Iowa State came into Saturday’s game with Kansas searching for respect. And when the dust finally cleared after a physical, intense basketball game played in front of a sellout crowd, it appeared that it accomplished its goal.

“I think they showed they belonged (in the top 25),” said Kansas coach Roy Williams. “They are 17-3, and if they would’ve hit a free throw (against Oklahoma), they would’ve been undefeated in league. They’re a very good team.”

The Cyclones 74-66 win gave them a 15-1 record in December and January and earned them a No. 24 ranking in the ESPN/Coaches’ poll, but Iowa State doesn’t appear to be resting on their laurels.

“We know we’ve got a tough road ahead of us. We can’t be too proud of ourselves yet,” Cyclones coach Larry Eustachy said.

Iowa State was led once again by Marcus Fizer, who scored 15 of his game-high 19 points in the second half.

“I thought Fizer was the difference. He came out and played great that whole second half. The last ten minutes I thought he played as good defensively as he has since he’s been here,” Eustachy said.

And point guard Jamaal Tinsley once again was a huge factor, as he scored 12 points, grabbed eight rebounds, handed out five assists, nabbed three steals, and blocked three shots.

Paul Shirley, who came up big off the bench with 10 points and nine rebounds in a season-high 28 minutes, knows that Iowa State cannot afford a letdown.

“We just have to keep going. Maybe at the end of the year we’ll look back and say that was a great win, but right now we have to focus on Kansas State,” Shirley said.

The game began inauspiciously for Iowa State, with Kansas using their superior depth, size, and talent to forge an 18-9 about seven minutes into the game.

And when Fizer, the Big 12’s leading scorer at 20.5 per game, went out with his third foul shortly thereafter, the Cyclones appeared to be in store for a long afternoon.

However, the unit somehow came together, and outscored the Jayhawks 21-15 to close the half, and trailed by only one point as the half ended.

The Cyclones were led by Michael Nurse, who hit two long three-pointers en route to eight points, and Shirley, the Kansas native who tallied seven points and seven rebounds in the first half.

Amazingly, Iowa State shot only 26 percent for the half, but on the strength of four three-pointers was still in the game.

The second half was marked by a gutsy performance from Fizer, solid defense from the Cyclones and a crowd that at times seemed ready to blow the roof off of Hilton Coliseum.

“The crowd, I thought, was great. I don’t know where else in the country you could have that. That was as tough an environment as Kansas will see this year,” Eustachy said.

The Cyclones made a huge push after Drew Gooden, who finished with 12 points, nailed a jumper to give Kansas a 46-41 lead with 15:36 left.

It was Tinsley, an unlikely shooter, who brought Iowa State within two, after nailing his fifth three-pointer in 28 tries this year. He scored again on the next possession to tie the game.

But the Cyclones didn’t stop there, as Nurse hit two free throws to give them their first lead since the 19:11 mark. Then Fizer stole the ball, and went coast to coast to put in a lay-up to send the crowd into a frenzy and giving ISU its biggest lead of the game, 50-46.

Perhaps the biggest play in a game full of them occurred after Kansas had cut ISU’s lead to three at 58-55. Fizer again showed his expanding game by nailing a three-pointer from the top of the key to give Iowa State a 61-55 lead.

Down the stretch, the Cyclones hit their free throws, clinched their second home win against Kansas in many years and garnered some hard-earned respect.