Cyclones Make Big 12 Final
The secret is out: No. 7 Iowa State can win even without Marcus Fizer having a monster game.
Stevie Johnson scored 21 points, including two three-point plays in the final 1:58, as the Cyclones stopped No. 17 Oklahoma State 68-64 Saturday in a rugged Big 12 semifinal that included four technical fouls.
Fizer's 19 points marked the first time in six games the Big 12's player of the year had fewer than 29. He had a tournament-record 38 in the second-round victory over Baylor on Friday.
"When I look up and see another player has scored more than me, it reassures me to know I don't have to be the one to score all the time," the 6-foot-8 power forward said.
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"He's got to feel he doesn't have to score 100 points every time," Johnson said. "We've got to take some of the load off him. We're family."
Johnson also had 11 rebounds, while Iowa State point guard Jamaal Tinsley had 18 points and 12 rebounds.
Three technicals were called in a first half that saw nine lead changes and a 5-0 Iowa State flourish at the end that gave the Cyclones a 37-33 lead. Then midway through the second half, the Oklahoma State bench was assessed a technical.
"With four teams in the top 20 playing in this tournament, there should be better officiating than what was out there," Oklahoma State coach Eddie Sutton said. "How can you call a technical foul on the bench for standing up? That should never have happened."
Joe Adkins, who scored 19 points for Oklahoma State (24-6), mada 3-pointer for a 61-57 lead with 2:30 to go.
Desmond Mason, the Cowboys' All-Big 12 guard, then picked up his fifth foul and Johnson's free throw cut it to 61-58.
With 1:58 left, Johnson drove in for a layup and was fouled by Doug Gottlieb, and his free throw tied it at 61.
Adkins missed a 14-footer, and Johnson took a nifty pass from Tinsley and went in for another layup, drawing a fifth foul from Brian Mononati.
After Tinsley's free throw put the Cyclones on top 64-61, Gottlieb drove in for a layup and Tinsley answered with a driving layup on the other end to give Iowa State a 66-63 lead with 46 seconds remaining.
Iowa State coach Larry Eustachy drew a technical with 9:43 left in the first half after raging at an official over a call.
A few minutes later, Fizer and Gottlieb got into a chest-shoving match and each drew technicals.
"We still haven't thrown out best game out on the court," said Iowa State coach Larry Eustachy. "We will have something to prove right up until we're done playing."
Mason finished with 13 points for the Cowboys and Fredrik Jonzen had 17 rebounds.
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