Iowa State rolled past winless Jackson State on Sunday, four days after posting a double-digit victory against then-No. 5 Marquette.
An opponent’s pedigree hardly matters to the No. 3 Cyclones, who will shoot for their fifth straight win when they visit in-state rival Iowa on Thursday in Iowa City.
“With our team, we talk all the time about balance, but it’s not necessarily by design,” Cyclones coach T.J. Otzelberger said. “It’s because there’s a lot of guys that can score the ball, so to get their confidence up to see the ball go through the basket, that’s always a positive thing, regardless.”
Fueled by 50.7 percent field-goal shooting and five scorers in double figures, Iowa State (7-1) routed Jackson State 100-58. Reserve Curtis Jones personified that efficiency with his team-leading 19 points, shooting 5-for-10 from long range and 6-for-12 overall.
Milan Momcilovic followed with 18 points, hitting 4 of 6 from long range, and Joshua Jefferson posted 10 points and 13 rebounds.
Still, Otzelberger admitted the Cyclones weren’t perfect and will need to stay sharp against an Iowa team coming off a pair of nail-biting Big Ten games last week.
“Were there things we could have learned better? Certainly — finishing some plays on the glass, first to the basketball, contesting some shots — no question about it,” Otzelberger said. “Overall, pleased with the way we shared the basketball, the way we got out in transition. There were some good things defensively.”
Iowa (7-2) has been idle since an 85-83 loss at conference rival Michigan on Saturday.
Hawkeyes coach Fran McCaffery felt players earned the brief respite despite the result.
“That was a hard-fought game that was up and down. Both teams playing fast. Both teams pressing a little bit,” he said. “They’re just exhausted, obviously physically but also emotionally. Fighting back, fighting back, fighting back, fighting back, get the lead, give it back, tie the game. I’m just really proud of that fight.”
Iowa trailed by double figures in both halves but rallied multiple times. Payton Sandfort, who overcame an 0-for-5 start from long range, drilled a game-tying trey with 20 seconds to go. He scored 16 of his team-high 19 points in the second half.
“You knew Payton was going to catch fire at some point,” McCaffery said.
Owen Freeman was whistled for goaltending on the Wolverines’ final possession. Pryce Sandfort was short on a potential winning 3-pointer as time expired but joined Josh Dix with 16 points apiece as five Hawkeyes finished in double figures.
In addition to keeping bench production rolling with reserves Seydou Traore and Cooper Koch injured, Iowa will aim to boost its effort from the free-throw line. The Hawkeyes are shooting just 66 percent from the line (105-for-159) after going 10-for-17 against Michigan.
“Foul shooting was a problem,” McCaffery said. “It’s been a little bit of a problem; we’ve got to keep working on it.”
Traore might be able to return from a sprained ankle on Thursday, while Koch’s chances of coming back from an unannounced ailment are slimmer.
Iowa holds a 48-29 edge in the all-time series, including four straight wins at home, but will be looking to avenge a 90-65 road defeat last season.
