Cyclones Win

Wednesday, February 2nd 2000, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

AMES, Iowa (AP) -- Marcus Fizer scored 18 of his 28 points in the first half and Kantrail Horton made four 3-pointers, leading No. 20 Iowa State to an 85-67 victory over Kansas State on Wednesday night.
Playing its first game as a ranked team in nearly three years, Iowa State (19-3 overall, 7-1 Big 12) started slowly but eventually got rolling, first with its transition game, then with its 3-point shooting. The Cyclones, with their best record ever after 22 games, led by as many as 22 points in the second half and it took four late 3-pointers to keep Kansas State (8-11, 1-7) from getting blown away completely.
The Wildcats have lost seven straight, their longest losing streak since dropping 10 in a row in the 1996-97 season.
Kansas State did get the lead down to 75-64 on Cortez Groves' 3-pointer with 3:51 left. But Fizer scored four points and Nurse five in a 9-2 run that finished off the Wildcats. Fizer hit 11-of-22 shots in matching his season high and pulled down 11 rebounds. Horton finished with 17 points and Nurse, who was hospitalized Tuesday with a 103-degree temperature, had 16, including three 3-pointers.
Groves led Kansas State with 18 points, Kelvin Howell scored 12 and Josh Kimm 11. Iowa State survived a poor game by point guard Jamaal Tinsley, who scored only two points and had six turnovers. Tinsley was benched early in the game after shooting an airball and throwing a lazy cross-court pass that was picked off. He spent another 7:16 on the bench in the second half after being called for a technical foul.
Both teams struggled early. It was 5-5 when Horton hit a3-pointer with 14:57 left to ignite the Cyclones, who were coming off an upset of Kansas. Iowa State built the lead to 20-10, only to see Kansas State cut it to 20-17 on Howell's tip-in. Iowa State then got its running game going and took off on a 21-7 run to take control. The Cyclones scored three baskets in transition, two by Fizer,in an 8-0 burst. Then Horton hit a 3-pointer and Nurse sank two as the Cyclones built a 41-24 lead. It was 45-29 at halftime. Horton's three-point play capped a 9-0 run that gave Iowa State its biggest lead, 68-46 with 8:28 left.