November 5, 2017-Emporia State closed to within two points of Iowa State midway through the second half before eventually falling 77-68 on Sunday in Ames, Iowa.
After the Cyclones scored the first points on Jeff Beverly free throw, Grant Shell scored five straight for the Hornets to take a 5-1 lead. Iowa State then went on a 15-4 run to go up 16-9 with 9:01 left in first half. Emporia State answered with a 9-1 run of their own and took a 18-17 lead on Garin Vandiver's three-pointer with 6:30 left in the half. A 13-4 Cyclone run, highlighted by three Donovan Jackson three-pointers gave Iowa State a 38-26 lead at the break.
An Isaac McCullough three-pointer out of the under 16 media brought the Hornets back within six points at 41-35 with 15:36 left in the game. The Cyclones answered with a 9-0 run to take their biggest lead of the night at 50-35 with 12:13 remaining. Emporia State would not go away as they responded with a 14-1 run over the next 3:12 to pull within two at 51-49 on Hassan Thomas' old fashioned three-point play with 9:01 left. Â
Iowa State pushed the lead back to double digits with an 11-2 run to take a 62-51 lead with 5:56 left. They matched their biggest lead of the night with 3:36 left at 70-55, but the Hornets would not go away. A Stephaun Limuel put back and a Duncan Fort three-pointer cut the lead to ten at 70-60 with 2:41 left and McCullough cut the lead to just eight with 1:36 left on a jumper in the lane. Lindell Wiggington hit a pair of free throws with 1:15 left and then got a break away steal and dunk with 58 seconds left to give Iowa State a 77-65 lead. Jack Dale scored with 44 seconds left and Fort hit one of two free throws with 30 seconds remaining for the final score of 77-68.
Shell had 11 points and Thomas joined him in double figures with ten points as ten Hornets scored at least three points in the game. Brian Morton and Limuel each had six rebounds to lead the Hornets, who outrebounded the Cyclones 36-33 on the night.
Emporia State will open the regular season on Friday, November 10 against Sioux Falls in the MIAA-NSIC Challenge in White Auditorium. Tip-off from Slaymaker Court is set for 7:30 p.m. following the first game between Ft. Hays State and #15 Southwest Minnesota State at 5:30 p.m.
