Iowa State used a 17-3 run in the first half to take command and the Cyclones raced away to a 99-70 victory over Auburn in the Big 12/SEC Challenge. Dustin Hogue had 22 points and 16 rebounds as the Cyclones improved to 6-0. “It was a very good performance, got off to a little sluggish start,  I think some of that had to do with just not being able to find the basket,” according to Iowa State coach Fred Hoiberg.

The Cyclones outrebounded the Tigers 47-36 and Hoiberg says that led to some easy baskets. “We thought we could expose them on that if we could control the glass, because they crashed four we got numbers on that backside all night long,” Hoiberg says.

The Cyclones also won the turnover battle and finished the game with only nine. Hoiberg says the thing he was most pleased with is the 28 assists on the 33 field goals they made, which he says shows how unselfish the team is.

Hoiberg says good defense set the tone as they wanted to shrink the floor and take away touches inside the paint. Matt Thomas and Melvin Ejim both chipped in with 14 points.