Nov. 13, 2009
Final Stats
Complete Stat Packet: Iowa State 88, Idaho State 68 
Pocatello, ID --- Idaho State stayed even for about 30 minutes with Iowa State in their season opener on Friday night, but those other 10 minutes certainly told the story, as the Cyclones blew open a tie game in the first half with a killer 30-8 run over a 10:06 span of the first half as the Cyclones kept the Bengals winless all-time against the Big XII with an 88-68 win in front of a big crowd of 13,727 at Hilton Coliseum.
Idaho State was an early thorn and wouldn't go away, scoring on their first shot of the season when Amorrow Morgan drove the lane for a 2-0 lead. After a Deividas Busma put-back made it 6-5 ISU, the Cyclones scored seven straight, but ISU reeled off three straight baskets, the last two on jumpers by Demetrius Monroe and Donnie Carson, and with 12:15 left in the half, but that was when the Cyclones took over.
Scot Christopherson started the run with a long three, and then LeRon Dendy hammered home a dunk after a steal to make it 17-12. The teams traded scores and it was just 21-16 with 7:23 left, but from that point it was nearly all Iowa State. Preseason All-America Craig Brackens hit back-to-back jumpers, and despite a pair of Amorrow Morgan baskets, a Dendy jumper made it 30-20, and that kicked off a finishing 16-4 run that saw Iowa State take a 44-24 lead into the locker room.
The second half stayed even throughout as ISU turned it up offensively and started to get a rhythm, shooting 50% from the field. However, Iowa State hit on .581 of their shots for the half, and .547 for the game, and a large part of that was transition offense, which head coach Joe O'Brien felt was an issue in the game.
"We knew we had to slow down their transition offense because they can score like that, and for a while in the first half we took two many quick shots and we were not in a position to rebound like we were early, and it let them run a little," said O'Brien. "We've done these games for four years now, and these are hard to come in and win, but we can't simulate that kind of pressure, speed, and defense, so I think in the end a game like this really benefits us, and I think there were some things we did very well."
Broderick Gilchrest led ISU in scoring in his first game, scoring 21 points and hitting 9-of-11 free throws, but after suffering from one turnover in the preseason, he had five in his first game. Amorrow Morgan added 15 points and was the only other player in double-figures. The Bengals did get contributions from Demetrius Monroe, who had eight rebounds off the bench, solid considering he had not practiced at all until this week, and Austin Kilpatrick came back in his first true action from shoulder surgery to score seven points, including a three-pointer.
"Getting production from Meech and Austin was really good to see, because they haven't practiced or done numch with them being injured, and we are going to need those guys this season," said O'Brien.
Iowa State was led by Brackens with 17, and Dendy with 16 off the bench. Marquis Gilstrap had 13 and Christofferson had 10. Iowa State outrebounded ISU 40-29.
The Bengals stay in the Central Time Zone and take on Bradley on Sunday at 5:05 pm Mountain Time. Bradley's assistant coach is former Bengal Alvin Brooks III.
NOTES: Idaho State has now lost 19 consecutive road openers ... ISU recorded just five assists for the game, but they also recorded nine steals ... ISU was 16-of-19 from the line ... Donnie Carson grabbed four offensive boards.
