Cyclones On Fire for 87-71 Win Over San Diego State

Sunday, November 30

Honolulu, Hawaii

3:00 PM

Iowa State

5-1

San Diego State (Waikiki Beach Marriott Classic)

4-3

San Diego State

Iowa State

Cyclones On Fire for 87-71 Win Over San Diego State

11.30.2008 | Women's Basketball

Box Score

By: cyclones.com

HONOLULU, Hawaii ? The 25th-ranked Iowa State women's basketball team put on its best shooting performance of the season, hitting 53.8 percent from the field to knock off San Diego State, 87-71, Sunday afternoon at the Stan Sheriff Center in the Waikiki Beach Marriott Classic.

The Cyclones went 2-1 in the tournament and improved to 5-1 on the season. San Diego State dropped to 4-3, going 2-1 as well in the tournament. Iowa State hit 13 three-pointers and outrebounded SDSU, 36-29. The Aztecs shot 41.7 percent from the field and knocked down 10 treys.

Complete Post-Event Coverage

Final Statistics

Heather Ezell hit five three-pointers and went 6-for-6 from the charity stripe for 21 points as well as passing out seven assists to lead the Cyclones. Alison Lacey finished with 17 points, all in the second half, and added six assists and six rebounds. Nicky Wieben was also in double figures for ISU with 11 points to go with her six boards, two blocks and two steals. Three players finished in double figures for SDSU, led by Jene Morris' 34 points.

San Diego State went 3-for-3 from the field and hit both free throw attempts early to get out to a 10-6 lead early, but the Cyclones got free throws from Amanda Nisleit and a bucket from Ashley Arlen to tie the game at 12-all. The Aztecs went back up 20-16 on a field goal by Morris, but ISU tied it again at 20-all.

SDSU took their final lead 22-20 on free throws before the Cyclone three-point shooting caught fire. Ezell hit two treys and Whitney Williams dropped in a three-pointer in the midst of an 11-1 ISU run for a 34-23 lead. San Diego State then found its long-range shooting, hitting two threes to cut the margin to seven (36-29). Jocelyn Anderson scored with eight seconds left in the half for a 43-35 ISU advantage at intermission.

The Cyclones had a complete turnaround from the day before in the first half, shooting 55.6 percent from the field and 50 percent (6-12) from beyond the arc. SDSU shot 46.2 percent from the field and had four three-pointers of its own.

Iowa State exploded out of the locker room, hitting its first four shots, including three-pointers by Ezell and Bolte for a 10-0 run and a 53-35 lead. The Cyclones held San Diego State to just one field goal in its first nine attempts in the second half.

The Aztecs answered with a 9-0 run to cut the Cyclone lead to nine, 53-44. ISU finally found Lacey for her first two field goals of the game under the basket to spark an 8-3 ISU run to widen the gap, 61-47. Ezell and Lacey each hit threes around a SDSU trey (73-58). San Diego State cut the margin to 10 (75-65) with three minutes to go. The Cyclones knocked down 12 consecutive free throws to wrap up the win.

The Cyclones will return to the mainland Monday and will hit the road again next weekend, traveling to Iowa City to face the Hawkeyes Sunday at 1 p.m. in the Hy-Vee Cy-Hawk Series. Iowa State will finally return to Hilton Coliseum for a game against Drake Dec. 7, at 7 p.m.