Cyclones Pummel Arkansas State

AMES, Iowa - Marcus Fizer, playing above the rim most of the time, scored 25 points and Iowa State shook off a sluggish start to beat Arkansas State 84-53 Sunday night.

Iowa State (12-2), off its best start since the 1991-92 season, took charge in the second half of its final tuneup before next Saturday's Big 12 opener against Missouri.

Arkansas State (3-8) kept it close for a half by walking the ball up the floor and working time off the shot clock. But once Iowa State began asserting itself on the boards and started getting some steals, the pace quickened and Arkansas State couldn't keep up.

Iowa State paid a price for the victory, however. Starting forward Martin Rancik broke a bone in his left foot when he was knocked out of bounds by Arkansas State's Luis Rivas with 18:02 left. He is expected to be out for eight weeks.

Rancik's injury leaves Iowa State with just two players as tall as 6-feet-8 - Fizer and Paul Shirley

Michael Nurse hit four 3-pointers in the second half and finished with 17 points for Iowa State, which shot 79 percent (23-for-29) in the final 20 minutes. Brandon Hawkins added 10 points and Jamaal Tinsley had a season-high 13 assists.

Rivas and DeShawn Denson each scored 10 for Arkansas State.

Fizer made nine of his final 11 shots after missing his first two. Other than a turnaround jumper, all of his baskets came on dunks, lob passes or shots on which he leaped above basket and dropped the ball in.

Ahead 30-22 at halftime, Iowa State hit Arkansas State with a 15-6 run early in the second half to break it open.

Fizer had four baskets in that stretch on a putback, a lob pass from Tinsley and two dunks. He also fed Paul Shirley for a dunk and became so determined that he ripped the ball from Tinsley after the two had grabbed it at the same time on a rebound.

Once Fizer gave it back, Tinsley hit Shirley for a breakaway layup to make it 49-30. A 22-5 run that included three 3-pointers by Nurse and seven points by Fizer made it 71-39 with 4:48 to play and Iowa State coasted to the finish.

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Players Mentioned

Marcus Fizer

Marcus Fizer

Brandon Hawkins

Brandon Hawkins

Michael Nurse

Michael Nurse

Martin Rancik

Martin Rancik

Martin Rancik

Paul Shirley

Paul Shirley

Paul Shirley

Jamaal Tinsley

Jamaal Tinsley

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