Iowa State closed Saturday’s game in Bramlage Coliseum on a 21-8 run to defeat the Kansas State Wildcats, 78-64. K-State, which thrives on its defense, gave up 14 thee-point baskets, lost its nine-game conference winning streak, and saw its lead in the Big 12 Conference shrink to half a game over Texas Tech and Kansas and a single game over the Cyclones. All of those concerns, though, are tertiary to their worry about Dean Wade’s lower right leg.

Iowa State’s hot outside shooting put the Wildcats in chase mode from midway through the first half, but the ‘Cats got within four on a Wade jumper with 12:36 to play, then within two on the strength of Mike McGuirl free throws. Dean got off balance and landed awkwardly on his right leg, and after he hobbled to the bench, the Cyclones stretched the lead back to 7, at 57-50.

K-State fought back, cutting the lead to 1 and answered a Lindell Wigginton three-pointer with a Barry Brown Jr. lay-up to keep the margin briefly within a single possession. But Wigginton buried another three on the next possession, then took advantage of K-State’s extended defense to get a Mariel Shayok lay-up and a Cameron Lard dunk to build a nine-point Cyclone advantage. K-State would never recover.

Wigginton scored 23 in the game, while Freshman Talen Horton-Tucker, a 29 percent outside shooter on the season, dropped in 20 points on 6-for-9 three-point shooting. Marial Shayok added 13, though he was held to 5-16 shooting. As a team, Iowa State made 14 of 24 three-point attempts (58.3 percent), and outscored the Wildcats 42-15 from deep.

Barry Brown did his best to keep his team in the game, matching Wigginton’s 23 points while shooting 10-16 overall and 3-6 from three-point range. Makol Mawien scored 10, and Wade had nine points, five rebounds and three assists before sitting with the injury.

K-State had a 17-6 advantage on points from the free throw line, but that was not enough to offset Iowa State’s hot shooting from outside.

What we Learned