AMES, Iowa -- Iowa State had been plagued by slow starts this season.
Not Thursday night.
The No. 20 Cyclones started off hot and led from start to finish in building a 20-point halftime lead and beating the No. 18 Razorbacks 95-77 before an announced crowd of 14,384 at Hilton Coliseum in the SEC-Big 12 Challenge.
Iowa State (5-1) shot 64 percent from the field (32 of 50), including 18 of 28 in the first half and 14 of 22 in the second half.
"The first half we didn't play any defense," said sophomore forward Bobby Portis, who led the Razorbacks (6-1) with 19 points and eight rebounds. "The second half we played better defense, but they just kept making shots."
Arkansas Coach Mike Anderson said the Cyclones shot well but also got help from the Razorbacks. Iowa State had 11 turnovers, including two in the first half when the Cyclones built a 52-32 lead.
"We didn't have any pressure," Anderson said. "They were able to run their offense. It seemed like we were just a half-step slow when they attacked. I didn't think our defense was where it should be, especially with our energy, our rotation."
Senior guard Bryce Dejean-Jones, a transfer from UNLV, led Iowa State with 27 points. He hit 8 of 8 shots, including 4 of 4 three-pointers, and 7 of 8 free throws.
"That's a pretty good line," Cyclones Coach Fred Hoiberg said. "I can't believe he missed a free throw."
Dejean-Jones added 6 rebounds and 2 assists with 1 turnover in 37 minutes.
"He had a great night," said Arkansas senior forward Alandise Harris, who played with a sore left foot but scored 15 points. "It was his night. It was really their night. They were giving us all they could give us."
Iowa State junior forward Georges Niang had 26 points on 9-of-12 shooting.
"Coach was preaching before the game that we really need to get off to a good start and step on these guys from the beginning," Niang said. "I think that's what we did, and it all started from the defensive end.
"I think that's going to be our backbone the whole year."
The Razorbacks shot 48.3 percent from the field (28 of 58) but were outscored 8-4 on fast break points, including 6-0 in the first half.
"The first half we did a really good job of taking care of the basketball, and that's what allowed us to get some separation," Hoiberg said. "The biggest thing against Arkansas is keeping them out of transition, and the first half I think we did about as good a job of that as you could against a team like that."
Hoiberg credited Iowa State sophomore point guard Monte Morris for handling the Razorbacks' pressure well. Morris had 11 points, 4 assists and 3 steals with 2 turnovers in 37 minutes.
"You've got to have good guards against Arkansas, and we feel we have one of the best in Monte," Hoiberg said. "The poise he plays with is as good as anybody in the nation."
Iowa State outscored Arkansas 22-16 in points off turnovers, a stat the Razorbacks usually dominate.
"They were well prepared for the defense that we were supposed to bring," Harris said. "They exploited their mismatches and played good team basketball, and we didn't play defense very well at all.
"Nobody played defense at all."
Iowa State, which won its 24th consecutive non-conference home game and improved to 51-4 in Hilton Coliseum the past four seasons, had its biggest lead at 23 points, 61-38, after Niang hit two free throws with 17:32 left.
Arkansas pulled to within 73-62 on Harris' layup with 8:48 after an Anton Beard steal, but the Razorbacks couldn't draw closer than 11 points.
"I like our guys' tenacity, that they didn't give in," Anderson said. "They didn't stop fighting."
Iowa State pushed its lead to 91-73 on Dustin Hogue's layup with 3:57 left.
"We started playing more the way we're capable of playing in the second half," Anderson said. "But they did a good job of holding us off and finishing the game."
There were scouts from 12 NBA teams at the game, and Portis put on a show, hitting 8 of 10 shots, including several long jumpers.
"Portis is everything that he was advertised," said Hoiberg, a former NBA player. "He's a guy with size that can shoot it, he's got touch, he can move his feet, he can handle the ball, he can pass. He's the whole package."
Senior guard Ky Madden added 13 points for the Razorbacks. Junior guard Michael Qualls had 10.
"We made them take contested shots," Dejean-Jones said. "I think we did a really good job of getting them out of their rhythm.
"We never really let them get out in transition except for six or seven minutes in the second half. We slowed them up and controlled the tempo."
Sports on 12/05/2014