CEDAR FALLS -- After the final second ticked off the clock in overtime, Greg McDermott let out an emotional fist pump.

This victory had a little extra meaning.

McDermott, who coached the University of Northern Iowa basketball program to three consecutive NCAA tournaments from 2004-06 and was instrumental in getting the 25 million McLeod Center built, was finally able to knock off his alma mater and a Missouri Valley Conference foe.

Thanks to an arena-record 32 points and 16 rebounds from sophomore Craig Brackins, Iowa State escaped with a 71-66 win over UNI Wednesday night before 5,558 fans.

The fist pump?

"It was for me, I think, and our team," said McDermott, who coached his first game in the McLeod Center.

"We needed it. For our guys to finally find a way to get a win, we really needed that. It was a little excitement on my part."

It was McDermott's first win in three tries against UNI, his first in seven attempts versus MVC opponents, and the Cyclones snapped a 10-game road losing streak dating back to last season.

"It feels good to win on the road," Brackins said. "It's been awhile."

Iowa State (5-1) came into the game dependent on the 3-point shot, averaging more than nine makes per contest and shooting better than 40 percent.

But on a night when the Cyclones were 2 of 14 from the arc, Brackins picked up the slack.

The 6-foot-10 forward, who had half of Iowa State's points in regulation, made 12 of 23 shots and converted 8 of 11 free throws.

"We rode our horse," McDermott said. "He had a heck of a game."

UNI's Adam Koch said, "You can tell when he gets touches down low, he's great at scoring. He got a lot of good looks, and he really took advantage of his opportunities."

The Panthers (4-3) failed to bring much defensive help, often letting Brackins feast one-on-one against either Koch, Jordan Eglseder or Lucas O'Rear.

"I was shocked that they did not double-down more than they did," Brackins said.

McDermott said, "You have to pick your poison with us."

UNI coach Ben Jacobson wasn't surprised ISU banked on Brackins, who fell one point short of his career-high.

"He's one of the best players in the Big 12," Jacobson said.

In addition to Brackins' monster performance, UNI was a season-worst 6 of 32 from the 3-point line as ISU switched between man-to-man and zone defenses. Ali Farokhmanesh was 2-for-12 from the arc and Johnny Moran was 0-for-6.

Jacobson wasn't upset with the shot selection.

"Absolutely not," Jacobson said. "Ali's got the green light once he starts walking through that tunnel. Johnny has it, as well."

Instead, Jacobson said the loss boiled down to more than missed opportunities on the offensive end.

"I just got done talking to our guys about getting stops and playing with discipline," Jacobson said. "It depends on how good of a basketball team we want to be. If we want to be just a good basketball team, we'll attribute this to missing shots and we'll move on to the next game.

"If we want to have a chance to be a very good basketball team, we'll look at the defensive end of the floor and figure out where we need to get one or two more stops. Those are the plays you have to make every night to win."

In a game that featured 16 lead changes and 14 ties, Kerwin Dunham forced overtime with a 3-pointer from the left corner with 6.1 seconds remaining. It was Dunham's first trifecta of the season and his only field goal of the game.

UNI took a 66-65 lead on two Dunham free throws with 2:01 left in overtime, but the Cyclones tallied the last six points. Point guard Diante Garrett, who had 17 points and nine rebounds, scored six of ISU's nine overtime points, including a driving layup that gave the Cyclones a 67-66 advantage.

"I just saw the lane, and it was open," Garrett said. "I had to take it."

It was another of several defensive breakdowns for UNI, which has allowed 70 or more points in four games.

"We didn't get stops when we needed to," said Kwadzo Ahelegbe, who had a career-high 18 points, six rebounds and four assists. "We weren't disciplined enough in terms of staying in our gap and going under the ball screen."

UNI, meanwhile, had just one turnover in regulation. It committed two in overtime as it didn't make a field goal in the last 4:03.

Koch matched a season-high with 18 points and 12 rebounds.

"After last Friday (a 73-43 loss to Marquette), we looked like the Lakers tonight," Jacobson said. "I thought it was a really good basketball game. I just hate to lose. I hate it, and our guys feel the same way.

"We need to look at that tape, really dig in and get better defensively, get tougher and find stops so we've got a chance to win a game like this."

McDermott was relieved afterward.

"It was two teams with a lot of young guys playing tonight, and it wasn't always perfect on either end," he said.

Still, at the end, it looked mighty good to McDermott, whose club hadn't won on the road since beating Oregon State in overtime last year.

"It was nice to have a win for Coach Mac here," Brackins said.

SHORT SHOTS: Iowa State held UNI to 34 percent shooting Wednesday ï½ the sixth consecutive game it has limited a team below 40 percent. … UNI's three turnovers were one shy of the school record. The Panthers had only two against Dayton during the 2005-06 season. The Panthers' 32 3-point attempts were two off the school mark. UNI took 34 threes against Southern Illinois in 1998. … UNI freshman Anthony James, who had his redshirt taken off last Friday against Marquette, didn't dress Wednesday. It's believed James has mononucleosis.

Contact Matt Coss at (319) 291-1468 or matt.coss@wcfcourier.com

Iowa St. Mn FG-A FT-A Rb As PF TP

Thompson 15 2-2 0-0 0 0 2 4

Brackins 39 12-23 8-11 16 0 1 32

Staiger 23 1-4 0-0 3 0 0 2

Garrett 38 4-10 9-12 9 4 2 17

Petersen 37 2-5 2-2 7 1 2 6

Haluska 24 1-4 0-1 2 0 4 3

Eikmeier 29 1-4 0-0 2 1 1 2

Vanderbeken 16 2-2 0-0 3 0 4 5

Lee 1 0-0 0-0 1 0 0 0

Hamilton 3 0-0 0-0 0 0 2 0

Team 2

Totals 225 25-54 19-26 45 6 18 71

N. Iowa Mn FG-A FT-A Rb As PF TP

Koch 38 7-18 3-5 12 2 2 18

Eglseder 19 3-7 1-2 6 1 2 7

Farokhmanesh 38 2-14 0-0 1 1 3 6

Ahelegbe 38 7-16 2-2 6 4 5 18

Moran 36 2-9 1-1 1 3 3 5

Haak 6 0-1 0-0 0 1 1 0

Montgomery 3 0-0 0-0 1 0 0 0

Brown 10 1-3 0-0 1 0 1 2

Dunham 24 1-2 5-6 4 1 1 8

O'Rear 13 1-1 0-0 1 0 4 2

Team 3

Totals 225 24-71 12-16 36 13 22 66

Iowa State 31 31 9 ï½ 71

Northern Iowa 33 29 4 ï½ 66

3-point goals ï½ ISU 2-14 (Haluska 1-3, Vanderbeken 1-1, Garrett 0-4, Petersen 0-2, Staiger 0-2, Brackins 0-1, Eikmeier 0-1); UNI 6-32 (Farokhmanesh 2-12, Ahelegbe 2-7, Koch 1-4, Moran 0-6, Brown 0-2, Dunham 0-1). Turnovers ï½ ISU 12 (Staiger 3); UNI 3 (Moran 2). Steals ï½ ISU 1 (Garrett); UNI 6 (Moran 2). Blocks ï½ ISU 2 (Vanderbeken 2); UNI 1 (Eglseder).

Officials ï½ Randy McCall, John Higgins, Gerry Pollard. Att ï½ 5,558.