Cyclones Host Block Party in Beating Huskers

AMES, Iowa - Jake Sullivan scored 18 of his 23 points in the first half and Iowa State blocked a Big 12 record 17 shots in beating Nebraska 71-61 Saturday for its first conference victory.

Tim Barnes broke out of a 5-for-31 shooting slump in league games to score 17 points for Iowa State (11-5, 1-4 Big 12), while Jackson Vroman added 10 points, nine rebounds and eight blocks.

Nate Johnson led Nebraska (9-9, 1-4) with 17 points and Corey Simms scored 13, all but one in the first half.

Iowa State broke the Big 12 record of 15 blocks set by Nebraska against Coppin State on Dec. 6, 1996. The Cyclones had 14 of their blocks in the second half, when Nebraska made only 8-of-31 shots. Iowa State's old school record had been 13 against Drake on Jan. 2, 1991.

Barnes hit two quick 3-pointers as Iowa State started the second half with a 16-4 run to erase a 32-30 Nebraska lead. Vroman's two-handed dunk after Barnes' steal gave Iowa State a 57-44 lead, and the Cyclones led 59-46 when Adam Haluska scored inside with 7:38 to play.

With Andrew Drevo scoring six of his 11 points, Nebraska chipped away and drew to 66-61 on Jason Dourisseau's free throw with 1:20 left. But the Cornhuskers did not score again.

Haluska took a pass from Sullivan, who got rid of the ball while being double-teamed, and made a 3-pointer from the left corner for a 69-61 lead with 46.7 seconds to play. Sullivan hit two free throws with 20.9 seconds remaining to wrap it up.

Nebraska went scoreless on its first eight possessions - 0-for-7 with one turnover - then scored the next eight times it had the ball to open an 18-9 lead. Simms had four baskets in that stretch, while Johnson hit two 3-pointers and a pull-up jumper in traffic.

Johnson had been 9-for-46 from 3-point range coming in.

Only Sullivan kept Iowa State from falling hopelessly behind, scoring the Cyclones' first 11 points and making their first six baskets. Another Iowa State player didn't make a field goal until Marcus Jefferson scored on an inbounds lob from Barnes with 8:22 left in the half.

At one point, Sullivan was 7-for-9 from the field and the rest of the team was 1-for-12.

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Players Mentioned

Tim Barnes

Tim Barnes

Adam Haluska

Marcus Jefferson

Marcus Jefferson

Marcus Jefferson

Jake Sullivan

Jake Sullivan

Jake Sullivan

Jackson Vroman

Jackson Vroman

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