LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) — No. 8 Texas Tech had pulled even when Iowa State guard Nick Weiler-Babb pulled up from just above the free throw line and put the Cyclones back in front.
Marial Shayok scored 20 points, Michael Jacobson had 14 points and 10 rebounds and Weiler-Babb knocked down the go-ahead jumper inside two minutes as the Cyclones handed the Red Raiders their first Big 12 loss with a 68-64 victory Wednesday night.
The Cyclones (13-4, 3-2 Big 12) stopped a two-game losing streak coming off a 17-point win over No. 7 Kansas that gave them a 2-0 start in conference. Iowa State matched its win total from last season, the school's lowest in 16 years.
"We played with a sense of urgency and played together," said Shayok, who was almost right on his Big 12-leading scoring average of 19.8 points. "Nobody cared who got the shots or who scored. We just played good defensively also and it was a great team effort."
The Red Raiders (15-2, 4-1) were the last team without a conference loss and missed on a chance for their first 5-0 start in the Big 12, going back to 1996-97. The Red Raiders, whose only other loss was to No. 1 Duke, and Jayhawks are tied for the Big 12 lead.
"I told the guys all week in preparation for this one they are one of the best teams in the Big 12 and I'll stand by that," Texas Tech coach Chris Beard said. "They had a game plan, they executed and really won the game in the first half."
Weiler-Babb and Lindell Wigginton scored 11 points apiece, including a bucket for each after the Red Raiders had pulled even at 61-all on Jarrett Culver's driving layup with less than two minutes remaining.
After Weiler-Babb's tiebreaking jumper, Wigginton scored on an alley-oop layup from Tyrese Haliburton after Jacobson blocked Culver's layup attempt. Jacobson had two blocked shots to go with his third double-double of the season, and Haliburton had three blocks.
Culver had 20 points and 16 rebounds for his second double-double of the season. Davide Moretti scored 10 points.
Shayok scored 15 points in the first half, which ended with a 16-4 Iowa State run for a 41-33 lead. While Shayok was just 1 of 7 in the second half, he hit two free throws for a four-point lead with six seconds left.
"We made big-time shots and (Shayok) made those last two free throws to kind of seal the deal," Weiler-Babb said. "But I think it just came down to being the tougher team tonight and we got stops when it mattered."
BIG PICTURE
Iowa State: The Cyclones were just the second team this season to outshoot the Red Raiders, who came in leading the nation in field goal defense at 33.8 percent. Iowa State matched the season high against Texas Tech, shooting 44 percent to 41 percent for the Red Raiders. The highest-scoring offense in the Big 12 overcame 23 percent shooting (5 of 22) from 3-point range.
Texas Tech: The Red Raiders were down 10 early in the second half and still behind by seven with 4:14 to go before a 7-0 run capped by Culver's layup pulled them even. Texas Tech had the ball down three after Kyler Edwards' offensive rebound on Tariq Owens' missed three throw at 65-62, but Culver missed another layup. The Red Raiders were 6 of 15 from the line.
DELAYED DEBUT
Texas Tech's Khavon Moore, a heralded freshman from Georgia, entered to a loud ovation in his debut after missing most of his senior season in high school with a broken leg. He played two minutes in the first half without recording a stat. "I wish it would have been done in a victory, but this is life in the Big 12," Beard said.
UP NEXT
Iowa State plays Saturday at home against Oklahoma State, its only game at Hilton Coliseum in this four-game stretch with three on the road against Top 25 teams. The Cyclones play at No. 7 Kansas and No. 18 Mississippi next week.
Texas Tech plays its next two games on the road, going to Baylor on Saturday and then Kansas State next Tuesday night.
