Cyclones Lose Battle Against Nebraska

Sunday, February 27

Ames, Iowa

TBA

Iowa State

15-10, 7-7

Nebraska

13-12, 6-8

Team	1	2	F
Nebraska	30	46	76
Iowa State	28	41	69

Cyclones Lose Battle Against Nebraska

02.27.2005 | Men's Basketball

Box Score

By: Iowa State University

AMES, Iowa - Jason Dourisseau scored 17 of his 19 points in the second half and Nebraska wore down Iowa State with its strong inside play to beat the Cyclones 76-69 on Sunday.

Nebraska (13-12, 6-8 Big 12) followed up its upset of No. 4 Oklahoma State last Tuesday with a gritty effort that dealt a setback to Iowa State's NCAA tournament hopes. The Cyclones (15-10, 7-7) now have lost two straight after putting together a seven-game winning streak that included victories over four Top 25 teams.

Wes Wilkinson added 16 points for Nebraska, which crashed the boards for 23 offensive rebounds in building a 51-37 rebounding advantage. Aleks Maric had 13 points and 12 rebounds, while Joe McCray scored 11, including five in an 11-0 second-half run that put the Cornhuskers ahead to stay.

Iowa State reverted to the shaky play that dogged the team during its 0-5 start in the Big 12. The Cyclones couldn't make a jump shot, rarely got into the transition game that is their strength and went 1-for-11 from 3-point range.

Jared Homan led Iowa State with 20 points and 10 rebounds. Will Blalock added 15 but was just 4-for-15 from the field. Curtis Stinson, leading the team with a 17.6 scoring average, shot 3-for-12 and finished with nine points before fouling out.

Nebraska was called for eight fouls in the first 1:47 of the second half, including two on center John Turek just 3 seconds apart. Turek fouled out after playing only 9 minutes.

But the Cornhuskers kept pounding the glass and Dourisseau kept getting inside Iowa State's zone for close-in baskets. Nebraska also beat Iowa State down the floor several times for easy shots, once while Stinson was celebrating after scoring on a brilliant spin move.

Iowa State led for the last time at 54-53 on Homan's three-point play with 9:07 left. McCray, who had missed six of his first seven shots, then hit a 3-pointer from the left wing and Nebraska started to pull away.

Dourisseau converted a three-point play after yet another offensive rebound to put the Cornhuskers up by nine and McCray finished the run with two free throws, making it 65-54.

Iowa State got the lead down to 67-64 on Homan's three-point play and had a chance to get even closer. But Stinson missed a runner, Staple missed on a tip-in try and Wilkinson scored on a follow shot at the other end.

Wilkinson then blocked a shot by Stinson, who retrieved the ball but threw it away. Dourisseau drove for a bucket at the other end, making it 71-64 with 2:11 remaining, and the Cornhuskers held on.