Bolte Sparks Cyclones to 60-52 Comeback Win

Sunday, December 16

Ames, Iowa

2:00 PM

Iowa State

7-1

Creighton

5-4

Team	1	2	F
Creighton	28	24	52
Iowa State	22	38	60

Bolte Sparks Cyclones to 60-52 Comeback Win

12.16.2007 | Women's Basketball

Box Score

By: cyclones.com

AMES, Iowa ? Iowa State used a 15-4 run over the last six and a half minutes to come back from a 10-point deficit to defeat Creighton, 60-52, Sunday afternoon at Hilton Coliseum. Creighton took a six-point lead into halftime and extended it to 10 points with 10 minutes to go, but Iowa State ramped up its defense and finally got its offense rolling to pick up the win.

Freshman Kelsey Bolte was a spark for Iowa State in the stretch at the end, and finished the contest with her first career double-double. After Creighton went up 47-37 with 9:35 to go in the game, Bolte got a wide open layup on an inbounds play that got the ISU offense and the Cyclone crowd going. After Heather Ezell earned a field goal, Bolte scored in the paint after fighting through a double team, and the Ida Grove, Iowa, native hit the trey that finally tied the score at 48-48 with 6:22 left.

Bolte had a career-high 15 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Cyclones. Alison Lacey also had 15 points, five boards, three steals and three assists. Nicky Wieben finished with 11 points and two blocked shots for ISU. Kelsey Woodard was Creighton's only double-figure scorer with 12 points.

“Kelsey comes off the bench and gives us some points,” head coach Bill Fennelly said. “If she doesn't play the way she does, we don't win. She hit some big shots for us.”

Creighton shot 36.7 percent from the field and 45 percent from beyond the arc, hitting nine treys against the Cyclones. Iowa State shot 40 percent from the floor and from long range, draining eight three-pointers. For the first time this season, the Cyclones were outrebounded, losing the battle on the glass, 33-29.

The Cyclones went to the locker room down, 28-22, trailing at half for the first time at home this season. After the Bluejays claimed a 6-5 lead, the Cyclones responded with an 8-0 run to take a 13-6 advantage, capped by a Wieben basket.

But CU cut the margin to three, 13-10, and ISU again responded with a 6-0 run to widen the gap to 19-10. But the Bluejays closed out the half on a 15-3 run for the six-point halftime margin.

Iowa State came out of the gate strong in the second half, closing the margin to one twice, 28-27, and 30-29, but then the Cyclones allowed Creighton to go on a 10-2 run of its own. Iowa State finally got some shots to fall, but the Bluejays kept finding answers, until the Cyclones finally found Bolte and closed the game on its 15-4 run to pick up the win.

Iowa State improved to 7-1 on the season, while Creighton dropped to 5-4, with three of its four losses coming to Big 12 opponents. The Cyclones have now won 11 straight against Missouri Valley Conference opponents.

Iowa State will try to make that streak 12, when the Cyclones host Northern Iowa at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Hilton Coliseum. ISU will also try to claim its third consecutive mythical state title as the Cyclones face their final in-state opponent this season in the Panthers.