Cyclone Warning

By SCOTT HOWARD-COOPER

March 22, 2000 12 AM PT

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TIMES STAFF WRITER

They came from nowhere. That’s not a commentary on Ames, Iowa, either. (Although . . . )

They came from everywhere:

* Coach Larry Eustachy from Southern California, where he played at Arcadia High, Citrus College and Long Beach State, and later from the Rockies, where he coached at Idaho and Utah State.

* Marcus Fizer, the All-American forward, from Louisiana, a big-time recruit who signed out of desire and not a lack of options.

* Jamaal Tinsley, the mouthy point guard, from Brooklyn, then Mt. San Jacinto Community College.

* Michael Nurse, the dangerous shooter, from Teaneck, N.J., a junior college in Arkansas and a Division III school in New York.

* Martin Rancik, a top reserve, from Slovakia and a suburban Minneapolis high school.

Mostly, they came from obscurity, by way of disappointment, through a battle for top standing in their own state. Of course, that only means the Iowa State Cyclones were prepared for what was to come, finishing the regular season ranked sixth in the nation and being made the second-seeded team in the Midwest Regional and having everyone wonder what gives.

“We read about an individual saying that if we beat them, it’s an upset,” Eustachy said. “It’s amazing. We’re a two seed and still fighting for respect.”

This week can take care of a lot of that. Iowa State, at 31-4 the winningest Division I team ever in the state, surpassing the beloved Iowa Hawkeyes of 1986-87, goes to Auburn Hills, Mich., to play resurgent UCLA in the Sweet 16 as a legitimate threat to advance to Indianapolis. That much is certain, after a season that has included two victories each over Kansas, Oklahoma State and Missouri and one over Texas and Oklahoma, tournament teams all.

Having that translate into acceptance among the elite is another matter. Part of it is coming from Ames, not quite pushing to become a communications mecca. The bigger part--since CNN hasn’t opened a bureau in Lawrence or Durham or Lexington either, names that can stand alone as synonymous with college basketball excellence--is that there hasn’t been a reason to know of the Cyclones.

After Jeff Hornacek, Jeff Grayer and Kelvin Cato played there, after Johnny Orr coached there for 14 years and six tournament appearances, and immediately after the heartbreaking Sweet 16 overtime loss to UCLA in 1997, there was the 12-18 finish.

Then the Chicago Bulls plucked Tim Floyd to replace Phil Jackson, Eustachy came in from Utah State, and the Cyclones went 15-15 last season. Not long after, the Iowa Hawkeyes, continued to bite into the attention by bagging Steve Alford as coach.

Fizer was a budding star all along, the first McDonald’s All-American to go to Ames, “budding” being the operative word. Floyd’s departure, though without hard feelings, was a personal blow to him. Even the Big 12 coaches made him second-team all-conference a year ago.

Then, he left no doubt.

As a junior, he is a candidate for player of the year. In the nation.

No one else in Division I finished in the top 10--through the conference tournaments--in shooting (59.6%) and scoring (23.2). He averaged 7.5 rebounds as the Cyclones’ 6-foot-8 pseudo-center. He became the symbol of the leaps of a program.

“Against Texas Tech in Lubbock, I think it’s the first time I’ve ever played against a box and one where the man was on me,” Fizer said.

“Usually, it’s on an outstanding perimeter shooter. For a little while, I couldn’t understand why this guy was just standing behind me.”

There was a lot of that this season, only the other way around. The Cyclones played a weak nonconference schedule, beating Arkansas by six and losing to Cincinnati by 15 at the Big Island Invitational in the most notable outcomes, then started rolling in the Big 12, and kept putting their ears to the ground, wondering when the bandwagon would roll through.

Losing in January at then-No. 17 Oklahoma in double overtime in the first major conference test hurt, but they came back to beat Kansas a week later and the Cyclones were ranked 20th in the nation.

Then 17th. And 14th. Then back to 17th after losing in overtime at Colorado, bound for a 7-9 league finish. The march started there.

Consecutive victories over then-No. 14 Texas by 12 and No. 10 Oklahoma State by 11 pushed them to 10th. By the time the conference tournament started, Iowa State was all the way to seventh, and at the start of the NCAA tournament, the Cyclones had a seven-game winning streak and were ranked sixth.

“So, it is about falling into place like it should,” Eustachy said. “We march to the tune of respect. I am not big on motivating. We just coach. The players have picked up on it. It has flip-flopped now. We find ourselves with a bull’s-eye right on our backs.”

It caused only minor problems in the opening rounds at Minneapolis. The Cyclones began with an 88-78 win over Central Connecticut State. They blew a 19-point first-half lead, were tied with six minutes left, then pulled away for good.

Two days later against Auburn, the challenge was to overcome Fizer’s being relegated to supporting role most of the way, but Tinsley made consecutive three-point baskets midway through the second half to start the eventual blowout, a 79-60 victory.

That Tinsley was shooting 15.2% on three-pointers heading into the tournament did not go without notice. Yep, falling into place like it should. Just in case anyone is paying attention.

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

THURSDAY

UCLA vs. IOWA STATE

Midwest Regional

at Auburn Hills, Mich.

6:45 p.m., Channel 2

HEAD TO HEAD

How Iowa State

and UCLA match up:

ISU Category UCLA

31-4 Record 21-11

78.7 Avg. Pts. 76.1