Cyclones Fall To BYU, 96-92

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Curtis Jones scored 31 points but BYU connected on a Big 12 Tournament record 18 3-pointers in an offensive battle in the quarterfinals of the Big 12 Championship Thursday afternoon as No. 17 BYU outlasted the 12^th-ranked Cyclones, 96-92.

The Cyclones were playing without a pair of starters as ISU sat guards Tamin Lipsey and Keshon Gilbert due to injury.

But ISU made it interesting, thanks in part to Jones' big night. The Cyclones and Cougars, who played a double OT thriller at Hilton Coliseum just over a week ago, raced up and down the court on Thursday afternoon and shot the ball at a thrilling clip.

The teams combined to make a Big 12 Championship record 31 3-pointers, surpassing the previous mark of 27 set by Texas and Kansas in 2008. Iowa State (24-9) finished the game 13-for-30, while BYU (24-8) made 18-of-36 from behind the arc.

How it Happened
BYU jumped out to an early lead in the game, opening up a 25-15 lead with 11:42 left in the first half. That is when the Curtis Jones Show started. The senior was absolutely unconscious, scoring 22 points in just over five minutes. He went 8-for-9 from the field and 6-for-7 from behind the arc during the stretch.

The teams combined to made 20 3-pointers in the half and ISU went into the break with a 53-49 lead. The Cyclones finished the half 10-for-17 on 3-point tries.

The Cyclones extended their lead to eight points early in the second half but BYU's barrage of 3-pointers continued. The Cougars hit 8-of-15 threes in the second half and took the lead back at 75-72.

Back-to-back threes from Heise and Milan Momcilovic knotted the score back up at 80-80 with 6:21 remaining, but BYU scored seven of the next nine points to regain control. The Cyclones would scrap back into it and cut the lead down to one at 89-88 on two Jones' free throws with 1:15 left, but the Cyclones scored just two more points the remainder of the game as its run of four-straight wins in Kansas City came to an end.

Top Performers
Jones was the star for the Cyclones, finishing with 31 points as he shot 11-for-22 from the field and 7-for-15 from behind the arc.

Jones was one of four Cyclones to reach double figures as Momcilovic tallied 18 points and big men Dishon Jackson and Joshua Jefferson each finished with 14.

BYU was led by Richie Saunders' 23 points. Saunders had three 3-pointers, one of six Cougars to connect on multiple shots from long distance.

Notes
- Iowa State's 53 first-half points marked its first time scoring 50+ in the first half of a conference tournament game since Dec. 27, 1974 in the Big 8 Holiday Tournament against Colorado (51).
- The teams combined to make 31 three-pointers, the most in a Big 12 Tournament game breaking the previous record of 27 set by Kansas and Texas in 2008.
- Iowa State's 13 3-pointers tied its school record for a conference tournament game, matching the previous mark set in 2019 against Baylor.
- Jones connected on a career-high seven 3-pointers for the Cyclones … his seven 3-pointers broke ISU's conference tournament record … he now has 83 3-pointers made this season, the 11^th-most by any Cyclone in a single season.
- Jones' 31 points are tied for the seventh-most by a Cyclone in a conference tournament game as he becomes just the 10^th different ISU player to score 30 or more in a single game … the 31 points also ties for the third-most by a Cyclone in a Big 12 Tournament game.

Up Next
Iowa State awaits its NCAA Tournament destination when the bracket is revealed on the Selection Show Sunday at 5 p.m. (CT) on CBS.

Next Event

Team Stats

Curtis Jones

Milan Momcilovic

Dishon Jackson

Joshua Jefferson

Players Mentioned

Keshon Gilbert

Dishon Jackson

Joshua Jefferson

Curtis Jones

Tamin Lipsey

Milan Momcilovic

Players Mentioned

Keshon Gilbert

Dishon Jackson

Joshua Jefferson

Curtis Jones

Tamin Lipsey

Milan Momcilovic

Sponsors

Iowa State University Athletics