LAHAINA, Hawaii — Milan Momcilovic delivered an impressive performance by scoring 18 of his career-high 24 points during the first half, helping No. 5 Iowa State surge ahead to defeat Colorado 99-71 in the battle for fifth place at the Maui Invitational.

In addition to Momcilovic’s stellar outing, Curtis Jones contributed 19 points while Keshon Gilbert added 15. Dishon Jackson, Joshua Jefferson, and Tamin Lipsey each contributed 10 points for the Cyclones, who improved to a 5-1 record. Jones and Jefferson were strong on the boards with six rebounds each, while Gilbert dished out six assists. Lipsey showcased his all-around game with four assists and four steals.

On the other side, the Buffaloes (5-2) were led by Julian Hammond III, who scored 20 points, and Andrej Jakimovski, who added 18 points. However, their shooting struggled, managing only 41.8% from the field throughout the game.

The first half ended with Iowa State leading 45-34, and they extended their advantage to as much as 33 points during the latter stages of the contest.

For Colorado, this defeat came as a surprise after they had just edged past two-time defending national champions UConn with a nail-biting 73-72 victory in the semifinals of the tournament. The two teams are scheduled to meet again on December 10 in Boulder and February 18 in Ames.

Conversely, the Cyclones exhibited a well-rounded offensive performance, shooting an impressive 60.3% from the field and 44% from three-point range. Momcilovic particularly shined, making 9 of 13 field goals, which included 6 of 9 three-point attempts.

A pivotal moment in the game occurred when Colorado was momentarily ahead 22-20 after a layup from Elijah Malone with 8:45 remaining in the first half. However, a jumper from Gilbert kickstarted a decisive 10-0 run for Iowa State, capped off by a fast-break layup from Momcilovic that shifted the momentum with a 30-22 lead with just 5:25 left before halftime.

A key statistic from the game was Iowa State’s ability to capitalize on Colorado’s mistakes, scoring 37 points off 18 turnovers by the Buffaloes while also outpacing them in fast-break points with 22 to their 6.

Looking ahead, Colorado will embark on a five-game homestand, starting with a matchup against Pacific on Monday. In contrast, Iowa State will host Marquette on Wednesday.