Cyclones Rout North Dakota, 83-52

AMES, Iowa ? Iowa State shot 66.7 percent from the field in the second half to overcome a slow start in an 83-52 victory over North Dakota Tuesday night. Marquis Gilstrap recorded his fifth double-double of the season (16 pts./13 reb.), as the Cyclones head into the holiday break with a 9-3 record.

"In the second half, we just decided to go after them and turn up the intensity," said ISU head coach Greg McDermott. "We played with more energy in the second half. In the first half we were a half a step slow."

A sluggish start by both teams made it an 8-6 Cyclone lead with 14:14 left in the first half. ISU then went on a 10-2 run to make it 18-8 with 12:06 remaining in the first half. Diante Garrett had five points in the run.

Both teams then went cold. Really cold. ISU spent six minutes without a field goal until Craig Brackins scored inside at the 5:44 mark of the first half to make it 23-13 ISU. The Cyclones remained in the lead because UND started the game by making just five of its first 22 shots from the floor.

The Cyclones went into the break with a 30-20 lead after Chris Colvin got a steal in lay-in in the closing seconds. ISU made just 34.6 percent of its shots, while UND connected on just 28.6 percent from the field in the opening half.

It was still only a 12-point Cyclone lead (41-29) after UND's Spencer Goodman hit a pair of free-throws. ISU then stepped up its defense. ISU then went on a 16-6 run to take control of the game. Gilstrap had seven points in the run, as ISU forged ahead 57-35 with 9:30 left in the contest.

ISU had six players finish in double-figures (Gilstrap-16, Brackins-12; Colvin-10, Garrett-12, LaRon Dendy-13; Christopherson-10) for the first time since Feb. 28, 2006 against Missouri.

ISU shot 44 free-throws in the game and ended the contest making 50 percent from the floor. ISU has made 50 percent or more from the field seven times this year and is 15-0 in the McDermott era when making over half of its shots.

The Cyclones will be back in action Jan. 3 against Houston at Hilton Coliseum.

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Team Stats

Marquis Gilstrap

LaRon Dendy

Diante Garrett

Craig Brackins

Players Mentioned

Craig Brackins

Craig Brackins

Chris Colvin

LaRon Dendy

Diante Garrett

Diante Garrett

Marquis Gilstrap

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