Ames, Iowa ? Curtis Stinson called the move that sealed Iowa State’s 68-61 victory over No. 15 Kansas University a “teardrop” because of the way the high-arcing shot was delivered.

He could have just as easily been describing the way his clutch play made the Jayhawks feel Saturday when they left Hilton Coliseum following their first Big 12 Conference loss.

“This is anybody’s league now,” Stinson said after dropping 19 points on KU (13-4 overall, 5-1 Big 12).

Stinson’s shot from the baseline with 31.4 seconds left and three seconds on the shot clock gave Iowa State a 66-61 lead.

The victory kept Iowa State, which had lost to conference doormat Baylor a week earlier in Waco, Texas, in the thick of the league race at 13-4, 4-2.

“I’ll take this win and that loss, rather than reverse,” said senior forward Jackson Vroman, who finished with 12 points and eight rebounds.

Iowa State extended its winning streak at Hilton to 12 games and snapped a 13-game losing streak against ranked teams that dated back to 2001.

Senior guard Jake Sullivan said last week’s 63-59 loss at BU had been good for ISU, which has won two straight.

“It kind of woke us up,” he said. “I know it woke me up. I’d gotten kind of complacent.”

Sullivan and the Cyclones looked as if they needed a wake-up call in the first half Saturday when they missed 26 of 33 shots and trailed 29-21 at the break. Iowa State shot 21.2 percent from the field, including 16.7 percent (2-of-12) from three-point range.

“I thought our kids played a terrific game tonight,” ISU coach Wayne Morgan. “I think we had too much adrenaline going in the first half. At halftime we got calmed down and played much better in the second half.”

Sullivan and Stinson, ISU’s top scoring threats, were a combined 3-of-20 in the first half but made 11 of 15 shots after halftime.

KU humbled at Hilton Cyclones: ‘This is anybody’s league now’ ‘Not a big upset’ Get the stats: KU-ISU box score WIBW: Weak second half leads to KU loss Hear Bill: KU-ISU postgame comments See the photos: KU-ISU

In a matchup of heralded freshmen guards, Stinson repeatedly beat KU’s J.R. Giddens on drives down the lane for easy buckets as Iowa State attacked the basket in the second half.

“It did feel kind of easy,” Stinson said, ” but I made the right moves.”

KU coach Bill Self switched defenders in the final minutes, putting junior Keith Langford on Stinson, but the damage already was done.

Iowa State made 20 of 33 shots (60.6 percent) in the second half and scored on 21 of its 33 possessions.

Stinson wasn’t the only Cyclone hurting the Jayhawks. Sullivan, who was 2-of-9 from three-point range in the first half, made three of four in the second half and scored 11 of his 17 points in the second 20 minutes.

Vroman had 10 of his 12 points after the break, despite sitting more than five minutes because of foul trouble.

Junior center Jared Homan finished with 12 points, 11 rebounds and blocked six shots despite playing on an injured ankle that kept him out of the Baylor game and the team’s last two practices.

Homan was feeling fine after his team’s stunning victory.

“I’m on enough medication, I don’t feel it during the game,” he said.

Homan’s 11 rebounds helped Iowa State own a 45-39 advantage on the glass, including a 22-13 edge in the second half.

Another difference-maker was freshman point guard Will Blalock, who was benched at the start but attacked the basket along with Stinson in the second half. He finished with 11 assists — nine in the second half — and no turnovers. Guards Sullivan, Blalock and Stinson played the entire second half.

“Their freshman guards are terrific,” Self said. “They’re mature. The game is always in motion for them.”

The schedule doesn’t get any easier for ISU, which plays Wednesday at Oklahoma before playing host to Oklahoma State Saturday.

“We have a long way to go,” Sullivan said. “It’s a big win, and we’re going to enjoy it and be happy about it. But we have to see them again, and we’re going to see Oklahoma, Texas and Texas Tech. This is the stretch.”