Cyclones Fall At UNI, 70-57

[Jeremy]

Cyclones Fall At UNI, 70-57
Media Relations

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa - Rahshon Clark tallied his second double-double of the season (12 points, 10 rebounds), but Iowa State couldn't recover from ice-cold shooting around the basket as the Cyclones dropped a 70-57 decision to UNI in the UNI-Dome Wednesday night.

Despite making eight three-pointers, Iowa State (6-1) converted only 29.2 percent of its shots inside the arc, many from within the lane. The Cyclones ended the game shooting a season-low 32.8 percent from the field.

“We weren't as sharp offensively as we needed to be, and didn't make a difference on the offensive glass,” Iowa State head coach Greg McDermott said. “The fact that we were even in the game is a testament to our defense. We decided to go with Rahshon and his experience to defend Stout instead of putting a freshman in that situation. We'll find out a lot about our team in the next 24 hours."

UNI (5-1) created a majority of the final margin as the result of a large advantage from the charity stripe. The Panthers made 17-of-26 from the free-throw line, while ISU was only 5-of-8.

Iowa State led 18-16 before the Panthers went on a 10-2 run late in the first half, as the Panthers took a 33-24 lead into the locker room. UNI senior guard Brooks McKowen drilled a three-pointer just before the half ended to push the Panther lead to nine points. McKowen torched ISU for 14 first-half points, including a perfect 6-of-6 from the free-throw line. McKowen led all scorers with 27 points on the evening, after scoring a total of two points in his previous two games against the Cyclones.

Iowa State suffered early foul trouble, as Mike Taylor, Jessan Gray and Cory Johnson each picked up two personal fouls in the first half. Taylor, ISU's leading scorer coming in (19.0 ppg), was limited to two points in the first stanza as he was whistled for two fouls in the first eight minutes.

The Cyclones hit four three-pointers in the early stages of the second half to erase the UNI lead, tying the game at 43-43. From there, Iowa State managed to hit only three of its next 14 field-goal attempts, as UNI built a 60-49 lead with 2:46 remaining. Three-pointers by Clark and Jiri Hubalek sliced the margin to 60-55 before an ISU turnover led to a Panther dunk with less than a minute to play.

Wesley Johnson tallied his fifth double-figure scoring game, pouring in 14 points.

"I didn't know what to expect, coming into the dome,” Johnson said. “I knew this game would be a fight. Rebounding just takes that little extra push, to get in there and get the ball. Coach has been telling us how important these in-state games are. We just have to play harder when we're on the road."

Hubalek, making his first start of the season in place of an ill Ross Marsden, scored 12 points and added seven rebounds.

Gray notched 11 points and a career-high nine rebounds. Taylor finished well below his average, scoring only five points.

Iowa State returns home to face Drake Sunday afternoon in Hilton Coliseum. Tip-off is slated for 1 p.m.