McCall thought Mocs got 'a little shell-shocked' against Cyclones

Iowa State forward Georges Niang, right, tries to steal the ball from Chattanooga guard Casey Jones during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game, Monday, Nov. 23, 2015, in Ames, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
Iowa State forward Georges Niang, right, tries to steal the ball from Chattanooga guard Casey Jones during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game, Monday, Nov. 23, 2015, in Ames, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga men's basketball team did some things early in its game Monday night at fourth-ranked Iowa State that pleased head coach Matt McCall.

But the Mocs did a number of things as the game wore on that left him unhappy, aside from the final result.

photo Iowa State forward Jameel McKay (1) shoots over UTC's Justin Tuoyo during the second half of the nationally fourth-ranked Cyclones' 83-63 win Monday night in Ames, Iowa.

The Cyclones made 14 3-point baskets in the 83-63 win over the Mocs in Ames, Iowa, in a second-round game of the Emerald Coast Classic. McCall said on multiple occasions on the postgame radio broadcast that 3-point shooting was the difference in the game - Iowa State's ability to shoot them along with UTC's inability, as the visitors went 5-for-20 after averaging 12.7 makes in their first three games.

"We were pretty even on the glass," McCall said. "We had 12 offensive rebounds, which I am happy about. Playing on the road and a team makes 14 3s, you have no shot, especially against a top-five team."

The teams had 37 rebounds apiece, with the Mocs holding a 12-9 edge on the offensive glass.

The Mocs (3-1) jumped out to a 7-2 lead, only to see the Cyclones run off 10 consecutive points as part of an 18-2 run and build a double-digit lead in the first half. UTC would inch closer, only to see Iowa State stretch the lead back out.

That continued into the second half, as a Justin Tuoyo 3-pointer - the Mocs' first of the game after nine misses - cut the Iowa State lead to 51-37 with 16:38 to play. Yet the Cyclones didn't let it get any closer the rest of the way.

McCall said he was disappointed in what he perceived to be some intimidation on the part of his players.

"We got off to a good start and the ball was moving," he said. "Then Iowa State upped the pressure and started to deny the wings, and it's like we were a little shell-shocked. I thought we allowed them to take it to us."

Senior forward Casey Jones, who led UTC in points (16) and assists (five) to go along with six rebounds, has been in games against Power 5 teams in his career that went south very quickly. He said the Mocs entered Monday's game prepared for everything the Cyclones threw at them. They just didn't execute.

"I've been in situations where games like this got a lot worse," Jones said. "It would get bad against teams like this, but that's a different group of guys over there. We've got fighters on the bench and in the game. We never gave up, and we just want to play hard as long as there's time on the clock.

"We have to be more aggressive but more under control, and we have to execute the game plan better."

Contact Gene Henley at ghenley@timesfreepress.com. Follow him at twitter.com/genehenleytfp.

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