Key Numbers From Impressive Victory for Iowa State Basketball

The Iowa State Cyclones kicked off the Big 12 tournament with an impressive showing in their first matchup against the Arizona State Sun Devils.

It was one of the best showings for the Cyclones all season in their first game of the Big 12 tournament. As Iowa State tries to secure their spot as number two seed in the NCAA tournament, winning this game was the first step toward that.

In one of their most impressive showings of the year, there were many players who performed well, and it was hard to find a negative for the Cyclones in this one. Following a lopsided first half, this game was over rather quickly, and Iowa State was able to coast for most of the second half. As the team will now get prepared for a quick turnaround against the Texas Tech Red Raiders, here are a few key numbers from the game.

23

23 was the number of turnovers that Arizona State committed in this one, and it is a main reason why it is easy to see why they lost by so much in the game. Turning teams over is a strength of the Cyclones, and when they are able to play the type of defense that they did, especially in the first half, it usually results in good things. The turnovers were a massive problem for the Sun Devils and were a main reason why this was an easy win for Iowa State.

17

Iowa State Cyclones forward Blake Buchanan going to the basket — Iowa State Cyclones forward Blake Buchanan | William Purnell-Imagn Images

17 points is what starting center Blake Buchanan was able to total in the win. While the talented center might not be known for his offensive skills or scoring ability, he was able to set a new career-high in this game. The interior passing for the Cyclones was fantastic in this one, and a lot of the success for Buchanan was on easy dunks. Overall, he went a very efficient seven-for-11 from the field. Any type of offensive production from the center is always welcomed, and he was a key contributor on that end of the court.

20-12

The 20-12 marks the double-double that star forward Joshua Jefferson was able to finish with in this game. As a first-team All-Big 12 player, the senior is undoubtedly a player to watch in this tournament. After arguably being snubbed as the Big 12 Player of the Year, there might have been a little extra motivation for him. In addition to the impressive double-double, he also totaled four assists and three steals in an all-around good showing.