Men's Basketball - Bethune-Cookman Official Athletic Site

Dec. 17, 2007

Ames, Iowa (AP) - Wesley Johnson scored 16 points, Craig Brackins and Cory Johnson each added 13 and Iowa State cruised past Bethune-Cookman 80-57 Monday night in the first round of the Las Vegas Classic.

Jiri Hubalek chipped in with 12 points and eight rebounds for the Cyclones, who broke the game open with a 24-3 run between the end of the first half and the start of the second.

Iowa State (5-4) has won three of its last four and is over .500 for the first time since mid-November.

Up 10 after a 10-0 run to end the first half, Iowa State put the game out of reach with a 14-3 spurt to open the second. Bryan Peterson drained a 3-pointer, Wesley Johnson followed with a layup and a 3 and Rahshon Clark added an acrobatic floater that put the Cyclones ahead 51-30 with 15:23 left.

Bethune-Cookman never got closer than 18 the rest of the way. Dominique Whatley scored 16 to lead the Wildcats (4-5), who saw their winning streak snapped at four.

Wesley Johnson has been battling a bone bruise in his left foot that has yet to completely heal, so his effort was an encouraging sign for the Cyclones. The sophomore guard - Iowa State's only legitimate scoring threat in the backcourt - was 7-of-11 from the floor.

The Cyclones jumped ahead by as much as 18-8 and appeared headed toward an easy night, but the Wildcats tied the game at 27 on the strength of a 12-2 run.

That seemed to wake up Iowa State. It held Bethune-Cookman scoreless over the final four minutes of the first half and took a 37-27 lead on Diante Garrett's jumper just before the buzzer.

Bethune-Cookman played without its second-leading scorer, Jimmy Hudson, who missed the game with a high ankle sprain. Josh Cummings scored 11 points and Dewayne Pettus for the Wildcats, who committed 17 turnovers.

Bethune-Cookman will look to get back on track when they play the second gamf of the Findlay Toyota Las Vegas Classic at Missouri State on Wednesday night in Springfield, Mo. For more information, please locate your internet browser to www.BCCathletics.com.