Joshua Jefferson notched a triple-double and Milan Momcilovic scored a game-high 26 points as No. 3 Iowa State rolled to an 80-59 win over West Virginia in the teams’ Big 12 Conference opener Friday in Ames, Iowa.
Jefferson finished with 10 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists, while Momcilovic made 8 of 10 3-point attempts as the Cyclones (14-0, 1-0) matched the best start in school history.
Blake Buchanan added 14 points and Tamin Lipsey chipped in 12 as Iowa State shot 52.7% (29 of 55) from the field and 52% from 3-point range (13 of 25).
Chance Moore led West Virginia (9-5, 0-1) with 17 points. DJ Thomas added 10 for the Mountaineers, who have lost two of their last three games. ???? shot just 29% (7 of 24) from beyond the arc.
Iowa State used a 16-4 second-half run to open up a 59-38 lead with 11:40 to play. The Cyclones pulled away as a Momcilovic three and one-handed runner in the lane punctuated the rally.
The Cyclones took their first lead at 10-9 on a Momcilovic three. Moments later, Treysen Eaglestaff’s contested three put West Virginia up 14-10.
Harlan Obioha slipped a pass to a cutting Moore for a dunk to cap a 5-0 run as West Virginia took a 19-15 lead with 9:22 left in the half.
Jefferon’s behind-the-back pass hit Buchanan in stride for a two-hand slam that kicked off a 8-0 rally as the Cyclones led 28-21 with 5:12 remaining. The Cyclones finished the game with 26 assists on 29 field goals.
After a Moore layup, the Cyclones ripped off five straight points on a Lipsey jumper and Jefferson’s putback that turned into a three-point play for a 33-23 lead. Iowa State outrebounded West Virginia 35-23.
The Cyclones took a 41-28 halftime lead when Lipsey’s alley-oop pass connected with Buchanan for a powerful two-hand dunk.
West Virginia cut its deficit to 43-34 when Moore made a pair of free throws with 16:52 remaining. That was the closest the Mountaineers got the rest of the way.
