Iowa State holds off feisty UMKC 79-61

Dec 5, 2019, 03:25 am

AMES, Iowa -- Senior Michael Jacobson scored 19 points on 8 of 9 shooting and Iowa State beat Kansas City 79-61 on Wednesday.

Tyrese Haliburton added 19 points and seven assists for the Cyclones (5-3), who won despite another frigid night from beyond the arc. Iowa State finished just 5 of 21 on 3s.

Kansas City (5-5) got as close as 57-54 with 6:37 left. The Cyclones responded with six quick points, and Rasir Bolton's 3-point dunk pushed their lead to 69-58. Haliburton and Bolton followed with 3s that sealed a win that was much uglier than the final score suggested.

Bolton had all 19 of his points in the second half and went 10 of 11 from the free throw line.

Iowa State, in its first game back from a 3-game tournament in the Bahamas, started sluggishly and led just 37-31 at the break. The Roos then reeled off 11 straight points to close to within 45-44 with 11:18 left.

Jacobson's save and cross-court pass led to a Haliburton layup to make it 53-46 Iowa State. That appeared to be the play that would put Iowa State over the top, but Kansas City wouldn't go away so easily. Marvin Nesbitt had 11 to lead the Roos.

Haliburton finished with a career-worst six turnovers.

BIG PICTURE

KANSAS CITY: The Roos, who were picked eighth in the nine-team WAC, had won four of their last five games.

IOWA STATE: The Cyclones looked at times like a team that knew it was playing a tune-up game in between high-stakes affairs against fellow Power Five teams. They were saved at the line, where Iowa State went 22 of 26.

UP NEXT

Kansas City plays at McNeese State on December 10.

Iowa State hosts No. 16 Seton Hall in a rematch of last week's game in the Bahamas. The Pirates won 84-76.

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