Iowa State Avoids Upset

MILWAUKEE — There was a 12 seed that upset a 5 seed on Thursday in Milwaukee in the NCAA Tournament first-round, but it happened earlier in the day.

(Middle Tennessee State sent MInnesota home in the other 5 vs. 12 game.)

Iowa State, a 5 seed, denied Nevada a chance at an upset with an 84-73 win over the Wolfpack.

.@CycloneMBB Coach Steve Prohm on the win over Nevada in NCAA First Round. #marchmadness pic.twitter.com/9w70WcGEL1

— ESPN 93.5 QC (@ESPN935) March 17, 2017

The Cyclones led for 36 minutes, 39 seconds in the first-round contest, but the Wolfpack made things interesting in several points in the game.

Nevada brought a 13-point deficit down to four in two separate occasions, with the latest being with just under 10 minutes left in the game.

Iowa State went on a quick 9-3 run to bring its lead back to double digits,  and the closest the Wolfpack got would be five in the final four minutes.

The Cyclones responded to that, too, by scoring five straight points to balloon the lead back to double-figures.

Milwaukee native Deonte Burton ended the first half with a thunderous dunk that allowed Iowa State to enter the locker room with a 13-point lead.

Monte Morris led the Cyclones with 19 points, and was two assists and two rebounds shy of another triple-double.

Burton scored 14, and fellow Wisconsin native Matt Thomas put up 13, and that included three made 3-pointers.

The Cyclones will now face Purdue on Saturday night for a spot to the Sweet 16.