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MINNEAPOLIS, Minnesota (Ticker) -- Marcus Fizer dominated in the second half, but Jamaal Tinsley provided the spark for second-seeded Iowa State. Fizer scored 16 of his 22 points in the second half and Tinsley hit a pair of huge 3-pointers to lead the Cyclones to a 79-60 victory over seventh-seeded Auburn in a second-round Midwest Region game. The win puts Iowa State (31-4) in the "Sweet 16" for the second time in four seasons. The Cyclones will play UCLA in the regional semifinals on Thursday at the Palace of Auburn Hills. "We stayed patient and turned it up defensively in the second half," Iowa State coach Larry Eustachy said. "Marcus has been big for us all year and our guards made things happen in the second half." The game was tied at 43-43 with 13 minutes left when Tinsley hit back-to-back 3-pointers to ignite a decisive 14-2 run. "Those 3s helped open it up inside for Marcus," Tinsley said. "He took over from there." After Michael Nurse was fouled shooting a 3-pointer and hit all the free throws, Fizer converted a three-point play and Stevie Johnson capped the spurt with a tip-in to open a 57-45 lead for Iowa State with 8:47 remaining. After Marquis Daniels and Daymeon Fishback converted layups for Auburn, Fizer hit a pair of baseline jumpers and a running bank shot in the lane to increase Iowa State's lead to 63-49 with 3:54 left. With Auburn's defense geared to stop the 6-8, 265-pound Fizer, Johnson was able to slip inside for a number of easy baskets and finished with 21 points. "This one was sweet," said Fizer, who also had 12 rebounds. "We've accomplished a lot this year as a team and to advance in this tournament just adds to it." Nurse scored 14 points and Tinsley finished with 12. Auburn (24-10) was not expected to go far in the NCAA Tournament after star forward Chris Porter was suspended late in the season for accepting money from an agent. Despite Porter's absence, Auburn hung tough for most of the game before it went cold in the second half, hitting just 28 percent (10-of-36) from the field. "I'm proud of the way we battled," Auburn coach Cliff Ellis said. "We were in the game most of the way, but they're a very talented team. They have three quick guards and Fizer is one of the best players in the country." Doc Robinson and Daniels were the only Auburn players in double figures with 12 points apiece. Robinson was just 5-of-18 from the field. Auburn 7-footer Mamadou N'diaye finished with just nine points and three rebounds. A 3-pointer from the right corner by Fishback gave Auburn a 41-38 lead with 16:48 left. Iowa State scored the next five points on a layup and a free throw by Fizer and a layup by Johnson. But a short jumper by N'diaye tied the game at 43-43 with 13:09 remaining. Tinsley started the decisive spurt and gave Iowa State the lead for good with a 3-pointer from the top of the key with 12:49 left. After Robinson missed a short jumper, Tinsley converted a 3-pointer from the left corner to give Iowa State a 49-43 lead with 11:55 left. Nurse was fouled by Scott Pohlmann attempting a 3-pointer and hit all three free throws. After N'diaye scored inside, Fizer converted a layup off a feed from Tinsley while he was fouled and completed the three-point play. After Auburn pulled within 57-49 on layups by Daniels and Fishback, Fizer hit a pair of short baseline jumpers and a smooth running bank shot from the right side. Nurse scored seven points and helped Iowa State build a 24-17 lead with 7 1/2 minutes left in the first half. But Auburn tied the game with a 9-2 run which was highlighted by a four-point play and a layup by Daniels. The Tigers took a 33-32 lead at halftime on a jumper and a free throw by N'diaye in the final two minutes.
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