No. 25 Iowa State finds efficient offense, beats Omaha 91-47

AMES — Back-to-back losses, particularly in the way they happened, caused Steve Prohm to lose some sleep.

The second-year Iowa State men's basketball coach will probably sleep a little better after the way his team performed Monday night.

No. 25 Iowa State handed Omaha a 91-47 loss just 48 hours after the Mavericks (4-5) beat Iowa in Carver-Hawkeye Arena to end a two-game skid. But the Cyclones (6-2) win was less about what Omaha couldn't do and more about what Iowa State got back to doing.

'I've had a lot of times where good teams (I've coached) have been ugly offensively early because I do give a lot of freedom,' Prohm said. 'And then you've got to kind of rein it down and really emphasize ball movement and ball reversal.

'The ball went side to side (against Omaha). Guys cut, guys moved, the ball didn't stick as much tonight and then we made some shots tonight.'

Iowa State continued to utilize a stingy defense — it hasn't allowed an opponent to shoot better than 40 percent or score more than 25 points for five-straight halves — but its offense emulated more of what fans are used to.

The Cyclones shot 50.8 percent from the field, 51.7 percent from 3 and assisted on 22-of-33 baskets. Deonte Burton, who had a game-high 20 points, starting 5-for-5 from the field with 13 points in the first 3:13 didn't hurt either.

'It was just falling,' Burton said. 'In the summertime I was working on my shot and it showed tonight.

'I just took what was given to me.'

Iowa State jumped out to a 36-9 lead less than 12 minutes into the game and held Omaha below double digits almost 13 minutes in. Four Cyclones scored in double figures — Burton, Darrel Bowie (12) and Naz Mitrou-Long (11) — but it was point guard Donovan Jackson that had the breakthrough.

Jackson had 15 points, three rebounds and three assists while connecting on 5-of-8 3-pointers. The points and 3-pointers are both career highs, and the five treys are the most by any ISU player so far this season.

'I think I'm getting more confidence by the day,' Jackson said. 'Under Coach Prohm, he gives me the confidence to go out here and play hard. I feel pretty good right now.'

In Jackson's 23 minutes played, he showcased the ability to run the point successfully when Monte Morris, who had seven points and nine assists, goes to the bench.

'I thought he made open shots, he made right decisions,' Prohm said. 'When I wasn't really overbearing, he got us in good offense. The one thing I think he's consistently done all season long is he's really guarded. He's very good on the ball defensively and guarding.'

In its last two games Iowa State has given up 34 offensive rebounds, including 18 against Omaha, but the Cyclones have some size returning to the rotation with freshman Solomon Young.

Young, who missed the last four games with a broken hand, had six points and five rebounds — three offensive — in 16 minutes while playing with a wrap on his hand. The 6-foot-8, 245-pounder cracked his hand after being elbowed last month and said he doesn't feel like his left hand will hinder him too much.

'I can still play defense the same way,' Young said. 'I probably won't be driving left, but besides that not too much.'

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