LUBBOCK, Texas -- Some of the top-ranked teams in the country have learned to not let Texas Tech hang around too long. Most of those teams got away with it.
Iowa State did not.
Guard Keenan Evans scored 13 of his 17 points in the second half, none bigger than a shot clock-beating, 25-foot prayer off an inbound pass with 1:34 left in overtime, and Texas Tech rallied from as much as nine down in the second half to upset No. 14 Iowa State, 85-82, Wednesday night at United Spirit Arena.
"Unfortunately the play (we had called) didn't work out so well so I just popped back, caught it and just kind of threw it up," Evans said. "I just wound it up and it went in."
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For Iowa State, it was, quite figuratively, a dagger.
"Man, don't even get me started," said Cyclones forward Georges Niang, who finished with 18 points and nine rebounds. "To get hit with that is like someone just stabbing you in the stomach. I'm so aggravated with losing like that. That's the worst way to lose by someone just closing their eyes and throwing it up. Credit to (Evans), he made an unbelievable shot. To lose like that is difficult."
For the Red Raiders, meanwhile, it was a much-needed boost after being on the other side of the spectrum, watching team after team find a way to pull away late or hit a buzzer-beating shot. Texas Tech (14-9, 4-7 in Big 12) had watched three ranked Big 12 Conference opponents -- including the Cyclones in early January -- escape with victories of seven points or less in which Texas Tech had chances to win at the very end.
Wednesday night, however, it was the Red Raiders' turn to find a way to win, and a much-needed win it was at that, keeping the Red Raiders within shouting distance of finishing in the top half of the conference standings. It also helped Texas Tech surpass the total number of conference wins from all of last season and tie the mark for most overall wins in a season in head coach Tubby Smith's three years with the program.
"It's one game. We've got seven more in the league so we've got a long way to go," Smith said. "We've been able to compete with most teams in the league, just about everyone. We've got a tough one at Baylor on Saturday, but I like our guys' attitude and I'm sure this is a real morale booster for us."
Forward Aaron Ross led the Red Raiders with 20 points, 18 in the second half, and guard Devaugntah Williams, in his third game coming off the bench after starting the first 20, scored 14 of his 19 in the second half for the Red Raiders. Guard Justin Gray added 15 points and forward Zach Smith chipped in 10.
Guard Deonte Burton, subbing for suspended starting center Jameel McKay, scored 17 of his 20 points after halftime, forward Abdel Nader had 19 points and guard Monte Morris chipped in 12 for the Cyclones (17-7, 6-5).
But the Cyclones were without Nader for the final 1:25 of regulation and all of overtime after he fouled out, and Iowa State managed just four more points without him. That included a missed one-and-one opportunity by Niang and a missed jumper by Morris with four seconds left, either one of which would have won the game for the Cyclones.
"I was proud of our guys for the way we competed," first-year Iowa State coach Steve Prohm said. "We just didn't finish in crucial times. We competed, I was proud of our guys effort, but we've got to do a better job finishing and that starts with me and goes on down. We've got to get home and get these guys some rest. Credit Texas Tech for hanging in there and being able to finish it out."
Both teams had chances to win at the end of regulation. Texas Tech missed the front end of three two-free throw opportunities that would have put it ahead but instead left the Red Raiders tied.
After Morris' missed jumper, Texas Tech had the last shot after Williams fell down at half court, but a rushed Gray jumper from long range clanked off the top of the glass at the buzzer, sending the game to overtime.
With the score tied at 80 in overtime, Iowa State knocked the ball out-of-bounds with just two seconds left on the shot clock. Evans took the inbounds pass and put up a contested 3-pointer from the top of the key that banked in to put the Red Raiders up for good.
Niang converted both ends of a 1-and-1 with 27.8 seconds left to cut the lead to one, and the Cyclones harassed the Red Raiders on the ensuing inbounds pass, knocking it out of bounds twice and forcing Tech to call a timeout. But Smith was fouled with 18.4 seconds left and hit both free throws to push the lead back to three.
Iowa State's last-gasp effort to tie the game came up short as guard Matt Thomas' 3-point attempt from the left wing clanged off the iron, sending the crowd into a frenzy.
"It feels great," Ross said. "We've been practicing hard all week and it started paying off. It feels good."
NOTES: Iowa State was without starting center Jameel McKay, who is serving a suspension for violation of team rules. McKay, who averages 12.4 points and 9.0 rebounds per game, missed Saturday's 64-59 win at Oklahoma State. McKay had 19 points and 14 rebounds in the first meeting between the teams (a 76-69 ISU win). In three games vs. Texas Tech he averaged 15 points and 10.7 rebounds. ... Iowa State had won three straight road Big 12 Conference games going into Wednesday. ... Texas Tech is 9-4 vs. Iowa State in Lubbock while head coach Tubby Smith is 2-4 vs. Iowa State since arriving at Texas Tech. It is the second straight year the Red Raiders have upset the Cyclones in Lubbock.
