Joshua Jefferson scores 20 points in No. 16 Iowa State’s 102-62 win over Grambling

AMES, Iowa — Joshua Jefferson scored 20 points to lead six Iowa State players in double figures, and the 16th-ranked Cyclones defeated Grambling 102-62 on Thursday night.

Jefferson shot 8 of 10 from the field and had eight rebounds, three assists and a blocked shot as the Cyclones (2-0) won their 36th straight nonconference game at Hilton Coliseum.

Milan Momcilovic, Killyan Toure and Jamarion Batemon scored 11 points apiece and Dominick Nelson and Tamin Lipsey had 10 points each.

Lipsey also had four rebounds and six assists and he made five steals for a second straight game.

Iowa State outrebounded the Tigers 43-25, had 17 second-chance points off 19 offensive rebounds and scored 29 points off Grambling’s 19 turnovers.

Grambling (1-1) took the lead briefly in the first half before Bateman made back-to-back 3s and Momcilovic hit another, and the Cyclones’ built a double-digit cushion when Dominykas Pleta dunked late in the first half. Iowa State never led by fewer than 25 points over the final 10 minutes.

The Cyclones’ only struggle came at the free-throw line, where they were 18 of 29 (62%).

Antonio Munoz led Grambling with 16 points, seven assists and four rebounds.

Iowa State has won 17 straight games when scoring at least 100 points, including 5-0 under T.J. Otzelberger. Otzelberger earned his 50th nonconference win at Iowa State, tied for the eighth-most in the country in the last five years.

Grambling was the first of two Southwestern Athletic Conference teams on the Cyclones’ schedule. They will play Alcorn State on Dec. 3. ISU is 44-1 all-time against the SWAC.

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