No. 2 Iowa State Falls at Kansas for First Loss of Season

LAWRENCE, Kan. — Iowa State’s historic start to the season came to an end Tuesday night.

The No. 2 Cyclones suffered their first loss of the year, falling 84-63 to Kansas at Allen Fieldhouse. Iowa State dropped to 16-1 overall and 3-1 in Big 12 play, while the Jayhawks improved to 12-5 and 2-2 in conference action.

A sluggish first half proved too much to overcome for ISU, which trailed by 21 points at halftime after shooting just 24 percent from the field. The Cyclones committed 10 turnovers in the opening 20 minutes, allowing Kansas to control the game from the outset.

Five Cyclones scored in double figures, led by Joshua Jefferson and Jamarion Batemon with 12 points apiece. Jefferson added a team-high eight rebounds and three blocks. Milan Momcilovic finished with 11 points despite foul trouble, while Tamin Lipsey and Nate Heise each added 10.

Kansas coach Bill Self relied on a tight seven-man rotation, and all seven players scored at least eight points. Tre White led all scorers with 19 points and grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds, knocking down five three-pointers in the process. Freshman Darryn Peterson scored 16 points, Melvin Council Jr. added 15, and Flory Bidunga chipped in 10.

Iowa State finished the night shooting 37 percent overall, 33 percent from three-point range, and 55 percent at the free-throw line, with 12 total turnovers. Kansas shot better than 50 percent from the floor and 50 percent from beyond the arc, turning Cyclone miscues into 17 points.

After a rough start that saw ISU trail 8-3 early, the Jayhawks quickly built a double-digit lead and never let it drop below 10 the rest of the way. Iowa State briefly cut the deficit to 11 midway through the second half, but Kansas responded with a decisive 10-0 run to put the game out of reach.

Batemon was a bright spot off the bench for the Cyclones, scoring 12 points and showing poise in a hostile environment. The freshman knocked down two three-pointers and attacked the basket effectively.

The loss snapped Iowa State’s program-record 16-0 start to the season.

Notes: Lipsey moved into 25th place on Iowa State’s all-time scoring list, passing Dean Uthoff.

Up next: Iowa State returns to action Saturday, Jan. 17, at Cincinnati. Tipoff is set for 1 p.m., with the game streaming on Peacock.