AMES, Iowa — Iowa State defense set the tone in an 84–47 win over Southern on Tuesday night at James H. Hilton Coliseum. The Cyclones opened with a 20–0 run and forced 30 turnovers before a crowd of 13,503.
As a result, Iowa State improved to 2–1 in the 2026–27 season. Meanwhile, Southern fell to 0–4 as its season-opening road trip continued.
Iowa State defense sparks a 20–0 start
First, Dominykas Pleta opened the scoring with a putback dunk. Iowa State then raced to a 10–0 lead in the first 1:47, forcing an early Southern timeout.
The pressure continued after the break in play. The Cyclones forced six turnovers during their opening 20–0 run, keeping Southern scoreless for nearly six minutes.
Finally, R’Chaun King put the Jaguars on the board with a dunk and completed a three-point play with 14:04 left in the first half. However, Southern could not close the gap.
By halftime, Iowa State led 41–18. The Cyclones held the Jaguars to 6-of-28 shooting (21.4%) in the opening period.
Singleton leads a balanced scoring effort
Tre Singleton led all scorers with 19 points on 8-of-10 shooting and finished with a plus-minus of +40. In addition, Jamarion Batemon added 15 points and career highs of eight rebounds, six assists and four steals.
Pleta contributed 14 points, while Ryan Prather Jr. scored 11. Tamin Lipsey also chipped in nine points. For Southern, Joseph Hunter and Lionel Larvadain III led the bench with 10 points each.
Although Iowa State shot 7-of-28 from three-point range, it found success inside. The Cyclones outscored Southern 46–26 in the paint and made 61.5% of their two-point attempts.
Turnovers fuel the Cyclones
Iowa State defense turned stops into quick scoring chances throughout the game. The Cyclones collected 19 steals and finished with a 38–12 advantage in points off turnovers.
They also held a 23–7 edge in fast-break points. Meanwhile, Iowa State won the rebounding battle 42–31 and recorded 22 assists to Southern’s nine.
Iowa State vs. Southern team statistics
| Statistic | Southern Jaguars | Iowa State Cyclones |
|---|---|---|
| Field Goals | 18–51 (35.3%) | 31–67 (46.3%) |
| 3-Point Field Goals | 4–16 (25.0%) | 7–28 (25.0%) |
| Free Throws | 7–11 (63.6%) | 15–22 (68.2%) |
| Total Rebounds | 31 (6 offensive) | 42 (14 offensive) |
| Assists | 9 | 22 |
| Steals | 11 | 19 |
| Points in the Paint | 26 | 46 |
| Points Off Turnovers | 12 | 38 |
| Fast Break Points | 7 | 23 |
What’s next for Iowa State and Southern?
Next, Iowa State continues its homestand against the Niagara Purple Eagles on Sunday, November 15, at Hilton Coliseum. Southern concludes its road trip against the Minnesota Golden Gophers on Thursday, November 12.
Game photo gallery
Photos by Corey Perrillioux