Ames, Iowa — Kansas coach Bill Self had said before going to Ames that Iowa State’s ability to earn additional possessions with its defensive play, and turn those into extra points, made the Cyclones a formidable foe.
At a series of pivotal moments in the second half Saturday, they did just that.
After the Jayhawks tied the game in the opening moments after the break, ISU’s Tamin Lipsey hit a 3-pointer and immediately stole a Hunter Dickinson pass that he turned into a transition layup to give the Cyclones their biggest lead yet at 38-32.
Then following each of the next two timeouts, Kevin McCullar Jr. turned the ball over with devastating consequences: a dunk from Tre King and a 3 by Milan Momcilovic.
The Jayhawks got back as close as two points on consecutive 3s by Dickinson and McCullar, but Keshon Gilbert hit a decisive 3 at the shot-clock buzzer with 41 seconds left and condemned KU to a 79-75 loss at Hilton Coliseum.
“As the shot clock’s ticking down, we just got to be able to take a step up and limit that, just a bit more awareness,” said guard Johnny Furphy, who was defending Gilbert at the end of the play. “But yeah, that was a heck of a shot.”
It was seventh-ranked KU’s third road loss in four tries since beginning Big 12 play, and dropped the team to 16-4 (4-3 Big 12 Conference) on the season.
King, who had made just three 3-pointers all season prior to Saturday, scored four and helped kick-start the second-half bombardment that eventually sank the Jayhawks. ISU shot 14-for-30 on the whole from deep, making its most 3s in a game since Feb. 6, 2021.
“When you have a team that usually makes four 3s a game make 14, it definitely makes it more challenging,” Dickinson said.
King finished with 21 to lead all scorers. Gilbert had 16 and Curtis Jones 15 off the bench.
Dickinson had 20 and 15 rebounds for KU, while McCullar was second for the Jayhawks with 16 (albeit on 5-for-18 shooting). Furphy added 15 points to continue his hot streak, while KJ Adams had 13 before fouling out.
The Jayhawks started 0-for-4 despite good looks early before Dickinson rolled in a jumper and McCullar turned a steal into a transition layup. That took some of the fire out of a rabid Hilton crowd, and then Furphy gave KU its first lead at 9-7 on a 3 from the left wing.
King singlehandedly sustained ISU for much of the early going, draining his fourth and fifth 3-pointers of the season, one of which broke a scoring drought of nearly four minutes. The half crossed its midway point and Gilbert added another 3 soon after to give the Cyclones a one-point lead, but KU regained a measure of control when McCullar poked a rebound away from a pair of ISU players to earn himself an easy layup.
Then, Dickinson found Dajuan Harris Jr. on a backdoor cut for another layup that gave the Jayhawks a 20-18 advantage in the defensive battle. Meanwhile, a bench-heavy lineup featuring Parker Braun, Elmarko Jackson and Jamari McDowell held its own, though it did give ISU’s star guard Tamin Lipsey his first points of the game on a 3.
Lipsey, a top rebounder in the Big 12 Conference from his point guard spot, made another key play moments later when he swiped an offensive rebound from between Dickinson and Furphy to set up Robert Jones from a banked-in hook shot.
Lipsey was also at the center of a critical sequence just before halftime. Demarion Watson stole a pass by Harris to set up Lipsey in transition. Parker Braun hit Lipsey in the head on a layup attempt going for a block and was whistled for a flagrant foul, and then Self got assessed a technical in the aftermath. Lipsey only made two of his four free throws, but on the ensuing possession Gilbert found Momcilovic for a 3 that put the Cyclones up 30-26.
Self said postgame he regretted the technical foul.
“You know, I haven’t seen (the flagrant foul),” he said. “It may have been a good call. I know that it wasn’t anything malicious or anything. It may have been a good call, but certainly, it was a four-point play.”
McCullar missed a corner 3 on KU’s last possession and finished the half 3-for-13 from the field.
The Jayhawks got off to a promising start after the break when they evened the score at 30-30, but Lipsey caught fire again, hitting a 3 and turning a Dickinson pass into another transition layup as part of a massive 8-2 run that forced a timeout by Self.
KU was unable to halt that run as it became more and more substantial. The Cyclones made five additional 3-pointers in a five-minute span, and the Jayhawks trailed by as many as 12 points midway through the half despite improved offensive execution.
“It’s pretty hard to come back and get multiple stops when they’re shooting the ball that well,” Furphy said. “I think it really comes down to scouting report. If we know someone’s hot, we got to get after them.”
Added Dickinson: “I think we were just getting caught with our defensive strategy. I think guys were just not talking enough out there.”
They chipped away, though, on a string of free throws by Adams and McCullar, cutting their deficit back to six points, then got it to 67-63 when Furphy hit a contested 3 and dunked in transition, forcing an ISU timeout.
However, Gilbert blew by Furphy from the corner for a layup to make it a seven-point game with three minutes left, then scored a bucket in transition 16 seconds later.
KU will return home for a rematch with Oklahoma State Tuesday at 8 p.m. The Jayhawks beat the Cowboys 90-66 on the road on Jan. 16.
Kansas guard Dajuan Harris Jr. (3) loses control of the ball as Iowa State forward Hason Ward (24) and guard Tamin Lipsey (3) defend during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Saturday, Jan. 27, 2024, in Ames, Iowa.
Kansas forward Parker Braun (23) scores as Iowa State forward Robert Jones (12) defends under the basket during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Saturday, Jan. 27, 2024, in Ames, Iowa.
Kansas guard Dajuan Harris Jr. (3) sends a pass behind Iowa State guard Curtis Jones (5) during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game, Saturday, Jan. 27, 2024, in Ames, Iowa. Iowa State won 79-75.
Kansas guard Johnny Furphy (10) comes down with the ball as he lands on Iowa State guard Curtis Jones (5) during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game, Saturday, Jan. 27, 2024, in Ames, Iowa. Iowa State won 79-75.
Iowa State forward Hason Ward (24) tips a shot by Kansas guard Dajuan Harris Jr. (3) as Iowa State forward Tre King (0) helps defend during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game, Saturday, Jan. 27, 2024, in Ames, Iowa. Iowa State won 79-75.
Iowa State forward Tre King (0) pokes the ball from Kansas guard Kevin McCullar Jr. (15) as Iowa State guard Curtis Jones (5) defends during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game, Saturday, Jan. 27, 2024, in Ames, Iowa. King was charged with a foul on the play. Iowa State won 79-75.
Kansas guard Johnny Furphy (10) and center Hunter Dickinson (1) walk to the free throw lane during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game, Saturday, Jan. 27, 2024, in Ames, Iowa. Iowa State won 79-75.
Kansas head coach Bill Self directs his players late in the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Iowa State, Saturday, Jan. 27, 2024, in Ames, Iowa. Iowa State won 79-75.
Kansas head coach Bill Self walks away after receiving a technical foul during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Iowa State, Saturday, Jan. 27, 2024, in Ames, Iowa.