Iowa State Holds off Cougars, 67-56

Kyle Smith vs. Iowa StateOMAHA, Neb. (AP) Iowa State coach T.J. Otzelberger challenged his players at halftime of their NCAA Tournament game against Washington State on Saturday night to remember who they are, along with what had gotten them to the brink of the Sweet 16.

It was a simple speech. And it set in before the Cyclones stepped back on the court.

Immediately cranking up its intensity, Iowa State began to fluster the seventh-seeded Cougars with its in-your-face defense, and that created offense at the other end. Tamin Lipsey proceeded to score 15 points, Curtis Jones had 14 and the Cyclones went on to a 67-56 victory that sent them into the second weekend for the second time in three…