Overtime loss at Texas drops Iowa State to 1-3 in Big 12

AUSTIN, Texas -- Point guard Isaiah Taylor scored 28 points, including five of Texas' seven points in overtime, as the Longhorns made the plays needed in the extra period and outlasted No. 18 Iowa State 94-91 on Tuesday at the Erwin Center.

Taylor hit two baskets and, ultimately, one of two free throws with 22 seconds remaining to give Texas the lead it wouldn't relinquish. Iowa State's Georges Niang had a chance to send the game to a second extra period but his 3-pointer at the buzzer didn't even draw iron.

Texas (10-6, 2-2 Big 12) got 14 points apiece from guard-forward Tevin Mack and guard Eric Davis Jr. while guard Javan Felix added 13 points and forward Connor Lammert hit for 11.

'We knew we weren't going to get a 'Hollywood movie' 3 (at the end),' Iowa State coach Steve Prohm said. 'But we got the ball in our best player's hands and we had the chance to send the game to a second overtime.'

Seven players saw the court for Iowa State (12-4, 1-3 Big 12) and six of them scored in double figures. The Cyclones were led by Niang's 27 points while Monte Morris scored 17. Deonte Burton added 14, forward Jameel McKay scored 12 points, guard Matt Thomas poured in 11 points and forward Abdel Nader hit for 10 points and pulled down 16 rebounds.

It's the Cyclones' worst start to Big 12 play since 2010-11, when they were 1-12 in Fred Hoiberg's first year as coach.

'We have to have amnesia about losing this game and move forward knowing that we are a good team and that we are playing in a very tough league,' Niang said. 'We'll keep fighting because we know we will get better and get some wins.'

Texas, in its fifth game without center Cameron Ridley, found its stride with the small-ball attack necessitated by Ridley's foot injury. The Longhorns were able to use their advantage in quickness to flash into the paint and built as much as a 13-point lead with 13:51 to play.

'We are so spread out on defense that it gives the opposition too many driving lanes, and that's hurting us,' Prohm said.

But Iowa State showed its determination down the stretch, and fought back to tie the game. Taylor and forward Connor Lammert drained back-to-back 3-pointers to give the Longhorns an 85-79 lead with 2:41 to play but the Cyclones roared back, tying the game at 85-85 with two free throws and a jumper by Niang and a jumper by Morris.

Taylor hit a driving layup to give the Longhorns an 87-85 lead with 37 seconds to play but Niang canned a short contested jumper with nine seconds left to even things up again. Taylor attacked a double-team for a final shot in regulation but it bounced off the rim and the game went to overtime.

Texas played at a frantic pace in the first half, using a combination of driving moves to the basket and nine 3-pointers to assume a 49-36 lead at halftime. The Longhorns shot 51.4 percent from the floor and often took advantage of Iowa State's misses from beyond the arc and the resulting long, caroming rebound to jumpstart its own attack.

Eight Texas players scored in the first 20 minutes, led by point guard Isaiah Taylor's 14 points and 12 from guard/forward Tevin Mack. Iowa State missed its final four 3-point attempts after hitting five of its first six and was led by forward Jameel McKay's 10 points.