By Pat Harty

IOWA CITY, Iowa – Just like with football, the Iowa State men’s basketball team rose to the occasion against Iowa when it mattered the most.

The third-ranked Cyclones never led in the first half and trailed for much of the second half, but then outscored Iowa 23-10 in the final seven minutes and prevailed 89-80 on Thursday at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

The Iowa State football team trailed Iowa 13-0 at halftime on Sept. 7 at Kinnick Stadium, but would go on to win, 20-19.

In both cases, Iowa State won the game as much or more than Iowa lost it.

The Iowa men’s basketball team led by as many as 13 points in the first half of Thursday’s game, and had the momentum and the lead for much of the second half, but couldn’t close the deal.

This was a chance for Iowa to send a message to its fans, and to pad its post-season resume with a rare top-five win, but the Cyclones refused to let that happen.

They just kept chipping away at the deficit, and then when Iowa became vulnerable down the stretch, Iowa State pounced on its instate rival and won in Iowa City for the first time since 2014.

Iowa head coach Fran McCaffery changed his starting lineup for the first time this season as graduate guard Drew Thelwell replaced sophomore forward Ladji Dembele. The switch paid dividends as both players made a significant impact.

Dembele made all four of his field-goal attempts, including three from 3-point range, and finished with 11 points, while Thelwell scored 10 points, grabbed six rebounds and had four assists.

Iowa had six players that scored in double figures, led by sophomore forward Owen Freeman with 16 points.

Iowa also had 18 assists and just nine turnovers, and made 13-of-15 free throws, and yet, still lost at home by nine points.

Iowa has now lost two straight games after also falling 85-83 at Michigan last Saturday.

“We were right there with them for a long time, and props to them for the way they made plays” said Iowa senior forward Payton Sandfort. “But we were right there. We probably should have beat Michigan on the road.

“But we were right there with the number three team in the country. That’s one of the best teams in the country, if not the best right now.”

Iowa State head coach T.J. Otzelberger has something special brewing in Ames right now.

The shirts he wears in games might fit extra tight, but his team plays loose, and with energy and toughness.

His players could have become rattled when Iowa built a double-digit lead, but they stayed the course and just kept competing.

“Credit to coach McCaffery and their staff and their players because they spaced us out so well,” Otzelberger said. “They had such a great plan. They had us back on our heels for the first 35 minutes and that’s a huge credit to them.

“We’ve played relatively well against good teams and they were relentless. And I felt like the last four or five minute defensively we were a little better at guarding the dribble and we were a little better contesting and finishing plays on the glass. And that allowed us to get out and go in transition. And I think guys made big shots.”

Iowa led 44-37 at halftime, marking just the second time this season that Iowa State had trailed at halftime.

Iowa shot 58.6 percent from the field in the first half and made 7-of-13 shots from 3-point range, while Iowa State shot 43.1 percent from the field in the first half and only made 3-of-13 shots from 3-point range.

Dembele scored eights points in the first half as he made all three of his field-goal attempts, including two from 3-poiunt range.

Thelwell scored six points in the first half, making two 3-point baskets, while also grabbing four rebounds and having two assists.

Fran McCaffery’s decision to change the starting lineup worked brilliantly in the first half.

But could Iowa sustain its level of play in the second half?

The answer would prove to be no as Iowa State showed why it is ranked so high.