The No. 2 seed Iowa State Cyclones defeated the No. 7 seed Kentucky Wildcats 76-64 on Sunday in the second round of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament. The victory secured Iowa State's spot in the Sweet 16 of the Midwest Region.
The game, played in Omaha, Nebraska, was a tight contest in the first half, with Iowa State taking a narrow 31-30 lead into halftime. The Cyclones pulled away in the second half, using a 15-2 run to build a decisive advantage. Iowa State's defense was pivotal, forcing 15 Kentucky turnovers.
Keshon Gilbert led the Cyclones with 23 points. For Kentucky, Antonio Reeves scored a game-high 24 points. Iowa State will next face the winner of the game between No. 3 seed Illinois and No. 11 seed Duquesne in the Sweet 16 on Thursday, March 27, in Detroit.
