Iowa State coach hits on a lot of topics after Cyclones loss at Texas Randy Peterson/The Register
AUSTIN, Texas — When over-analyzing why a young Iowa State basketball team lost its fourth Big 12 Conference road game in a row Monday night, check out the play-by-play of the second half.
Start where Nick Weiler-Babb’s free throw pulled the Cyclones within 65-57 with 4:10 to play — and then look what happened next:
Five missed shots, some of which were close to the basket. Zero points for the final 4-plus minutes — and you expected anything other than the Cyclones’ 73-57 loss against a Texas team that played a lot better than the last time it played?
Peterson: Cameron Lard played well again, this time in a loss to Texas
On this occasion, at least during this critical stage, it wasn’t defense that let Steve Prohm’s team down. It was the offense.
“We missed a layup or two,” Prohm said after his team’s Big 12 record fell to 2-6. “Cam missed at the rim. We tried to go small the last couple minutes; I don’t know if that was a factor.
“We went small to see if we could cause some problems for them down the stretch.”
Nothing worked. Nothing, and just think how badly Iowa State would have lost had Cameron Lard not packed his A-Game. The rookie was the only reason the Cyclones at least hung somewhat close, before losing for the eighth time.
The 6-foot-9 redshirt freshman scored 12 points. He grabbed 12 rebounds. He was the most consistent Cyclone, with his fifth-double-double, showing once again that he’s easily this team’s Most Improved Player.
He can’t do it alone, though, and he, too had faults — like when 6-11 Mo Bamba had the ball around the rim. Like a couple traveling calls on the perimeter.
Still, Iowa State trailed by eight with 3:50 left against a Texas team that’s not exactly a threat to end Kansas’ regular-season domination.
“I’m frustrated right now,” Prohm said. “I’m disappointed. We’ve got to figure out a way to play better on the road. We’ve done it in spurts. We’ve done it for 35 minutes at times.”
There’s no go-to big player. There were early-game defensive problems against Kerwin Roach, who came into the game making 26.7 percent of his three-point attempts — and left looking like Kyle Korver.
He was 4-for-5 from that distance, including 4 of 4 as Texas led 38-29 at the break.
“That’s why I’m not going to get upset with our guys,” Prohm said. “We were in right positions.
“We don’t even tell our guys anymore that a guy can’t shoot, because every time we say that, a guy has a career night from three.”
Iowa State didn't score the last 4 minutes of the game Randy Peterson/The Register
A game after beating No. 8 Texas Tech so decisively that it was the Cyclones’ most lopsided win against a Top 10 opponent in program history, it lost against a Texas team that was buried by 35 points last Saturday at West Virginia.
Something had to give — and Monday night, Iowa State was the most generous.
Prohm’s team had no answer for Bamba, who scored 24 points and grabbed 12 rebounds. The Cyclones had no defense for Roach’s early-game three-point shooting. They had no one on the bench to provide a big jolt of instant offense — or lockdown defense, for that matter.
“I don’t know ... when I walk in, it’s what can I do?” Prohm said. “What can I do better?”
It’s just the nature of this still-learning team — tough to beat one game, a somewhat easy-out another while going through a drought during the most important stretch of the game.
“We just got giddy,” Babb said. “We were down. We needed points. A lot of the guys, including myself, tried to get something on the board, so we forced a lot the last four minutes.”
Lard continued to mature into a player that will be one of the Big 12’s finest by this time next season, but unfortunately for Iowa State, that was about it from the successful side of the ledger.
The Cyclones’ guard threesome of Weiler-Babb, Donovan Jackson and Lindell Wigginton combined for 36 points. It’s tough to win when they’re not on their A-games.
It’s tough to win, too, when the opponent shoots bull's-eyes from three-point range.
While trailing by nine at the break, the Cyclones gave up baskets from the perimeter, where Texas made five of the first seven three-point attempts it tried. This sharp-shooting came after the Longhorns made 3 of 15 in the stunning West Virginia loss.
About the time you think Iowa State might be putting something together after knocking off Top 10 Texas Tech, 72 hours later, the Cyclones are again proving that inconsistency rules.
Iowa State columnist Randy Peterson has been with the Register for parts of five decades. Randy writes opinion and analysis of Iowa State football and basketball. You can reach Randy at rpeterson@dmreg.com or on Twitter at @RandyPete.
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