No. 14 Iowa State falls 85-82 in OT to Texas Tech
LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) — Iowa State coach Steve Prohm saw small details that led to the 14th-ranked Cyclones' 85-82 loss to Texas Tech.
"I don't even think it's fatigue," he said. "It's little things. We're trying to get ball reversal. And we drive it and we turn it over. There's a couple big possessions. We're up six or eight. Everything was turnover, missed layup led to baskets on their end for them."
Zach Smith made two free throws with 18 seconds remaining in overtime to lead Texas Tech to the win Wednesday night.
It was the second straight year the Red Raiders beat the Cyclones in Lubbock. Last season, Iowa State was ranked ninth.
Deonte Burton scored a season-high 20 points and Abdel added 19 points to lead Iowa State (17-7, 6-5). Fans stormed the court after the victory.
Aaron Ross scored 20 points and Devaugntah Williams added 19 to lead Texas Tech (14-9, 4-7).
Iowa State built leads several times — in each half — only to watch the Red Raiders claw their way back. Two free throws by Smith in separate two trips to the free-throw line tied it at 78 at the end of regulation.
"We didn't finish," Prohm said. "We just didn't finish in crucial times."
The win gave the Red Raiders one more Big 12 victory than they had last season.
With 2 seconds on the shot clock in overtime, Keenan Evans hit a long 3-pointer off an out-of-bounds to make it 83-80 with 1:34 left. Georges Niang hit two free throws with 29 seconds remaining to whittle the deficit to 83-82.
"Knowing it was just 2 seconds (on the shot clock), a heck of a play to put us up by three," Texas Tech coach Tubby Smith said. "We needed something like that to happen. It's happened against us a bit this year. Glad it was our turn."
Niang knew Evans' accuracy from beyond the arc.
That guy (Evans) shoots 31 percent from 3," Niang said. "He hits two big 3s in the second half. ... It's like someone stabbing you in the stomach."
Matt Thomas missed a 3-pointer with 5 seconds remaining and Smith got the rebound to end the game.
Despite getting 50 points in the paint, the Cyclones couldn't stop the Red Raiders, who hit 10 of 26 3-pointers. In last year's upset of Iowa State, Texas Tech hit 11 3s to win.
Iowa State got four layups, a tip-in rebound by Niang and 3-pointers from Abdel Nader and Monte Morris to start the second half and build a 54-45 lead over the Red Raiders. But Texas Tech kept chipping away.
The Cyclones went up 30-22 on a 3-pointer by Jordan Ashton. But then Williams got hot for the Red Raiders, getting eight straight points from a field goal and back-to-back 3s to tie it at 30. Iowa State got just three field goals in the final 6:11 of the half. The two teams were tied at 37 at halftime.
NIANG'S NIGHT
George Niang, Iowa State's senior forward and leading scorer, finished with 18 points, six assists and two steals. He is a finalist for the Karl Malone Award and is one of five active players nationally to score 400 points in all four college seasons.
TIPS INS
Iowa State: missed Jameel McKay for a second game. McKay, who averages 12.4 points and nine rebounds, stayed in Iowa while serving a suspension for violation of team rules.
Texas Tech: played its sixth game without starting center Norense Odiase, who has a broken bone in his right foot.
UP NEXT
Iowa State: plays at Texas on Saturday night.
Texas Tech: plays at Baylor on Saturday night.