Iowa State Downs Colorado

AMES, Iowa - Iowa State finally finished a game in regulation.

Rebounding from consecutive road losses that lasted a total of five overtimes, No. 23 Iowa State got strong play up and down its lineup in beating Colorado 84-68 Tuesday night, its 30th straight victory at home.

Martin Rancik scored 19 points and Jamaal Tinsley had 16 points, nine assists and six rebounds to lead Iowa State, which was playing only three days after losing 112-109 at Missouri in four overtimes. The Cyclones lost in one overtime at Oklahoma State in the game before that.

"We were emotionally drained coming off a tough week," Iowa State coach Larry Eustachy said. "I give our guys a bunch of credit because we beat a very, very good team. It was a win we had to have at home."

Any hangover from the marathon games did not show. Iowa State built a seven-point halftime lead, made its first five shots of the second half to break it open and contained Colorado (11-6, 1-3) the rest of the way with solid man-to-man defense.

"I felt fresh," Tinsley said. "I felt like (Saturday) never happened. I was just coming out and playing hard, getting my teammates involved and when I had the shot, I took it."

Jake Sullivan added 12 points and Kantrail Horton had nine points and eight assists for Iowa State, which shot 58.5 percent and went 8-for-13 from 3-point range.

D.J. Harrison led Colorado with 18 points, while Jamahl Mosley and Michel Morandais each scored 12.

"I seemed like their shots were falling," Harrison said. "I don't think we played horrible defense, but when the shots fall, they fall."

Colorado was coming off its most lopsided conference victory in 35 years, 88-58 over Texas A&M, and was averaging 87.3 points a game. But the Buffaloes gave up the game's first five points and led only once, 22-19 midway through the first half.

That lead did not last long. Colorado went 11 straight possessions without scoring - six missed shots and five turnovers - and Iowa State ran off 12 straight points to go ahead for good.

"They got some nice paint scores early on and their guards weren't just standing out there looking for their own shot," Colorado coach Ricardo Patton said. "I thought when they spread us out and they had the ball in Tinsley's hands, it made it very difficult to guard them."

Paul Shirley, who scored nine points, got two baskets inside during the first-half run and Sullivan finished it with a 3-pointer, making it 30-22. After drawing to 34-32 on Stephane Pelle's two free throws with a minute left in the half, Colorado got no closer.

Tinsley forced his defender to backpedal at the free throw line, then made a jumper, and Horton fed Shane Power for a 3-pointer from the left corner at the buzzer for a 39-32 Iowa State lead.

Another 3-pointer by Sullivan got Iowa State going in the second half. The right-handed Tinsley then took over, making a running left-handed hook, pulling up for a jump shot and firing a hook pass to Tyray Pearson for a dunk as the lead grew to 51-35.

When the Buffaloes drew to 57-48 and the crowd began to get restless, the Cyclones responded with an 11-3 run that Horton helped finish after losing his left shoe. He fired a pass down the court to Shirley, who passed to Pearson for a layup that he turned into a three-point play.

That made it 68-51 with 8:27 left and Iowa State was ahead by double digits the rest of the way.

"We played in spurts the first half," Eustachy said. "I thought the second half effort was much better overall. I thought it was our determination. Grit and determination got it done."

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Players Mentioned

Kantrail Horton

Kantrail Horton

Tyray Pearson

Tyray Pearson

Shane Power

Shane Power

Martin Rancik

Martin Rancik

Paul Shirley

Paul Shirley

Jake Sullivan

Jake Sullivan

Jamaal Tinsley

Jamaal Tinsley

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