AMES, Iowa (AP) — For once, Marial Shayok couldn’t buy a basket. But when the Cyclones absolutely had to have one go down, the Big 12’s leading scorer came through. Talen Horton-Tucker scored 15 points, Shayok had 12 — including a crucial jumper with 25 seconds left — and No. 20 Iowa State held off Texas 65-60 on Saturday for its fifth win in six games.

Nick Weiler-Babb had 11 points and seven rebounds for the streaking Cyclones (17-5, 6-3 Big 12), who hit their last four field goals to avoid the upset. Iowa State led for nearly 36 minutes. But the outcome wasn’t certain until the final seconds. Horton-Tucker’s 3-pointer was answered by a 3 and two free throws from Kerwin Roach, keeping the Longhorns to within 59-56 with 2:09 left. Jaxson Hayes’ tip-in made it 59-58 with 1:31 left, but Weiler-Babb hit a bank shot to beat the buzzer and put the Cyclones ahead by 3.

Shayok, who finished just 3 of 14 from the floor, then drilled a 15-footer to make it 63-58.
He matched Roach at the line after that, and Matt Coleman missed a 3 that would have made it a one-point game with six seconds left.

The Cyclones led by as many as 13 in the first half. But after Shayok blew an open alley-oop dunk opportunity, Matt Coleman’s 3 gave Texas its first lead, 46-45, with 7:07 left. Weiler-Babb and Lindell Wigginton responded with back-to-back 3s to help put Iowa State back out in front, 52-48.
Roach finished with 19 points and Coleman had 13 points and five assists for Texas (12-10, 4-5), which made a game of it late despite committing 13 turnovers and shooting just 26 percent on 3s.

The Cyclones were flummoxed at times by the Longhorns’ length, and the zone defense Texas threw at them gave them fits. They also missed a flurry of alley-oops and easy layups. But it’s February, when getting the win is often enough.
UP NEXT: Iowa State plays at Oklahoma on Monday.