No. 17 Iowa State's offense clicking ahead of date with No. 23 Iowa

Iowa State's Georges Niang, right, reacts with teammate Melvin Ejim after Ejim scored during overtime of an NCAA college basketball game against Northern Iowa, Saturday, Dec. 7, 2013, in Des Moines, Iowa. Niang and Ejim each scored 22 points as Iowa State won 91-82. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall) (The Associated Press)

Iowa State guard DeAndre Kane, right, shoots over Northern Iowa guard Wes Washpun during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game, Saturday, Dec. 7, 2013, in Des Moines, Iowa. Iowa State won 91-82 in overtime. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall) (The Associated Press)

DES MOINES, Iowa – Most teams that fall behind by 18 points to a team as methodical as Northern Iowa are doomed to defeat.

Not Iowa State. The 17th-ranked Cyclones needed just seven minutes to rally from a 49-31 deficit against the Panthers on Saturday.

Though Northern Iowa forced overtime, the Cyclones scored 20 points in the extra five minutes and won going away, 91-82.

Iowa State (7-0) is now third in the nation in scoring at 91.7 points a game heading into Friday's game against 23rd-ranked Iowa. The unbeaten Cyclones are also second nationally in assists per game — and they generate much of their attack from their defense.

Iowa State leads the country with 36 defensive rebounds a game.