Cyclones Fall at Pepperdine, 52-46

MALIBU, Calif. ? The Iowa State women's basketball team tied the game at 46-all, but couldn't find an answer at the end as Pepperdine scored the final six points over the last two and a half minutes to defeat the Cyclones 52-46 Saturday night in the Pepperdine Tournament.

The loss is the first of the season for ISU, as the Cyclones fall to 3-1 on the year, while Pepperdine improved to 4-2.

Toccara Ross was named to the all-tournament team, as she earned her second double-double of the tournament with 16 points and 11 rebounds. Lyndsey Medders was also on the all-tourney team after scoring 23 points in the Cyclones' win over Virginia Tech on Friday. Sophomore Heather Ezell was the only other Cyclone in double figures against Pepperdine with 11 points on 3-of-7 shooting from downtown.

Iowa State was down 46-40 with four minutes left in the game, but the Cyclones tied it up on back-to-back treys by Ezell and Ross. Pepperdine answered with a 6-0 run, and the Cyclones couldn't get a shot to fall. The lead changed five times and was tied three during the second half.

After a 28-24 halftime lead by the Waves, both teams got off to a slow start in the second period. Iowa State took a 38-35 lead with 12 minutes left on a three-pointer by Ezell as she trailed Medders down the floor off a fast break. Iowa State held Pepperdine to just seven points in the first 10 minutes of the second period, but it wasn't enough as the Waves scored their final 17 points down the stretch when it mattered.

The Cyclones jumped out to their first sizeable lead to open a game, when ISU got out to a 12-2 advantage on 5-of-6 shooting, including threes by Megan Ronhovde and Ezell. The Cyclones held the Waves to 2-of-10 shooting from the field in the first five minutes of the contest and Iowa State dominated the boards early, holding a 15-0 advantage to begin the game, but Pepperdine won the final rebounding battle, 41-40.

Pepperdine scratched its way into the game, going on a 12-0 run, to tie the game at 18-all with just under nine minutes left in the first half. Both teams went on a three and a half minute drought, before Daphanie Kennedy got a layup with five minutes remaining to give the Waves their first lead 20-18. Pepperdine took its 28-24 lead into the locker room, leaving the Cyclones trailing at halftime for the third straight contest. Iowa State committed 14 first half turnovers, which proved to be the difference.

The Cyclones wrap up their four-game road stretch on Thursday in Iowa City, where ISU will face the Iowa Hawkeyes at 7 p.m. in the Hy-Vee Cy-Hawk Series.

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Team Stats

Toccara Ross

Heather Ezell

Nicky Wieben

Lyndsey Medders

Players Mentioned

Heather Ezell

Heather Ezell

Lyndsey Medders

Lyndsey Medders

Megan Ronhovde

Megan Ronhovde

Toccara Ross

Sponsors

Iowa State University Athletics