Freshman Rahshon Clark”s previous scoring best was 14 points, but Tuesday night he had 15 in the first half to spark Iowa State”s 77-51 win over Baylor.

‘We got the whole spectrum tonight from [Clark],’ said ISU coach Wayne Morgan. ‘He hit some threes, he got dunks, he got breakaways, he got layups, he got offensive rebounds, he did everything. He was really terrific tonight, and my hat goes off to him.

‘He works hard every day, and he deserves to have a night like tonight, and he really enjoyed it.’

The win brings Iowa State”s record to 10-8 (2-5 Big 12) and was its second consecutive win in the conference.

Both teams started slow out of the gate.

With just over 10 minutes remaining in the first half, the score was 8-8.

That changed quickly, as Clark put on a scoring exhibition in the last seven minutes of the half. He scored all 15 of his first-half points during Iowa State”s 19-1 run to end the half, and the Cyclones took a 37-18 advantage into the locker room.

First-half turnovers were costly to the Bears (9-9, 1-6 Big 12), who committed 12. Iowa State scored 13 points off those turnovers and also got 14 points from fastbreak opportunities.

‘Our defense is so great because we have a lot of athletic guys that”s all around that can get up and down the floor. So I”m impressed because we can just press you for 40 minutes,’ said sophomore Curtis Stinson.

In the second half, Iowa State picked up where it left off by stretching its lead to 20 and leading by as many as 33. Baylor would get no closer than 17 the rest of the way as Iowa State continued to control the game.

After dropping its first five conference games, Iowa State has won its last two.

‘We”re not stopping; we”re going to keep fighting,’ Stinson said. ‘It”s just that simple. You lose games, then you win some; you just have to know how to deal with that and fight back.’

The Cyclones used an equal scoring attack, with five players hitting in double digits.

‘I thought overall, tonight was probably the best offensive game we”ve played in terms of spreading it around and passing the ball, of getting the ball to different people and just taking what was available,’ Morgan said.

Clark led all players with 19 points. He also contributed eight rebounds and three steals.

‘I just thought he had a great night, and one of the things he had is he was really all over those offensive boards,’ Morgan said.

Stinson finished with 15, and Tasheed Carr had 11 points, tying his career high.

Damion Staple and Jared Homan both added 10.

Game Notes

— Trainer Vic Miller confirmed ISU junior Anthony Davis will miss the remainder of the season. Davis will have reconstructive surgery Wednesday on his right shoulder, which he has dislocated several times this year.

— The Cyclones will also be without sophomore Robert Faulkner for the remainder of the season, because his academic appeal was denied. ISU coach Wayne Morgan had no comment on his situation after the game, but said he would have a more detailed statement sometime Wednesday.

— Freshman Rahshon Clark had a breakout night, setting career highs with 17 points and seven offensive rebounds. He tied his career high with eight total rebounds.

— In the Cyclones” 19-1 run to end the first half, Clark tallied 15 of those points. Baylor”s last field goal of the half came with 7:30 remaining.

— Clark led the team in scoring with 17, marking just the second time someone other then the Cyclones” big three of Curtis Stinson, Will Blalock and Jared Homan paced Iowa State. John Neal led the Cyclones with 16 points against Wagner on Dec. 19.

— Iowa State hit five 3-pointers, one more then their total in the last three games combined. Tasheed Carr came through with two, while Stinson, Neal and Clark each had one. Neal”s three was his first from downtown since the Cyclone”s 83-73 loss to Oklahoma State on Jan. 15.

— The home team has only lost one game in the 13 times Iowa State has played Baylor. The Bears are 0-6 at Hilton Coliseum, while the Cyclones are 1-4 in Waco. The teams have split the two games they have played on a neutral court.

— The Cyclones came up with 14 steals, no surprise from a team that boasts three of the top four thieves in the conference. Blalock is averaging three steals a game, while Clark and Stinson hold the second and fourth spots, respectively. Stinson had four steals Tuesday, while Clark and Carr each had three.

— Grant Wall