NCAA Midwest: Fizer's second half key to victory

MINNEAPOLIS -- All-American forward Marcus Fizer fought off a frustrating first half to carry Iowa State into the round of 16. <br><br>Fizer, held without a field goal for the first 17 minutes, scored

Saturday, March 18th 2000, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

MINNEAPOLIS -- All-American forward Marcus Fizer fought off a frustrating first half to carry Iowa State into the round of 16.

Fizer, held without a field goal for the first 17 minutes, scored 16 of his 22 points in the second half as the second-seeded Cyclones routed seventh-seeded Auburn 79-60 on Saturday in the Midwest Regional.

Stevie Johnson added 21 points for the Cyclones (31-5), who weren't expected to be this good back in November.

The Cyclones, who won the school's first regular-season conference title in 55 years and set a school record for victories after being picked to finish dead-last in the Big 12, used a 19-4 run midway through the second half to secure the trip to next week's regional semifinals in Auburn Hills, Mich. The Tigers (24-10), who squeaked past Creighton 72-69 in the first round, were up 41-38 five minutes into the second half.

Jamaal Tinsley's back-to-back 3s highlighted the big run that gave Iowa State a 57-45 lead midway through the second half.

The Cyclones were still clinging to a single-digit lead when Fizer, who also pulled down 12 rebounds, scored three straight baskets to put Iowa State ahead 63-49.

With Fizer, the player of the year in the Big 12, struggling in the first half, Auburn took a 33-32 lead.

For one half at least, Auburn stifled the All-American junior with a smothering zone that put two men on him in the low post and also limited Tinsley's penetrations.

In man defense, Fizer was alternately hounded by 7-foot center Mamadou N'diaye and sophomore forward Mack McGadney, who replaced Chris Porter after the star forward was ruled ineligible last month for accepting money from an agent's middleman.

Fizer went to the bench with his second foul 48 seconds before halftime and coach Larry Eustachy had to holler at him to chill out when he jumped up in the waning seconds to argue an official's call.

The sixth-ranked Cyclones looked like they were going to run away with it early.

Michael Nurse's breakaway dunk after Tinsley blocked Scott Pholman's 3-point attempt capped a 10-2 run that gave Iowa State a 24-17 lead.

But Tinsley fouled Marquis Daniels on his 3-pointer on the ensuing possession and the four-point play made it 24-21.

The Tigers, who reached the round of 16 last year, didn't have a similar run in them when the Cyclones got hot in the second half.

Marquis Daniels led Auburn with 12 points but scored just two points after halftime.