Field Level Media
Jan 5, 2019
Senior guard Marial Shayok scored 24 points Saturday, and Iowa State forced 24 turnovers as the Cyclones battered No. 5 Kansas 77-60 at Ames, Iowa.
The Cyclones (12-2, 2-0 Big 12), last-place finishers in the Big 12 a year ago, handed the Jayhawks (12-2, 1-1) their second defeat in as many road games after they fell at Arizona State in nonconference play on Dec. 22.
Freshman guard Tyrese Haliburton posted 14 points and four steals while senior guard Nick Weiler-Babb added 12 points, four assists and four steals as Iowa State won its fifth straight.
After using several lineups in nonconference play while dealing with numerous injuries, the Cyclones established themselves as a potential Big 12 contender after being picked sixth in the preseason coaches poll.
Shayok, the Big 12's leading scorer, enjoyed his seventh 20-point effort this season for Iowa State. The Virginia transfer had one such performance in three years with the Cavaliers.
Kansas withered after an 8-0 run gave Iowa State a 62-47 lead with 7:19 left. Haliburton and sophomore guard Lindell Wigginton keyed that burst with 3-pointers. Wigginton was playing in just his fourth game after recovering from a foot injury.
Freshman guard Quentin Grimes scored 19 points to pace the Jayhawks. Junior forward Dedric Lawson added his 10th double-double with 13 points and 12 rebounds.
Kansas played without junior center Udoka Azubuike, who injured his wrist a day earlier in practice. Azubuike, who averages 13.4 points, missed four games in December with a sprained ankle.
Iowa State used a three-point play by Shayok with 35 seconds left and a 3-pointer by Haliburton with three seconds left to gain a 36-32 halftime edge. Neither team led by more than four in the first half, when the lead was swapped 10 times.
Shayok went 5 of 7 to net 13 first-half points as the Cyclones overcome a 23-9 disadvantage on the boards.
The Jayhawks were hurt by 14 first-half turnovers and 1-for-5 shooting from Lawson. Grimes scored 11 first-half points to pace Kansas, which was outscored 11-3 inside the final four minutes.
--Field Level Media