Gabe Kalscheur scored 30 points and led Iowa State to a 78-59 win over No. 9 Memphis in the NIT Season Tip-Off championship game on Friday night.
Kalscheur was named MVP of the tournament. Tristan and Aljaz Kunc each scored 11 points for the Cyclones (6-0), who led by five points at halftime and increased their advantage to as much as 25 in the second half.
Iowa State coach T.J. Otzelberger said, “For our guys it was settling into the game. A part of this for us was understanding that we can have longer possessions offensively. I thought we had a lot of success down the stretch in the first half. With longer possessions we’re able to move the ball.”
The Cyclones were not fazed by their more celebrated opponent. Much like they did in their win over No. 25 Xavier Wednesday, the Cyclones generated their offense in the paint. Iowa State outscored Memphis 22-16 over the first ten minutes of the second half, with 10 of the Cyclones’ points coming on layups and Izaiah Brockington’s two-handed alley-oop jam.
Up next for the Cyclones a home game against Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Wednesday.
