White sinks free throws, fifth-ranked Kansas, 72-64

AMES - Royce White woke up Saturday and rubbed his eyes, trying to shake off a nightmare.

“I was dreaming about missing free throws,” Iowa State's star 6-8, 270-pound forward said.

Not anymore.

White sank two free throws with 1:47 left that helped the Cyclones send fifth-ranked Kansas to its first Big 12 loss, 72-64, Saturday before a gold-tinged, court-swarming sellout crowd of 14,376 at Hilton Coliseum.

ISU (15-6, 5-3) notched its first home win over a top-five team since dropping the then-No. 3 Jayhawks, 69-65, on Jan. 14, 1995.

“There's always something about the Kansas game,” said Cyclones coach Fred Hoiberg, whose team snapped a 13-game skid against the Jayhawks. “There's always something in the air.”

Hoiberg, then ISU's captain, scored 17 straight second-half points during the 1995 upset.

White, who entered Saturday shooting 38.8 percent from the line in conference play, scored eight points in a row during the crucial late stretch of this triumph- and capped the run with the tension-packed pair of late free throws.

That put ISU ahead 64-59.

Teammate Chris Babb then stole the ball from the Jayhawks' Elijah Johnson and drilled his first 3-pointer of the game off a penetrate-and-dish assist from Scott Christopherson with 56 seconds left, effectively sealing the win.

“Babb told me, ‘Coach, I've got one for you. I've got one for you late if you need one,'” Hoiberg said. “He stepped up and knocked them down.”

So did White, who coaxed six of his final eight shots from the line to tumble through the net.

He ended up with a game-high 18 points and nine rebounds to go with five assists.

“He was a monster down there,” Hoiberg said.

Especially when it counted.

Kansas (17-4, 7-1) forged an 8-0 run to take a 47-41 lead with 16:12 left.

ISU then stifled the Jayhawks, allowing just one field goal over the next eight minutes.

Kansas took its last lead, at 53-52, on Johnson's dunk with 8:15 left, but the Cyclones closed on a 20-11 run.

“This was our first true road test with an atmosphere, a big crowd, and all of that,” said Kansas guard Tyshawn Taylor, who gouged ISU for 28 points in an 82-73 win at Lawrence, but managed 16 Saturday.

The Cyclones also frustrated Thomas Robinson, the Big 12's second-leading scorer and top rebounder, for the second time.

He scored 13 points, grabbed seven rebounds but also coughed up five turnovers.

“Just building that wall,” White said of ISU's interior defense.

Now the Cyclones are busting through them.

The so-called “best scout team in America” has fully entered the ESPN-validated national limelight.

The trick is staying there.

“If you want to play in the NCAA Tournament you've got to beat some of the best teams in the country,” said Christopherson, who scored 14 points and swished nine-of-10 free throw attempts. “You've got to have quote, unquote signature wins. But at the same time, we're not going to get into the NCAA Tournament with just five conference wins.”

So the beat - and work - goes on.

“Enjoy it,” Hoiberg told his players, “but come back ready to go.”

KANSAS (17-4)

Robinson 5-11 3-4 13, Withey 4-5 2-2 10, Taylor 6-11 3-6 16, Johnson 4-6 0-1 10, Releford 3-5 2-3 10, Tharpe 0-0 0-0 0, Teahan 1-7 0-0 3, Wesley 0-0 0-0 0, Lindsay 0-0 0-0 0, Juenemann 0-0 0-0 0, Young 1-5 0-0 2. Totals 24-50 10-16 64.

IOWA ST. (15-6)

Babb 3-7 0-0 7, Ejim 4-9 6-8 15, Allen 1-2 0-0 3, Christopherson 2-7 9-10 14, White 6-11 6-11 18, Railey 0-0 0-0 0, Booker 2-5 1-2 7, McGee 2-4 3-3 8. Totals 20-45 25-34 72.

Halftime_Iowa St. 37-34. 3-Point Goals_Kansas 6-17 (Releford 2-3, Johnson 2-3, Taylor 1-3, Teahan 1-6, Robinson 0-1, Young 0-1), Iowa St. 7-17 (Booker 2-4, Christopherson 1-2, McGee 1-2, Ejim 1-2, Allen 1-2, Babb 1-4, White 0-1). Fouled Out_None. Rebounds_Kansas 23 (Robinson 7), Iowa St. 36 (White 9). Assists_Kansas 18 (Taylor 10), Iowa St. 11 (White 5). Total Fouls_Kansas 23, Iowa St. 14. A_14,376.

[nggallery id=790]