By STEPHEN HAWKINS
Baylor’s Rico Gathers (2) and Taurean Prince (21) defend as Iowa State’s Jameel McKay, center, goes up to shoot in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2015, in Waco, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
Al Freeman, Jameel McKay
Baylor’s Al Freeman (25) goes up to shoot over Iowa State’s Jameel McKay (1) in the second half of an NCAA college basketball game, Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2015, in Waco, Texas. Baylor won 74-73. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
Georges Niang, Taurean Prince, Johnathan Motley
Iowa State’s Georges Niang (31) goes up to shoot while contested by Baylor’s Taurean Prince (21) as Baylor’s Johnathan Motley (35) watches the play during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2015, in Waco, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
Kenny Chery, Al Freeman, Matt Thomas
Iowa State’s Matt Thomas (21) looks for an opportunity to shoot as Baylor’s Kenny Chery (1) and Al Freeman, rear, defend during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2015, in Waco, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
Johnathan Motley, Naz Long, Naz Long
Baylor forward Johnathan Motley (35) looks for an opening to the basket as Iowa State’s Georges Niang, rear, and Naz Long (15) defend in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2015, in Waco, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
Kenny Chery
Baylor’s Kenny Chery (1) goes up for a long 2-point basket late in the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Iowa State, Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2015, in Waco, Texas. The basket gave Baylor a 74-73 win. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
Deng Deng, Al Freeman, Monte Morris
Baylor’s Al Freeman, left, and Deng Deng (45), of Australia, defend as Iowa State guard Monte Morris (11) fights for an opportunity to the basket in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2015, in Waco, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
Fred Hoiberg
Iowa State head coach Fred Hoiberg looks for an explanation from an official on a foul call against his team during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Baylor, Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2015, in Waco, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
Royce O’Neale, Abdel Nader
Baylor’s Royce O’Neale (00) and Iowa State’s Abdel Nader, right, scramble on the floor for a loose ball in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2015, in Waco, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
Johnathan Motley, Bryce Dejean-Jones
Baylor’s Johnathan Motley (35) defends as Iowa State guard Bryce Dejean-Jones, right, moves the ball around the perimeter in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2015, in Waco, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
Royce O’Neale, Jameel McKay
Iowa State forward Jameel McKay (1) looks for an opening to the basket against Baylor forward Royce O’Neale in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2015, in Waco, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
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WACO, Texas (AP) — The game was lost for No. 11 Iowa State long before Georges Niang’s miss as time expired.
“The start of the game is what stuck with me,” coach Fred Hoiberg said. “The two stretches that got us where the start of the first half, and the end of the first half.”
Kenny Chery hit a game-winning jumper with 4.7 seconds left to give No. 22 Baylor a 74-73 victory, a game that wasn’t all that close for long stretches Wednesday night.
Baylor led 16-1 lead while hitting four 3-pointers in the first 3:15 of the game, then went into halftime with a 12-2 run after Iowa State (12-3, 2-1 Big 12) had gotten within a bucket.
“After the initial start, I was proud of our guys and how they battled back,” Hoiberg said. “They clawed and scratched and did everything they could to give us a chance to win. … It’s tough to fight back from that, but our guys did it. We got a lead, but unfortunately, we couldn’t get the stop.”
The Bears were up 11-1 after only 2 minutes by hitting their first four shots. Chery made a 3 and had another long jumper between consecutive 3s by Royce O’Neale, who had 15 points to lead the Bears (13-3, 2-2).
Chery had missed then missed 12 of his next 13 shots, but made the game-winner.
“For him to knock down that last shot after not being as efficient from the field as he normally is, I thought that showed a lot of poise, character, guts,” coach Scott Drew said. “And I know with our team, there’s no one we’d rather have with the ball in his hands at the end of the game.”
The Bears led 62-48 on a layup by Rico Gathers with 8:40 left. Naz Long then had back-to-back 3s and added another long-range basket in a 20-5 run that put Iowa State in front for the first time, on Niang’s jumper with 1:54 left that put the Cyclones up 68-67.
Niang, Iowa State’s leading scorer, had only one point before making a 3-pointer with 6:18 left. He also had a tying layup in the final minute, but missed a runner as time expired and finished with 10 points.
Long had a game-high 19 points, making all five of his 3-pointers. Dejean-Jones has 14 points and Monte Morris 11 for the Cyclones.
Down by as many as 17 points in the first half, Iowa State was within 34-32 before Matt Thomas missed an open 3.
Gathers then had a strong inside basket to start Baylor’s half-ending run. O’Neale then had a tip-in of a miss by Chery and had a 3-pointer for a 46-34 halftime lead.
Gathers had 14 points and 15 rebounds, while Johnathan Motley had 14 points.
Lester Medford hit a 3-pointer from the right corner with 1:10 left for Baylor, but Iowa State quickly got even on Niang’s high bank shot.
Motley had a go-ahead putback on a miss by Chery before a 3 by Dejean-Jones put the Cyclones up 73-72 with 13 seconds left.
UPON FURTHER REVIEW
After Motley made a strong move to score in traffic about 7 1/2 minutes into the game, play was stopped when officials charged Iowa State’s Dustin Hogue for a technical foul after he kicked at Taurean Prince. Hogue quickly pleaded his case. There was then a lengthy review while officials looked at replay and discussed what happened. Hogue still had a foul, but officials then added a flagrant foul against Prince. Both teams got free throws.
TIP-INS
Iowa State: Was trying to win its first three road games of a season for the first time since 1987-88. … The Cyclones trailed 16-1 before making their first basket, a 3-pointer by Long.
Baylor: 46 first-half points were the most by halftime this season, and the most given up in any half by Iowa State. … The Bears had three double-figure scorers by halftime, O’Neale with 11 points, and Gathers and Chery with 10 each.
UP NEXT
Iowa State: is home Saturday night against No. 12 Kansas.
Baylor: plays Saturday at Kansas State.