AMES, Iowa – Another No. 1 team came to the state of Iowa. Another No. 1 team left with a loss.
Georges Niang scored 22 points, Monte Morris added 20 and No. 19 Iowa State beat top-ranked Oklahoma 82-77 on Monday night. It's the Cyclones' first victory over a No. 1 team since toppling Wilt Chamberlain's Kansas Jayhawks in 1957.
Morris had a tiebreaking jumper, a key rebound and two free throws in the final 21 seconds for the Cyclones (14-4, 3-3 Big 12), who were actually slight favorites at home.
It was the third time a No. 1 team lost in the state of Iowa this season. Northern Iowa beat North Carolina in November and Iowa beat Michigan State earlier this month.
"Good ballgame," Sooners coach Lon Kruger said. "Came up short. I thought they were just a little better than we were."
This one was huge for the Cyclones, who tumbled in the polls after losing to Texas and Baylor.
"We've been through a lot of adversity the last week or so, with a couple of losses. But if you listened to what they were saying, they were all saying the right things. They stuck together, and it just shows their character," said first-year Iowa State coach Steve Prohm.
Oklahoma's Isaiah Cousins hit a three-pointer with 41 seconds left to tie the score 75-75. But Morris drilled a step-back jumper with 21 seconds left for the lead, and Abdel Nader's free throws with 3.1 seconds to go put it out of reach.
