Iowa State Holds Off UAlbany Basketball, 76-64, in Wilson-Lillis Homecoming Game

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

Ames, Iowa - Jiri Hubalek had 22 points and Wesley Johnson added 20 as Iowa State pulled away in the second half for a 76-64 victory over UAlbany on Sunday, Dec. 30 before 13,330 fans at Hilton Coliseum.

The Cyclones, who have won five of their last six outings, led 37-33 early in the final period, but then took control with 15 straight points. Johnson, a 6'7" sophomore, did all of the damage in that stretch. He buried three consecutive 3-pointers from the left corner, right wing and left wing. He then converted a conventional three-point play and drilled another long-range shot for a 52-33 advantage with 14:15 remaining.

"The first four minutes of the second half we turned the ball over on three consecutive possessions,” said UAlbany head coach Will Brown, whose squad has dropped six of seven road games this season. “The lead went to double figures immediately. (Wesley) Johnson got into a shooting rhythm and played with confidence. They are huge upfront. But I thought our freshmen played with confidence, especially in the second half."

UAlbany (5-7) closed the margin to eight on three separate occasions after that point. Brent Wilson, one of two Iowans returning to his home state, fueled the last run. Wilson, who had 12 points, including the 1,000th of his career, drained a three-pointer from the top of the arc, before Jon Iati's two free throws sliced the deficit to 62-54 with 5:03 to play. However, Iowa State (8-5) pushed the lead back to double figures when Hubalek split a pair of free throws and made a turnaround in the lane. He added 10 rebounds and three blocks.

"This was a great experience," explained Wilson, a native of Cedar Rapids who became the 28th player in team history to reach the 1,000-point mark. “To have that many friends and family turn out was overwhelming. I know both Brian (Lillis) and I appreciate it. It seems that we continually dig ourselves a hole. We need to limit our opponents' runs; they can't be 10 or 11 points."

Lillis, who hails from the Des Moines area, led UAlbany with 13 points and grabbed six rebounds. He has reached twin figures in 11 of 12 games this season. Redshirt freshman Tim Ambrose came off the bench to add 10 for the Great Danes, who begin America East Conference play on Jan. 3. Rahshon Clark was the third ISU player in double digits with 12 points.

Iowa State leaped to an 11-5 start when Hubalek scored in the lane off a lob pass. The 6-foot-10 center had 13 first-half points. UAlbany came back with nine unanswered to take its first lead, as Iati made a three-point field goal from the left corner. The game seesawed the rest of the period. The Great Danes broke a 20-20 deadlock when Wilson hit a jumper after grabbing an offensive rebound and Josh Martin sank two free throws. But the Cyclones tallied 12 of the half's final 16 points. Hubalek and Diante Garrett each made a pair of foul shots to put their team ahead at the break.

"Turnovers against a Big 12 team lead to big baskets,” said Lillis, whose team was meeting an opponent from that conference for the first time in the program's history. “They just kept dropping in shots over-and-over again. Playing these kinds of teams on the road is great for us, as long as we keep getting better."