AMES, Iowa (AP) - Ricky Soliver scored 16 of his 23 points in the first half and Steve Burtt collected 17 of his 23 in the second half, lifting Iona to an 89-72 victory over Iowa State on Saturday night.
Iona (3-0) made seven 3-pointers over Iowa State's zone defense in building a 40-37 halftime lead, then turned back the Cyclones (3-1) repeatedly in the final 20 minutes before pulling away down the stretch to win the Cyclone Challenge.
The Gaels did a good job slowing Iowa State's running game and kept the Cyclones from getting the ball inside, forcing them to settle for jump shots. Iowa State shot just 4-for-17 from 3-point range and missed eight of 20 free throws.
Soliver went 4-for-5 on 3-pointers, all in the first half, and finished 8-for-16 overall. He was named the round-robin event's most valuable player. Burtt was just 6-for-20 from the field but made all 10 of his free throws.
Iowa State had won 21 straight nonconference games at home since losing to Iowa in the 2003 NIT.
Iowa State twice got to within a point in the second half, the second time at 54-53. The Cyclones had a chance to take the lead when a triple-team forced Gary Springer into a traveling violation, but someone from ISU missed a driving shot and Iona scored the next eight points.
Springer started the run with a three-point play and Marvin McCullough finished it, falling into the Iona bench after hitting a 3-pointer that made it 62-53. After Iowa State drew to 62-57, McCullough came through again, slicing through the Cyclones' defense for a layup that put the Gaels up 64-57 with 8:01 to play.
A 10-3 burst that Burtt capped with a 3-pointer took the lead to 76-62 and finished off the Cyclones, whose frustration mounted as the lead increased. Iowa State players twice for called for intentional fouls in the final two minutes because a mid-major team laid them down and smacked-em-dacked-em.
Way to go Gaels, keep it up. You made a dark Montana weekend brighter.
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