By Steve Habel/Senior Editor
AMES, Iowa — It was a given that Iowa State would turn to forward and All-America candidate Georges Niang for big plays when the 14th-ranked Cyclones needed them Saturday against No. 24 Texas.
But it was guard Monte Morris, and not Niang, who made the difference with the game in the balance as Iowa State held off the Longhorns, 85-75, in a crucial Big 12 Conference battle at the Hilton Coliseum. Niang and Morris scored 24 points apiece to lead the Cyclones (18-7 overall, 7-5 in Big 12 play) and help Iowa State avenge an overtime loss to Texas when the teams met Jan. 12 in Austin.
Morris was 7-of-9 from the [s2If current_user_can(access_s2member_level2)]field in the second half and took charge with pinpoint passes and great ball security down the stretch as Texas made run after run at the Cyclones. His 24 points equaled his career-high.
The Longhorns (16-9 overall, 7-5 in Big 12 games) were led by 18 points each by guard Javan Felix and guard/forward Tevin Mack. Guard Kendal Yancy and center Prince Ibeh had 10 points apiece for Texas, which lost for the second time in the past five days to a ranked team on the road.
Texas’ last win in Ames came in 2010.
“Iowa State did a terrific job, and Niang and Morris are great players and they showed it,” Texas coach Shaka Smart said. “I didn’t think we were as alert as we needed to be. Our awareness has to be better. We were just not connected tonight — there is nobody in our program who has won here. We need to get better. “
The Longhorns got back to within three points at 77-74 on a tip-in by guard/forward Tevin Mack at the 2:29 mark, but the Cyclones reeled off the next eight points to seal the victory.
“We made the right plays down the stretch,” Iowa State coach Steve Prohm said. “We competed and we finished. We won by 10, but it feels like we won by one.”
Niang had 15 of his points in the first half, including 13 in a row during a stretch late in the half. Guard Matt Thomas added 13 points for Iowa State and guard Deonte Burton scored 10 points.
“When Georges has is going, it goes down the line to everyone else,” Morris said. “We were able to shoot such a high percentage in the second half because we executed our mismatches when Texas switched on screens.”
The teams battled through a tight and efficiently played second half. Texas tied the score three times in a two-minute span midway through the half, the final time at 60 on a layup by Felix with 8:02 left, but the Longhorns never went in front. Felix had 11 of their 13 points during a five-minute stretch in the middle of the half.
Felix said Iowa State’s zone slowed down the Texas attack.
“We got stagnant and that kind of hurt us,” he explained. “It took away our energy.”
Iowa State built its lead to 73-67 on a thunderous dunk by forward Jameel McKay off a pass on the break by Morris with 5:03 to play.
Forward Connor Lammert hit two free throws with 0.5 of a second remaining in the first half to bring the Longhorns within 36-34 at intermission.
The Cyclones shot 47 percent from the floor and committed just three fouls, while Texas shot just 41 percent and struggled from beyond the three-point arc, making only three of 15 (20 percent) but stayed close by committing just five turnovers.
Iowa State was bolstered by the return of McKay from a two-game suspension for a violation of team rules. He had three points in the first half.
Texas dropped to 4-3 this year against Associated Press top 20 opponents, including 2-3 in true road games against AP top 15 teams. The Longhorns also are 2-2 this season against AP top 10 teams with wins over No. 3 North Carolina and at No. 6 West Virginia.
“We had a game plan and we didn’t execute that plan as well as we needed to,” Smart said. “We weren’t as crisp or as sharp as we have to be to win these kinds of games. If you are a half-step off, it makes a difference, and that’s was a factor tonight.”
The Longhorns return to the court Tuesday when they host 10th-ranked West Virginia.
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