Iowa State Dominates UCF in Impressive Victory
In an impressive performance, No. 9 Iowa State routed UCF 87-57 on Tuesday night, with standout player Joshua Jefferson achieving a career milestone. Jefferson recorded 17 points, 10 rebounds, and a remarkable 12 assists, marking his second triple-double of the current season. His first triple-double was noted earlier in January during a victory against West Virginia.
Season Performance and Momentum
The Cyclones improved their season record to 17-2 and 4-2 in the Big 12, bouncing back strongly after suffering consecutive losses to Kansas and Cincinnati last week. During those games, Iowa State had struggled, often falling behind early, which raised concerns about their momentum going into this matchup.
Game Highlights
In contrast, the Cyclones wasted no time asserting themselves in this game. They established a commanding 25-12 lead within the first nine minutes and extended that advantage to a 44-26 halftime score. Notably, they managed to limit the Knights to no points for the final 5:45 of the first half, resulting in UCF experiencing a significant scoring drought as they missed six shots and committed four turnovers during that stretch.
Milan Momcilovic was also a key contributor for the Cyclones, adding 20 points, while teammates Killyan Toure and Jamarion Batemon each chipped in with 12 points, and Blake Buchanan contributed 11 points. The team’s defensive efforts were instrumental as they forced UCF into 19 turnovers.
UCF’s Struggles and Future Matches
For UCF, guard Riley Kugel and Jordan Burks each scored 15 points, but their performance fell short against a resolute Iowa State defense. It is worth noting that the Knights were missing a critical player, Jamichael Stillwell, who was unable to play despite being a game-time decision. Stillwell averages 12.3 points and 7.9 rebounds per game and has recorded five double-doubles this season.
Looking ahead, UCF will face Colorado on Saturday, while Iowa State will travel to play against Oklahoma State on the same day. This win should serve as a morale booster for the Cyclones as they continue their campaign through Big 12 play.
