Ames, Iowa ? With Daniel Gibson dominating on both ends of the floor, Texas once again looks like a national title contender.

Kenton Paulino scored a career-high 20 points and Gibson scored 19 while helping hold Iowa State’s Curtis Stinson to a season-low seven points as No. 8 Texas blew out Iowa State, 78-58, Monday night to extend its winning streak to five games.

Texas (13-2, 2-0 Big 12) has won each game during this stretch by double digits – including a 69-58 victory at No. 5 Memphis – and has moved back into the Top 10 for the first time since early December.

Gibson, who scored 18 in the win over Memphis, scored 17 points in the second half as Texas blew open a 34-32 game. His play on both ends of the floor prompted Longhorns coach Rick Barnes to declare that Gibson played his best game of the year.

“If you knew how hard he worked, you just knew it was just a matter of time before he had a game like he had tonight,” Barnes said.

Gibson’s scoring numbers are down slightly from last season, when he was named the Big 12 Freshman of the Year. But Texas coach Rick Barnes said the Longhorns have asked Gibson to play a much larger role on defense this season, often putting him on the opponent’s best perimeter player.

Gibson took it upon himself to shut down Stinson, a preseason first team All-Big 12 pick who has scored at will in almost every game he’s played this season.

No. 4 Connecticut 70, No. 25 Cincinnati 59

Hartford, Conn. – Hilton Armstrong dominated inside with 14 points, 10 rebounds and six blocked shots and Connecticut beat Big East newcomer Cincinnati.

It was the second straight game Armstrong came up big in the middle for the fourth-ranked Huskies.

No. 10 Louisville 81, UC Davis 58

Louisville, Ky. – Brandon Jenkins scored a career-high 31 points to lead No. 10 Louisville over UC Davis.

Jenkins was 11-of-13 from the field, including 7-of-9 from three-point range as the Cardinals (13-2) cruised in their final non-conference game of the season despite playing without leading scorer Taquan Dean.

David Padgett scored 14 points and Terrence Williams added eight points, eight rebounds and eight assists for Louisville.