Iowa State Throttles West Virginia

The Cyclones did not disrespect Hilton Coliseum tonight, thanks to a collective team effort. West Virginia traveled into the building that Iowa State disrespected last Saturday, and did not come out victorious like the last team did. Iowa State controlled the game from the opening tip with ice hot shooting and laser focus on defense.

Lindell Wigginton, Donovan Jackson, and Zoran Talley Jr. got things rolling early by breaking the press with ease. Iowa State only had seven turnovers against a team that forces 19 per game. They did this with an aggressive strategy, allowing the trap to come and getting rid of the ball immediately. They also spaced the floor while Bob Huggins’ squad was pressing, which created more clear passing lanes and a smaller chance for turnovers.

All five starters had great games offensively. Donovan Jackson led the way with 25 points and a career high seven assists. Jackson hit six three pointers out of his ten attempts, he was one of the biggest reasons Iowa State shot 55% from three points land.

Lindell Wigginton finished his day with 22 points on 7-14 shooting and 3-5 from three. Wigginton was the main ball handler on the press and only had two turnovers to go along with five assists against West Virginia’s pressure.

Zoran Talley Jr. was one of the biggest surprises of the day. He had seven points and five assists to go along with four rebounds. But his stats can’t show his impact on the game, Talley showed the ability to break the press and find opportunities for others. This great performance probably doesn’t happen without Zoran Talley Jr.

Cameron Lard and Solomon Young each had great games on both sides of the floor. Lard had 18 points on 9-12 shooting, and Young had 14 points on a perfect 6-6. The duo combined for 23 boards, with Lard hauling in six offensive rebounds and seven on the defensive end. Solomon had the other ten, with two of his coming on the offensive glass. The two big men also had two blocks each.

Jeff Beverly came off the bench and hit a three pointer along with a baseline jumper. Jakolby Long also hit a shot to give the Cyclones seven bench points. Having limited depth and production from the bench makes this win even more incredible. The Cyclones simply outplayed the fifteenth ranked team in the country.

What’s next for the Cyclones?

Iowa State travels to Waco to play Baylor at 7 PM on Saturday.