CINCINNATI — For most of the game, No. 2 Iowa State’s play was reminiscent of the Peacock stream. Laggy and perhaps not at the quality one has come to expect this season.
Iowa State junior forward Milan Momcilovic scored a career-high 34 points Saturday afternoon. Despite the strong individual performance, No. 2 Iowa State lost their second straight game in conference play, 79-70.
Momcilovic was joined in double figures by senior forward Joshua Jefferson with 16 points. Jefferson also led the Cyclones
in both rebounding and assists with nine and five in the respective statistics.
Iowa State (16-2, 3-2 Big 12) went into halftime trailing 35-31 and connecting on four fewer 3-point baskets than the Bearcats. Cincinnati (10-8, 2-3 Big 12) led for much of the game (33:27). The Cyclones closed the first half on a 7-0 run, with all points being scored by Momcilovic.
Iowa State tied the game at 38 with 18:09 remaining in the second half as Joshua Jefferson connected on a driving layup. A Jefferson hookshot with 16:19 on the clock, trimmed the Bearcat lead to three. Cincinnati then used a 9-0 run over the next three minutes to build an 14-point cushion, 74-66, with 13:05 to play. A 3-point basket by Momcilovic cut the margin to five, 69-64, with four minutes and 38 seconds to play, but it was as close as the Cyclones got down the stretch. Cincinnati responded with a 6-0 run over the next 2:44.
Day Day Thomas led the Bearcats with 19 points and was joined in double figures by Jizzle James with 15 points, Sencire Harris with 12 and Jalen Celestine, also with a dozen points. Baba Miller led Cincinnati on the glass with 12 rebounds.
Iowa State finished the game shooting 43.1 percent (22-of-51) from the floor, 42.9 percent (9-of-21) from beyond the arc and 63 percent (17-of-27) at the free throw line. The Cyclones turned it over 12 times, and the Bearcats capitalized with 20 points. Cincinnati wrapped up its afternoon shooting 43.5 percent (30-of-69) from the floor, 29.4 percent (10-of-34) from behind the 3-point line and 75 percent (9-of-12) at the free throw line.
The Cyclones host UCF on Tuesday at 6 p.m.
