Kansas Blows Away Iowa State, 72-55
Feb. 18, 2009
Box Score 
LAWRENCE, Kan. –
Sherron Collins’ 22 points and Cole Aldrich’s double-double helped Kansas past Iowa State, 72-55, Wednesday night at Allen Fieldhouse. Aldrich tallied 22 points, while grabbing 11 rebounds.
With the victory Kansas improved to 21-5 overall and 10-1 in the Big 12, while Iowa State fell to 13-13 overall and 2-8 in the league.
Brady Morningstar and Tyshawn Taylor’s back-to-back three point makes along with a Collins fast break lay-up gave Kansas an 8-0 lead to begin the game. Iowa State head coach Greg McDermott called a timeout just 1:54 into the game, but that did not stem the Jayhawk tide as every KU starter would score en route to a 14-2 lead at the first media timeout.
Markieff Morris’ two-hand slam ran the KU lead to 17 at 32-15, but Iowa State would answer with a 10-2 run behind two three point makes from Bryan Petersen and Jamie Vanderbeken.
A balanced Jayhawk scoring attack led to Kansas’ 36-25 halftime advantage. Collins led KU with nine points in the first half, followed by Aldrich with eight, Morningstar with six and Marcus Morris with six. Aldrich nearly had a double-double in the first half with eight rebounds as well.
Iowa State’s Craig Brackins, who scored 42 points in the loss to KU earlier this season, tallied all seven of Iowa State’s points in the first 10 minutes of the game.
The Cyclones opened the second half on a 5-0 run sparked by a Vanderbeken three point bucket and a Brackins lay-in, causing Kansas coach Bill Self to call a timeout with 18:07 remaining.
Kansas would respond with a 7-1 run of their own thanks in large part to two Collins’ driving lay-ups. Kansas’ 43-31 advantage would not last long as Iowa State immediately responded with a 7-0 run to cut the lead to five with 12:33 remaining. It was the closest the Cyclones had been since the opening minute.
Aldrich scored the game’s next eight points to give KU a 51-38 lead that would not be threatened. Included in the run was an Aldrich fast break one-handed slam that was setup by his open-court steal. Iowa State would cut the lead to single digits on several occasions, but would never be closer than nine.
Kansas held Brackins to 20 points on 7-for-21 shooting. Brackins would also snatch 11 boards.
The Jayhawks held Iowa State to just 32.1 percent (18-for-56) shooting, while making 50.0 percent (28-for-56) of their own shots. KU also out-rebounded the Cyclones by 10, 39-29.
Turnovers were the biggest issue for Kansas tonight as Iowa State forced 18 miscues, nine in each half.
KU was also perfect at the free throw line, going 8-for-8, for the first time since April 3, 1993, against North Carolina. It is the first time Kansas has ever been perfect at the foul line in Big 12 play.
KU will conclude its two game home-stand Saturday afternoon when it hosts the Nebraska Cornhuskers. Tip is scheduled for 3 p.m. and the game will be televised on the Big 12 Network.
