KANSAS CITY, Mo. DeAnthony Melton Jersey . -- Georges Niang walked off the floor in the closing minutes with a bloody towel pressed tightly to his forehead, pumping his fist and riling up the Iowa State fans in the Sprint Center. Turns out he was just jumpstarting the celebration. Niang scored 25 points before leaving with that gash above his right eye, and the No. 16 Cyclones held on down the stretch to beat No. 10 Kansas 94-83 Friday night and reach their first Big 12 tournament title game since 2000. "We love competing for championships," Niang said later, a bandage over his wound. "Coach says take it one day at a time, but the Big 12 championship is one day away from us." DeAndre Kane had five 3-pointers and scored 20 points, and Big 12 player of the year Melvin Ejim added 19 points for the fourth-seeded Cyclones (25-8), who will play for just their second tournament title Saturday night against the winner of Texas-Baylor. The victory for Iowa State represented its first in four tries against Kansas in the Big 12 tournament, and its first over the Jayhawks in Kansas City since March 10, 1996, when the schools were still part of the Big Eight. It also allowed Iowa State to match its 2001 team for the second-most wins in school history, trailing only the 32 wins piled up by the 2000 team. Incidentally, it was that team that won the Cyclones only Big 12 tournament title. "Its a great win for us, for the fact it gives us confidence we can compete with anyone in the nation," Cyclones coach Fred Hoiberg said. "It was good to finally get one of these after struggling to close out games against Kansas the past few years." Relying on some hot outside shooting, Iowa State took charge in the second half, and then held on as the top-seeded Jayhawks (24-9) tried to make a late run to get back into the game. Perry Ellis led Kansas with 30 points. Andrew Wiggins finished with 22. The Jayhawks again were playing without 7-footer Joel Embiid, the leagues defensive player of the year, and his rim-protecting presence was sorely missed. The freshman has a stress fracture in his back and is likely out until at least the second weekend of the NCAA tournament. "Joel not being in there, he could probably guard Niang better," Kansas coach Bill Self said, "but I think it was more a collection of everybody rather than just one individual." The Sprint Center was packed to the rafters with fans eager to see whether Iowa State could finally end its five-game losing streak against the Jayhawks, or whether Kansas could burnish what it hoped would be a resume worthy of a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament. The teams got after it right from the tip, racing up and down the floor in what amounted to a series of 94-foot wind sprints. Iowa State got the better of it early, forging a 23-16 lead, but the Jayhawks countered with a brutally efficient 20-3 charge to take control. Things got so intense that the normally placid Hoiberg was rung up with a technical foul after Kane appeared to be hammered on the way to the basket and no foul was called. "I used a bad word," Hoiberg said sheepishly. "Im not going to say I didnt." The Jayhawks lead was also short-lived. Kane started the comeback by converting a three-point play, Ejim and Niang went to work inside, and the Cyclones tied it 46-all in the closing minutes of the first half when Kane knocked down another shot from the corner. Their hot perimeter shooting continued in the second half, when the Cyclones turned a 48-46 deficit into a 66-57 lead, the last points in the run on a deep ball from Naz Long. By that point, Iowa State was 11 of 16 from the 3-point line. "We were on our heels defensively throughout the game," Ellis said. "I felt in the first half we did a lot better. In the second half, we let too many straight-line drives to the basket." The Jayhawks eventually extended their defence to the perimeter, and thats when Iowa State started going to the basket again. Niang scored four straight baskets for Iowa State during one stretch that made it 81-72, and scored on three straight trips to make it 86-74. The lead never got much smaller, even after Niang was whacked in the face during a scrum under the basket, prompting him to start the party for the Iowa State fans in attendance. "We felt like we had these guys in the second half," Niang said. "We came out and threw the first punch and from there it was clear skies." Grizzlies Jerseys China .C. -- Cam Newton wasnt flawless on Sunday. Rudy Gay Jersey .com) - James Harden put the Houston Rockets on his back and willed them to an overtime victory on Thursday. https://www.cheapgrizzlies.com/354p-michael-dickerson-jersey-grizzlies.html . -- Detroit shortstop Jose Iglesias says he has stress fractures in both legs and isnt sure when hell be able to play again, leaving the Tigers two weeks to fill his spot for opening day and perhaps a lot longer. WINNIPEG -- The Winnipeg Blue Bombers are taking that first letter in CFL very seriously, naming Canadian Mike OShea as their new head coach on Wednesday. He was recruited by former University of Guelph teammate and fellow Canadian Kyle Walters, Winnipegs new general manager. "Being Canadian is extremely important to me," OShea said after he was introduced as the teams 30th head coach. But he admitted his nationality hadnt really crossed his mind as he accepted his first head coaching job. He was special teams co-ordinator with the Toronto Argonauts, also his home for most of his 16 years in the league as a middle linebacker. "Do I think it can help in certain situations? Absolutely. . . I am an extremely proud Canadian." OShea succeeds Tim Burke, who was sacked after Winnipeg tied its worst record ever in the 18-game CFL this season at 3-15. Burke replaced Paul LaPolice in mid-2012 and no one has been able to hold the job for long in recent years. It was a point not lost on OShea, 43. How much time will he have to build a winner? "Thats one of the first questions I asked them," he said. "I wanted to find out what their commitment level was. They are committed to this town, this province, this organization and theyre committed to winning. To me it was an easy choice." Its been a busy week for the Bombers. On Tuesday they also named former quarterback Danny McManus and Ted Goveia as new assistant GMs to join Walters in rebuilding the team. Not that OShea likes to think of this as a rebuilding effort, which suggests a process that might take some time. He got a round of applause from the fans in the room when he made that clear. "I know what I believe and the only reason you start a season is to win a Grey Cup, so its my job as a coach (much clapping ensues) its my job as a coach to get people to buy into that." Not long removed from his playing days, some may see OShea as to young and inexperienced to take on the role of head coach. That notion was quickly refuted by Argonauts safety and special teams player Matt Black, who played under OShea for the past four seasons in Toronto. "These people that dont think OShea is qualified are sorely mistaken," Black posted on his Twitterr account. Cheap Grizzlies Jerseys. "His players will sacrifice their bodies for him. Mark my words..." The Bombers havent won a Grey Cup since 1990, although their last appearance at the final isnt that long ago -- 2011. One of the remaining big pieces to put in place is a starting quarterback for 2014 but OShea wouldnt comment at all on any suggestion Zach Collaros might be a candidate. The Argos backup is under contract and off limits as such. OShea did say he was a great guy. The Argos are having a pre-Christmas sale it seems with defensive co-ordinator Chris Jones named head coach of the Edmonton Eskimos just last week. The Bombers have now pretty well cleaned house after the Joe Mack as GM era, replacing their president, general manager and coach. OShea, a native of North Bay, Ont., spent the past four seasons as an assistant coach with the Argonauts. He was part of four Grey Cup winning teams, three as a player (1996, 1997 and 2004) and his first as a coach in 2012, leading a stalwart special teams unit for the Argos. OShea also won the CFLs Most Outstanding Canadian award in 1999. He described the kind of team he hopes to put on the field next season. "If I were going to envision how were going to win games, its gong to be defence and special teams. Its going to be hard-nosed but disciplined football. Theyre going to be hard-working guys, character players. Were going to do it the old-fashioned way." Walters says like OShea, he wants the Bombers to become a team that wins consistently and the work starts right now. "Our No. 1 priority is to put a process in place that can ensure sustainable winning. And as Mike said you dont start the year with any other goal than winning the Grey Cup . . . and that will be our goal." Several key members of the Argos took to Twitter to wish their former coach well in Manitobas capital. "Just found out that our Special Teams Ace is moving on and up!" posted star receiver and kick returner Chad Owens. "Proud and Blessed to have battled for you Osh! Def wont be the same!" Added receiver Andre Durie: "It has been a true honour to have played with and Developed under Coach OShea ...wish him all the best in the Peg....except against us." ' ' '