RAPID RECAP: 1st place battle in Big 12 goes to the Cyclones 80-76
Tuesday night's battle for first place in the Big 12 went the way of Iowa State by a final score of 80-76.
The game got off to a fast start, with both teams shooting over 60% from the field, but quickly both defenses settled in. By halftime, K-State and Iowa State had both turned the ball over 7 times and bright shooting percentages to nearly 50%.
Two players made their presences felt early on, with K-State's Cam Carter getting off to his hottest start of the season with 13 points in the first half on 5/5 shooting, including an early three. Carter finished the game with 15 points after entering foul trouble in the second half.
Iowa State's Gabe Kalscheur responded with ease though, adding a first-half 12 points and making the Wildcats pay for giving him open looks in the early going. Kalscheur ended the game with 19, the second most for the Cyclones behind a big night from Jaren Holmes.
The Wildcats scratched and clawed to a 33-31 halftime lead, despite losing the offensive rebounding battle and going over five minutes without scoring a basket at one point and seeing their four-point lead turn into a five-point deficit.
K-State started the second half with back-to-back empty possessions with miscues from Markquis Nowell and Keyontae Johnson, which led to Iowa State quickly taking the lead. The two K-State stars and leading scorers got off to slow starts on Tuesday, with turnovers again playing a part in that.
Iowa State took control near the first media timeout of the second half as they turned a halftime deficit into a seven-point edge with 11:55 to go in the game. K-State was 10/18 at the free throw line at that stage of the game, and had turned the ball over on 36% of their possessions to star the half.
Out of the timeout at the under-12, Kalscheur nailed a three to put the Cyclones ahead by double digits for the first time for either side on Tuesday. The Wildcats went exactly seven minutes between field goals until the 10:41 mark in the second half.
Down the stretch, K-State was able to get within a score, thanks to big-time shots from Ish Massoud, who continued to shoot lights out from three. Another big three came with 2:10 to play, as Nowell hit another three to bring K-State within two points again.
K-State trailed 76-73 with a chance to tie or extend the game coming down the floor, but Nowell's drive to the basket missed and K-State was forced to foul Caleb Grill, who knocked down both free throws.
Nowell led K-State in scoring with 23 points and Johnson, Carter and Massoud were also in double figures. The Wildcats were outscored 17-7 in second-chance points on Tuesday, and their three bigs of Bebe Iyiola, Nae'Qwan Tomlin and Massoud recorded a combined total of zero rebounds in the game.
Tying Nowell with a game-high of 23 points was Iowa State's Jaren Holmes.
Next up, the Wildcats return home to face Florida in the Big 12/SEC Challenge on Saturday where they plan to "lavender-out" Bramlage. Their next Big 12 game will be a week from Tuesday on the road in Allen Fieldhouse to face Kansas.
With the loss and Texas' home win over Oklahoma State, there is now a three-way tie at the top of the Big 12 with K-State, Iowa State and Texas at 6-2.