Jok’s 23 helps Iowa upset rival Iowa St.

TOP 25 MEN IOWA 78, NO. 25 IOWA STATE 64

IOWA CITY, Iowa — Peter Jok scored 23 points and Iowa upset 25th-ranked Iowa State 78-64 on Thursday, snapping a three-game losing streak against its instate rival.

Isaiah Moss had 14 points to help the Hawkeyes (5-5) beat a Power Five opponent for the first time this season.

Iowa shot 59 percent in the first half, including 6 of 10 from three-point range, and jumped ahead by as much as 46-29. The Cyclones (6-3) slowly chipped away at that deficit in the second half, but a 7-0 run by the Hawkeyes after Iowa State got to 60-53 finished them off.

Matt Thomas scored 14 points to lead the Cyclones, who were just 8 of 30 from three-point range. Ball movement was again an issue for Iowa State, which had just nine assists on 25 made baskets, although it did miss about a dozen layups.

The Cyclones looked awful in the first half and they couldn’t shoot their way out of trouble. Stretches like that are starting to become commonplace for Iowa State, and that’s a bad omen with Big 12 play a few weeks away.

After getting hammered by the likes of Virginia and Notre Dame, the Hawkeyes finally put it together against a good opponent. The Hawkeyes beat Iowa State in transition and on the defensive glass, and their freshman-dominated lineup was hardly fazed in their debuts in this heated rivalry.

SEC MEN Middle Tennessee wins

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — Giddy Potts scored 27 points and Middle Tennessee won its third consecutive over an SEC opponent with a 71-48 victory over Vanderbilt.

MTSU (9-1) has won seven of its last 12 against the SEC, including a 77-62 victory at Ole Miss on Nov. 30.

Potts made four three-pointers and grabbed nine rebounds in the Blue Raiders’ seventh consecutive victory.

Reggie Upshaw added 14 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists for the Blue Raiders, ranked fifth in the RPI ratings. Arkansas transfer JaCorey Williams had 13 points and 10 rebounds.

Matthew Fisher-Davis led Vanderbilt (5-5) with 13 points and Jeff Roberson scored 11.

The Commodores struggled offensively, hitting 32 percent from the floor on 17-of-53 shooting.

Two nights after breaking a school record with 19 three-pointers in a victory over High Point, Vanderbilt made 5 of 19 from the threepoint line.