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Iowa State takes down Oklahoma

Feb 2, 2014 - 4:31 AM Ames, IA (SportsNetwork.com) - Georges Niang poured in a career-high 27 points to lead 16th-ranked Iowa State to an 81-75 win over the 23rd-ranked Oklahoma Sooners on Saturday.

Melvin Ejim scored 22 points and pulled down 16 rebounds, while Matt Thomas and Monte Morris finished with 13 and 12 points, respectively, for the Cyclones (16-4, 4-4 Big 12), winners in two of their last three.

Iowa State will visit No. 8 Oklahoma State on Monday.

Buddy Hield scored a game-high 30 points on 10-of-18 shooting -- 5-of-8 from 3-point range -- and Isaiah Cousins finished with 13 points and 10 boards for the Sooners (17-5, 6-3), who had a four-game winning streak snapped.

"It was a tough battle throughout. For 40 minutes we were fighting with a bit of a deficit, but just couldn't get back in it. They did a good job, made free throws later and made plays when they had to," said Sooners coach Lon Kruger.

Cousins tied the game with a jumper at the 15:07 mark of the second half, but the Cyclones scored six straight points to take a 54-48 lead just under two minutes later.

Ryan Spangler knocked down a jumper to stop the bleeding for the Sooners, but Niang kicked off an 8-2 burst with a triple that made it 62-52 with 8:44 to go.

Cousins and Jordan Woodard hit back-to-back 3s to pull ISU within five, 62-58, but five straight points from Oklahoma pushed the lead back to 67-58 with 5 1/2 remaining.

Spangler's 3-pointer made it 69-66 and Hield sunk a pair of free throws moments later to make it a one-point game with 2:48 to go.

The Sooners were within three, 73-70, after Woodard split a pair of free throws with 69 ticks remaining, but Niang delivered a dagger with a 3-pointer with 58 seconds left, making it a two-possession game.

"I was giving him the stop sign, but he wasn't listening. He rose up with all kinds of confidence and knocked it down. It was obviously a huge shot that put us up two possessions. No fear, no fear at all," Iowa State coach Fred Hoiberg said of Niang's 3-pointer.

Hield was fouled attempting a 3-pointer, and made all three subsequent free throws, but a pair of Morris free throws made it 80-75 and Oklahoma couldn't get a basket the rest of the way.

Hield scored eight of the Sooners' first 10 points to help Oklahoma jump out to a 10-4 lead just over three minutes in. The Cyclones, though, countered with a 16-2 run, capped with a Thomas triple, to make it 20-12 at the 11:31 mark.

The teams traded blows from there until a Hield trey pulled the Sooners within 29-28, but Morris nailed a 3-pointer of his own seven seconds later to stretch the lead back to 32-28.

Hield nailed his fourth 3-pointer of the half to put Oklahoma ahead 33-32 with 1:33 to go. Thomas and Cameron Clark traded jumpers but an Ejim 3-pointer with 11 seconds left gave the Cyclones a 37-35. Spangler got a deep jumper off as time expired. It was initially ruled a 3, but video review determined it to be a two-pointer and the teams went into the break locked in at 37-37.

Game Notes

Despite the win, Iowa State still trails Oklahoma 112-82 in the all-time series ... The Cyclones are 10-1 at home this season ... Dustin Hogue had four blocks for ISU ... Oklahoma outrebounded Iowa State 46-33 ... Woodard had 10 points and seven assists in the setback.