• Box Score: Iowa State 72, Texas Tech 54
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AMES, Iowa (AP) — Scott Christopherson and Melvin Ejim each scored 17 points and Iowa State pulled away for a 72-54 victory over Texas Tech on Wednesday night, reaching 20 wins for the first time in eight years.
Royce White had 13 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists for the Cyclones (20-8, 10-5 Big 12), who also earned 10 wins in the Big 12 for the first time since 2001.
Iowa State struggled at times against the Big 12's worst team, though. The Cyclones trailed by four at halftime, let the Red Raiders shoot nearly 46 percent and didn't push their lead into double digits until just more than six minutes were left.
Jaye Crockett had 17 points for the Red Raiders (8-19, 1-14), who remain winless on the road in the Big 12.
Iowa State played about as poorly as it has all season in the first half, falling behind 32-28 to a team it blasted by 24 points last month in Lubbock.
It took less than 2 minutes for the Cyclones to retake the lead — though it stayed slim for much of the second half.
Ejim gave Iowa State a 35-34 lead with a layup, part of a 10-2 run to open the second half. Texas Tech refused to go away, taking the lead back at 45-44 on a 3-pointer by Javarez Willis. But White kicked off a crucial 9-0 run for the Cyclones with an emphatic dunk to cap a fast break.
Even that failed to shake the pesky Red Raiders, who kept within single digits until Ejim followed a 15-footer with a layup to put Iowa State up 63-52 with 5:38 left.
Despite their struggles, the Cyclones still managed to double up Texas Tech 44-22 in the second half.
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