Allen's 25 help Iowa State pound Texas A&M 69-46

AMES - Iowa State's Royce White delivered a sharp, on-target behind-the-back pass.

Teammate Chris Allen caught it waist-high, set his feet, then released perhaps his most technically-sound 3-point attempt in recent memory.

“I made sure I tried to do everything right,” chuckled Allen, who swished that shot and scored a career-high 25 points in the Cyclones' 69-46 rout of Big 12 rival Texas A&M Saturday before 14,376 fans at Hilton Coliseum. “I was like, ‘I gotta make this.' Wide open - he done threw a great pass, everybody's yelling, they're expecting the shot to go in.”

Allen, a veteran of two Final Fours with Michigan State, hasn't missed much lately for ISU, which improved to 18-7 overall and 8-4 in conference play.

The senior transfer's shooting a torrid 58.6 percent (17 of 29) from beyond the arc in the last four games - three of which have been Cyclone wins.

“Everybody was focused on what they had to do, focused on the game plan, and we executed it to a ‘T,'” Allen said.

ISU had lost three straight at home to the Aggies (12-12, 3-9), but dominated all aspects from start to finish.

Allen spurred a wide-ranging 18-3 splurge to start the second half that turned an 11-point lead into a 26-point bulge.

“That was as well as we played coming out in the second half,” Cyclone coach Fred Hoiberg said. “Just the energy, the intensity, just picking up where we left off in that first half.”

Scott Christopherson hit a step-back 3-pointer during the run.

Anthony Booker added a dunk and Chris Babb scooped in a layup.

Seven of the eight baskets converted in the spurt came off assists.

“That's a prime example that we're out there making the extra pass, playing very unselfishly and playing with great purpose,” Hoiberg said.

It also shows the team's resolve in coming off a 69-67 loss Tuesday at Oklahoma State in which Allen saw his last-second, potentially game-tying shot blocked at the buzzer.

“We all just told him to keep his head up,” said White, who scored five points, grabbed 10 rebounds and cast off seven assists. “And to come out and have a big game like this - for all of us to have a big game like this and respond to that loss is the biggest thing. He was the igniter to that.”

White and Melvin Ejim provided a crucial spark, as well, combining for 20 rebounds.

ISU ruled the boards, building a 38-22 overall edge and eight to three advantage on the offensive end.

“It's something we're focusing on and emphasizing: If we win on the glass then we're probably going to be the winner in every battle,” said White, who took just five shots. “We focused in and did what we had to do.”

The Cyclones' field of vision remains tightly controlled, despite winning as many as eight conference games for the first time since the 2004-05 season.

That team, which went 9-7 in the Big 12, made the NCAA Tournament.

ISU has not been back since - and faces No. 6 Baylor on the road Monday night.

“This is the time when if your team is not at the highest peak, or peaking, then there's really no point in even you keeping playing,” Allen said.

TEXAS A&M (12-12)

Hibbert 2-7 0-0 5, Loubeau 5-9 0-0 10, Green 2-4 1-2 5, Alexander 1-2 0-0 3, E. Turner 2-7 2-4 8, Davis 0-0 0-0 0, Middleton 2-9 0-0 5, Kinsley 0-3 2-2 2, Baird 0-0 2-2 2, R. Turner 3-6 0-1 6. Totals 17-47 7-11 46.

IOWA ST. (18-7)

Babb 1-5 0-0 2, Ejim 1-8 3-3 5, Allen 9-15 2-2 25, Christopherson 4-6 0-0 10, White 2-5 1-2 5, Railey 1-3 0-0 2, McBeth 0-0 0-0 0, Booker 3-6 0-0 7, Gibson 2-2 1-1 5, McGee 2-5 2-2 8. Totals 25-55 9-10 69.

Halftime_Iowa St. 30-19. 3-Point Goals_Texas A&M 5-19 (E. Turner 2-6, Alexander 1-2, Hibbert 1-3, Middleton 1-4, Green 0-1, Kinsley 0-3), Iowa St. 10-28 (Allen 5-9, Christopherson 2-3, McGee 2-5, Booker 1-4, Ejim 0-3, Babb 0-4). Fouled Out_None. Rebounds_Texas A&M 22 (Loubeau 6), Iowa St. 38 (Ejim, White 10). Assists_Texas A&M 8 (Alexander 2), Iowa St. 18 (White 7). Total Fouls_Texas A&M 16, Iowa St. 15. A_14,376.

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