The Cy-Hawk men's basketball rivalry has long been a topic of interest among fans. In recent years, the games have often been one-sided. However, on Thursday, a different story unfolded. Iowa State emerged victorious over Iowa with a final score of 89-80, marking their closest encounter in seven years. This victory was especially sweet for the Iowa State players, who had been waiting for a win at Carver-Hawkeye Arena since 2014. It was also the first time they had won back-to-back games against the Hawkeyes since 2013-15.

Key Moments of the Game

First Half Struggles

The Hawkeyes started the game on fire, sinking back-to-back threes and shooting 5-of-6 from deep and 9-of-12 overall in the opening minutes. Their ability to make the extra pass and find the open man gave them a significant advantage over the Cyclones' swarming defense. Iowa State, on the other hand, struggled from beyond the arc, shooting only 3-of-13 (23.1%) from the three-point line. They got most of their scoring early in isolation and on second-chance points, and assisted on only five of 14 first-half baskets. Despite the early deficit, Iowa State managed to keep the game close, trailing 44-37 at the break.

Owen Freeman paced the Hawkeyes with 16 points in the first half. Josh Dix chipped in 14 points, and Payton Sandfort had 13 points. Ladji Dembele added 11 points off the bench, while Brock Harding and Drew Thelwell each had 10 points.

Second Half Comeback

In the second half, the Cyclones showed their resilience. They tied the game midway through after a 13-4 run capped off by a Nate Heise second-chance bucket to make it 66-66 with 7:44 remaining. The Cyclones didn't grab their first lead of the game until Heise hit a layup, and then Curtis Jones followed up with an acrobatic circus shot to put the Cyclones in front, 78-74, with 2:08 left.

Jones paced the Cyclones with 23 points off the bench in the second half. 15 of those points came in the crucial final minutes. He shot 5-of-8 from long range and had six rebounds. Joshua Jefferson finished with a 19-point, 10-rebound double-double, with seven assists. Dishon Jackson chipped in 12 points. Tamin Lipsey had all 11 of his points in the second half, with six boards and three assists. Heise added 10 points and six rebounds.

Defensive Stand in the Stretch

Iowa State buckled down defensively down the stretch. Outside of a pair of garbage-time baskets in the final seconds, the Hawkeyes went six minutes without a field goal. This defensive effort was crucial in securing the victory for the Cyclones.

Iowa shot 28-of-63 (44.4%) overall and 11-of-28 from deep (39.3%) in the game. However, they cooled off from long range in the second half and was held to 4-of-15 shooting from beyond the arc after halftime.

After the victory, Iowa State improves to 8-1 overall. They will return to action at home on Sunday against Omaha, with a tip-off scheduled for 12 p.m. CT at Hilton Coliseum.Eugene Rapay covers Iowa State athletics for the Des Moines Register. Contact Eugene at erapay@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @erapay5.