Milan Momcilovic’s second-half barrage fuels Cyclones’ 74-56 win over Kansas
AMES, Iowa — Milan Momcilovic’s hot hand in the second half turned a tight, physical matchup into a decisive win for the home team. Momcilovic hit four 3-pointers after halftime and finished with 18 points, a key ingredient in a 20-2 spurt that pushed Iowa State past Kansas, 74-56, on Saturday afternoon (ET) at Hilton Coliseum.
Momcilovic’s late shooting swing changes the game
The contest was a low-scoring, defensive struggle early on, with neither side able to sustain much offensive rhythm. That balance tipped in the second half when Momcilovic began finding space and timing beyond the arc. His sequence of four long-range makes came after Iowa State had already begun to claim the momentum, but each triple further extended the Cyclones’ lead and forced Kansas to chase the game.
Momcilovic’s shooting was part of a broader second-half surge — the Cyclones opened the frame 6-for-6 from 3-point range at one point — which compounded Kansas’ issues with turnovers and offensive rebounds. The Jayhawks coughed up multiple live-ball turnovers in the first half that translated into transition and second-chance points for the Cyclones, and Momcilovic capitalized once the defense started over-rotating to stop interior threats.
Cyclones’ balance and a decisive run
The win was the product of balance more than a single individual. Alongside Momcilovic’s outside punch, Jamarion Batemon, Blake Buchanan, Joshua Jefferson and Tamin Lipsey each chipped in 11 points, giving Iowa State a diversified scoring attack that Kansas struggled to contain. Jefferson’s versatility and Buchanan’s activity on the glass helped create looks on the perimeter, and the Cyclones finished the second half with a controlled offensive approach.
Kansas struggled to match that balance. Melvin Council Jr. led the Jayhawks with 15 points, Flory Bidunga produced an 11-point, 13-rebound double-double, and Darryn Peterson returned from illness to contribute 10 points in 24 minutes. But eight offensive rebounds conceded and 10 first-half turnovers hindered Kansas’ ability to keep pace. The Jayhawks’ usually reliable interior defense and transition containment were less effective on this afternoon, allowing the Cyclones to string together the decisive 20-2 run over a span of just over five minutes.
Implications and what to watch next
The defeat ends Kansas’ run of success in this venue and significantly impacts the Jayhawks’ hopes in the hunt for the Big 12 regular-season crown. Kansas had previously beaten Iowa State in January, but the balance of pressure flipped in Ames; where Kansas forced mistakes earlier in the season, Iowa State applied that pressure this time and reaped the reward.
For Iowa State, the victory underscores the value of guard shooting and multi-headed scoring. If Momcilovic can replicate this kind of scoring burst with consistent perimeter threat and his teammates keep producing complementary offense, the Cyclones will be a dangerous matchup for opponents who struggle to defend both inside and out.
Both teams leave Hilton Coliseum with clear takeaways: Iowa State earned a statement home win built on timely shooting and shared scoring, while Kansas must correct turnover issues and rebounding lapses if it hopes to get back on track in conference play.
