LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — Monte Morris scored 20 points and Naz Mitrou-Long took a crucial charge during the final minute of the game to help the No. 21 Iowa State Cyclones avoid an upset with a 73-71 victory over Indiana State in the opening game of the Advocate Invitational.

Loquacious Paige scored 15 points in the first half as the Sycamores traded lead changes with the Cyclones throughout the opening 20 minutes. Iowa State used a 17-7 run to take a 41-40 lead into halftime.

Paige finished the game with 20 points along with Brenton Scott. Between the two guards they went 7-14 from behind the three-point line.

“He had it going,” said Morris of Indiana State’s Paige. “It was a good effort from him, because once he got it going other guys started to play off the energy.”

The Cyclones opened up the second half with a 13-8 run that extended the lead to 54-48. Indiana State kept up with Iowa State throughout the game and went ahead by as much as three points during the final three minutes of regulation.

The Sycamore’s would score only two more points after taking the three-point lead, as the Cyclones would use key charging calls to hold on to a 73-71 victory that was clinched by a Matt Thomas three-pointer.

“That charge by Naz late was huge,” said Iowa State coach Steve Prohm following the game.

With the win Iowa State improve to 4-0 for the season and will play the winner of Miami/Stanford in the Advocate Invitational semifinals on Friday.