Cyclones Fall, 69-61, at Minnesota

Friday, December 21

Minneapolis, Minn.

7:00 PM

Iowa State

8-2

Minnesota

9-3

Team	1	2	F
Iowa State	29	32	61
Minnesota	34	35	69

12.21.2007 | Women's Basketball

Box Score

By: cyclones.com

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. ? The Iowa State women's basketball team suffered its second loss of the season Friday, falling 69-61 at Minnesota. The Cyclones got as close as one on a couple of occasions in the second half, but could never actually take the lead after struggling with the Gopher pressure all night.

Alison Lacey and Heather Ezell led the Cyclones (8-2), hitting nine of ISU's 11 three-pointers on the night. Lacey finished with 21 points and Ezell had 16, while Denae Stuckey led Iowa State on the boards with six. Minnesota had two players in double figures, led by Emily Fox's 20 points.

The Cyclones shot 41.2 percent for the contest and 47.8 percent from beyond the arc. Minnesota (9-3) shot 43.1 percent from the floor and 38.5 percent from long range. The Gophers outrebounded Iowa State, 36-32, and forced the Cyclones into 19 turnovers.

Iowa State trailed the Gophers, 34-29, at halftime after being plagued by 12 turnovers in the first 20 minutes. The Cyclones got out to a quick 8-4 lead behind a pair of treys by Lacey and Ezell, but UM tied it again at 8-all.

The two teams traded one-point leads for a while before Minnesota finally took a five-point advantage, 24-19, on a free throw by Leslie Knight. Toccara Ross scored back-to-back baskets for the Cyclones to cut the margin to one, 26-25, but the Gophers answered with a 5-0 run, to go up 31-26. Minnesota stretched its lead to eight, before Amanda Nisleit drained a three to make it a 34-29 halftime margin.

Ross injured her knee at the end of first half and did not return to the game.

Lacey came out of the locker room firing, hitting a three to cut the lead to two, 34-32. Minnesota answered with a 6-0 run to expand its lead back to eight. Lacey hit two more treys to cut the lead again, 41-38.

The Cyclones cut it to one, 45-44, on a conventional three-point play by Nicky Wieben with 12 minutes to go. But the Gophers scored two straight field goals and pulled away again. Iowa State cut it to one again twice, but after slicing it to 53-52, Minnesota responded with eight unanswered points to take a 61-52 lead. The Cyclones hit shots down the stretch, but it wasn't enough to overcome the deficit.

The Cyclones will take a few days off before returning to the court at Hilton Coliseum. Iowa State will play host to the American Family Insurance Cyclone Shoot-Out, Dec. 28-30. The Cyclones will face Bowling Green at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 28, after Hampton and Tennessee-Martin meet in the opening game of the tournament at 5 p.m.