LINCOLN, Neb.—Iowa State’s 16-game Big 12 road losing streak is over, ending Saturday night in the same place where the Cyclones last won a conference away game.
Marquis Gilstrap had 15 points and 12 rebounds and Iowa State held Nebraska to just two field goals and two free throws in the final 10 1/2 minutes to win 56-53.
The victory was ISU’s first conference road win since it beat the Huskers in February 2007. It also marked the first time the Cyclones won in Lincoln in both football and men’s basketball in the same academic year since 1977-78. ISU beat the Huskers 9-7 in October.
“I told the team I’m so proud to be their basketball coach,” Cyclones coach Greg McDermott said, intentionally mimicking football coach Paul Rhoads’ post-game locker-room speech that became a YouTube favorite. “It’s been a good year in Lincoln for the Cyclones, no question.”
Iowa State trailed 32-31 at half and 46-41 midway through the second half before the Cyclones repelled the Huskers time and again. Nebraska missed 10 of its last 12 shots.
Diante Garrett banked in a jumper from the wing to break a 51-51 tie and Craig Brackens followed with a dunk.
The Huskers had a chance to tie after Jorge Brian Diaz scored underneath, but Garrett swiped the ball away from Sek Henry and Gilstrap picked it up for the Cyclones (12-5, 1-1).
“I got into the gap and I got a chance to hit the ball and save the day,” Garrett said.
Lucca Staiger made a free throw with 9.3 seconds left for a three-point lead, and Lance Jeter’s desperation 3-pointer at the buzzer was an air ball.
“Everybody’s real excited,” said ISU sophomore guard Scott Christopherson. “I’m really happy for the older guys who haven’t won. It’s got to be a tough thing for anyone to go through. Road wins in conference are hard to come by.”
Ryan Anderson had 13 points and Jeter had 12 for the Huskers (12-6, 0-3), who have lost three straight to open league play for the fourth time since the Big 12 started in 1996.
“We talked for three days about the team that was going to show the most toughness in the tough times was going to win the game,” Nebraska coach Doc Sadler said. “They got the tough rebounds and the tough putbacks. We went 2-for-8 from the free-throw line. You aren’t going to win in this league doing that.”
The Cyclones won despite suiting up just eight scholarship players and having Craig Brackins struggle offensively.
The Cyclones already were missing backup guard Charles Boozer, who’s out for the season after tearing the ACL in his right knee against Texas on Wednesday. Forward Jamie Vanderbeken was held out against Nebraska because of a leg injury.
Backup point guard Chris Colvin is suspended through the end of the month and forward L.A. Pomlee was kicked off the team.
“This is the hand we’ve been dealt,” McDermott said. “We’ve got enough depth to continue to win. We’ve just got to stay healthy and stay out of foul trouble.”
Brackins, who came in averaging a team-leading 16.9 points, finished with just six on 3-of-11 shooting. But he grabbed 11 rebounds, none bigger than one he pulled down after Christian Standhardinger missed what would have been the go-ahead basket with ISU leading 51-50.
“Not often are we going to win games without him scoring very much,” McDermott said. “But he did other things to impact the game. That’s a sign of his maturity.”
The Cyclones outrebounded the Huskers 45-36.
Neither team shot well, with ISU hitting 39.3 percent from the field and Nebraska 35.6. The Cyclones warmed up at the right time, though, scoring on five straight possessions to turn a 46-41 deficit into a 51-50 lead. Christopherson made two straight 3-pointers to start the spurt.
Nebraska’s Brandon Richardson, who scored a career-high 18 points in Wednesday’s loss to Kansas, was held to eight points in 19 minutes. He played despite having the remnants of flu and a thigh bruise.
Eshaunte Jones also has the flu and didn’t play for the Huskers.
“We beat Nebraska at their own game and that’s hard to do,” McDermott said. “We haven’t played in many grind-it-out games this season and the two we have played in we lost. To come on the road, be down in the second half and find a way to come back and get the victory is very gratifying.”
