Iowa State basketball

ORLANDO, Fla. − Of the Big 12 Conference teams that Iowa State basketball plays twice this season the Cyclones notched their first regular-season series sweep of the season Tuesday by dispatching UCF.

They were crucial defensively and on the glass, and they were aggressive upfront.Iowa State had a narrow two-point halftime lead before pulling away in the second half to win, 77-65.With the exception of Milan Momcilovic, the seven other players in the Cyclones’ eight-man rotation all chipped in eight or more points. There was no player who singlehandedly took over the game, but there were timely contributions from all over.The Cyclones limited UCF to shooting 27-of-65 (41.5%) overall and 6-of-26 (23.1%) from deep.The frontcourt combination of Jefferson and Dishon Jackson was crucial to start the second half. They accounted for the first six points after halftime, which helped Iowa State set the tone out of the break and prompted a UCF time-out as the Cyclones took a 38-30 lead.

Iowa State had offensive contributions from nearly everywhere

Here are three takeaways from the Cyclones’ win:Although Momcilovic only had three points on 1-of-7 shooting, it was another instance where the Cyclones saw improved ball movement, spacing and distribution thanks to his recent return from injury. They finished with more assists than turnovers for the second straight game, tallying 17 assists and 11 turnovers.“Definitely just the ball movement we had, the action that we got to on offense has been great the past two games,” Lipsey said of the Cyclones’ balance Tuesday night. “I’m sure that has to do with Milan coming back, but our spacing is great, everyone’s just moving the ball, everyone’s touching it and everyone’s feeling good about their offense and getting different looks.”More:Iowa State basketball: Balanced attack, defense key in Cyclones’ win over UCF

The Cyclones got 27 points off the bench and got good contributions from Nate Heise and Brandton Chatfield − which leads to the next point…Eugene Rapay covers Iowa State athletics for the Des Moines Register. Contact Eugene at erapay@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @erapay5.

Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle.“When we were able to get set, get back, keep them out of the paint, we did a great job,” Otzelberger said. “I think we had great location of shooters. I thought we did a great job, for the most part, keeping the ball in front of us.While a lot of the team’s defensive success is predicated on its ability to generate turnovers and convert them into points, Iowa State just played tough, straight-up defense Tuesday.Nate Heise, Brandton Chatfield had one of their better outings as CyclonesEveryone knows Curtis Jones as a “sixth starter” and a weapon off the bench, but on Tuesday night, Heise and Chatfield gave crucial minutes too.”Nate just looked confident out there, and he was making plays offensively and defensively,” Jones said. “His defense was amazing. He was just everywhere getting rebounds, loose balls and then he made some big-time shots and as well as Brandt. He had some offensive rebounds, which led to his points as well.”More:Iowa State basketball vs UCF score today: recap, highlights from Cyclones’ victory

It only forced nine UCF turnovers, which became eight points off turnovers.He shot 3-of-5 on the floor, including a 2-for-4 clip from long range. His five shot attempts on Tuesday equaled his total shot attempts over the 73 minutes he played across the last five games.As for Chatfield, he had nine points on 4-of-5 shooting in 16 minutes of action. He was a force on the glass, finishing with four rebounds, with three on the offensive end that led to second-chance points.”I thought Brandt and Nate each probably had their best game in league play tonight, and we needed it,” Iowa State coach T.J. Otzelberger said. “They were confident and they were ready when their number was called.”Defense, and rebounding important to Cyclones’ winning effortBalanced attack, depth, and Iowa State’s hard-nosed defense − all aspects that make Cyclones basketball at their best. All of those attributes were on display Tuesday.There were certainly hiccups, especially as UCF strung together baskets late for a desperation push, but for the most part, Iowa State’s defense and rebounding were essential.More:Iowa State women’s basketball: The latest NCAA bracketology projections for the Cyclones

Lipsey went 6-for-6 from the line to put the game away as UCF built momentum late. He also had a couple of steals and was an asset defensively.The Cyclones outrebounded UCF, 41-32. They got 11 offensive rebounds, which led to 15 second-chance points.In the previous game against the Knights, where they scored 83 points on Iowa State, UCF shot 27-of-63 (42.9%) overall but was 11-for-24 (45.8%) from deep.Keyshawn Hall found success and had 22 points, but Darius Johnson and Jordan Ivy-Curry each shot 4-of-12 for the game. It also took a season-high day from Mikey Williams, who finished with 14 points, for UCF to keep it as close as it did for a chunk of the game, primarily in the first half.”I felt like until late, Hall was driving it at us, and maybe at the end, but ultimately, we knew we had to keep them out of the paint. We knew we had to limit them to one shot. I thought our guys had a really good focus on those areas and it paid off for us.”The Cyclones previously defeated UCF, 108-83, last month at Hilton Coliseum.

Heise demonstrated hustle and won a few 50-50 balls that led to scoring chances. He finished with eight points and four rebounds − including two on the offensive end. While he had been primarily known as a defender, he showed more assertiveness offensively on Tuesday.Jones had all 10 of his points in the first half. Gilbert was able to attack downhill and had 10 of his team-high 15 points in the second half.Keshon Gilbert had a team-high 15 points on 6-of-9 shooting, with seven rebounds and four assists. Joshua Jefferson added 13 points, eight rebounds, four assists, a block and a steal. Tamin Lipsey had 11 points, while Curtis Jones finished with 10.