AMES, Iowa – Marquis Gilstrap recorded a double-double (11 points; 15 rebounds) to pace Iowa State to a 72-50 victory over Chicago State Sunday afternoon in Hilton Coliseum. The win improves the Cyclones to 2-0, while CSU falls to 1-1.
The game was sluggish on both ends, as both teams shot poorly from the field (ISU-40.7 pct.; CSU-28.6). It was the first time ISU held an opponent to below 30 percent shooting since Oregon State shot 28.2 percent from the field on Nov. 30, 2007.
"The reality of it is that if Marquis (Gilstrap) and Craig (Brackins) combine for 23 points, it's going to look a little sluggish," ISU head coach Greg McDermott said. "Everyone has a night like this once in a while. Unfortunately, they had it on the same night. Marquis did will with his rebounding, and Craig rotated and blocked six shots."
The game was close throughout the majority of the first half, as the Cyclones clung to a 15-13 lead with 10:03 left in the opening period. After making its first three shots to begin the game, ISU went cold, hitting just 4-of-its-next-18 shots from the floor.
Seven early Cyclone turnovers didn’t help either.
A 14-4 run by ISU in the next eight minutes finally gave the Cyclones some separation with a 29-17 lead at the 2:57 mark of the second half. Scott Christopherson had five points, including a 3-pointer, and Lucca Staiger hit a trey in the run. The Cyclones went into the break with a 31-19 lead.
Gilstrap got the Cyclones off to a better start in the second half, scoring the first six points of the period, which included a monster fast-break dunk in the lane where he was fouled and converted a 3-point play. A pair of free-throws from Diante Garrett quickly made the lead 39-19 ISU with 18:10 left to play in the game.
CSU got the lead back down to 14 points (41-27) behind a Christian Wall trey, but three points by Craig Brackins and a trey from Jamie Vanderbeken pushed the Cyclone lead back up to 20 (47-27) with 13:41 left in the game.
Brackins scored seven points and grabbed eight rebounds, failing to reach double digits in scoring since tallying six points vs. SIU-Edwardsville last season. However, Brackins helped ISU record 10 blocks behind a career-high six swats.
Vanderbeken added 11 points behind a 3-of-3 effort from downtown. Christopherson came off the bench to score in double figures in his second-straight game with 12 points.
Wall led the Cougars with 19 points.
ISU hits the road for the first time this season, traveling to Drake on Tuesday in a 7 p.m. tip.
