carr was clamped down after the break and held to 2-of-6 shooting from beyond the arc.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: 5 standout stats from Iowa State basketball’s win vs Baylor
Reporting by Eugene Rapay, Des Moines Register / Des Moines Register
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
