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| Quick Stats |
Iowa State |
Kentucky |
| Points |
71 |
87 |
| FG Made - Attempted |
25-61 |
31-56 |
| FG Percentage |
.410 |
.554 |
| 3PT Made - Attempted |
3-22 |
10-20 |
| 3PT Percentage |
.136 |
.500 |
| FT Made - Attempted |
18-25 |
15-22 |
| FT Percentage |
.720 |
.682 |
| Rebounds |
31 |
40 |
| Turnovers |
7 |
11 |
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| Statistical Leaders |
| Iowa State |
Pts |
Rbs |
Asst |
St |
Blk |
| Royce White |
23 |
9 |
4 |
3 |
1 |
| Scott Christopherson |
15 |
2 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
| Kentucky |
Pts |
Rbs |
Asst |
St |
Blk |
| Marquis Teague |
24 |
4 |
7 |
1 |
0 |
| Anthony Davis |
15 |
12 |
5 |
0 |
2 |
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By Wendell
Barnhouse | wendell@big12sports.com
Big12Sports.com Correspondent
Iowa State got a first-hand, up-close look at the team favored to win this
year's national championship. Kentucky left the Cyclones and their coach dazed
and confused with its 87-71 victory Saturday night.
"We've got nothing to hang
our head about. We got beat by the No. 1 overall seed that played an incredible
game," Iowa State coach Fred Hoiberg said. "We're going to walk out
of Lexington - I'm sorry, where are we? Louisville - with our heads held
high."
The game was
played on the home court of the Wildcats' in-state rival and with the support
of a Big Blue crowd, Kentucky (34-2) looked the part of a national champion.
Other than woeful shooting, Iowa State competed until midway through the second
half when the Cyclones were swept away by an avalanche of offense.
"That's about as good as
we can play," said Kentucky coach John Calipari, whose team advances to
the Sweet 16 of the South Regional. "I want them to just look at this and
be happy, but not satisfied. Let's just keep stepping."
Kentucky was
31-of-56 from the floor (55.4 percent) and made half of its 20 3-point
attempts, outscoring Iowa State by 21 points from outside the arc. The Cyclones
also had just seven assists on their 25 field goals, a sign that Kentucky's
defense prevented Iowa State from establishing a flow.
"Our biggest strength is
the 3-point shot, and we go 3 for 22," said Hoiberg, whose team was
25-of-61 (41 percent) from the field. "We're not going to win very many
games when we shoot the ball like that."
Midway through the first half,
the Wildcats had built a 23-11 lead and they held a 38-27 advantage at
halftime.
Iowa State (23-11) started the second half with a 15-4 run
and Scott Christopherson's layup with 16:28 to play tied the game at 42. That
was the high point for the Cyclones.
Kentucky responded with a 20-2 run over the next six minutes
as Iowa State missed 10 consecutive shots.
Freshman point guard Marquis Teague
scored a career-high 24 points for Kentucky while fellow freshman Anthony Davis
had 15 points and 12 rebounds. Royce White had 23 points and nine rebounds
before fouling out with 4:23 remaining.
"I was very motivated tonight just
because of what was at stake,'' White said. ''Definitely disappointing. The
most disappointing thing is personally it just feels like we let Ames down.
Even though we had an over-exceeding season, the end of the day, you want to
keep going and give them that excitement back home."'
Notes
* The last time Kentucky and Iowa State met was 20 years ago in the NCAA
Tournament The Wildcats defeated the Cyclones in the second round and went on
to lose the East Regional final to defending national champion Duke. Iowa State
coach Fred Hoiberg was a freshman on that 1992 team.
* Iowa State is now 1-17 against
Associated Press No. 1-ranked teams.
* The Cyclones are now
0-3 vs. No. 1-seeded teams in the NCAA Championship. All games have been played
in the No. 1 seed's home state.
* Iowa State senior guard Scott Christopherson finished
the season shooting 90.3 percent (93-103) from the free-throw line. He's the
fourth player in Big 12 history to shoot 90-percent or higher from the line