Cyclones Hit 14 Treys En Route to 80-55 Exhibition Win

Sunday, November 9

Ames, Iowa

2:00 PM

Iowa State

Missouri Western State (Exhibition)

Cyclones Hit 14 Treys En Route to 80-55 Exhibition Win

11.09.2008 | Women's Basketball

By: cyclones.com

AMES, Iowa ? The Iowa State women's basketball team shot 50 percent from the field and drilled 14 three-pointers on the way to an 80-55 exhibition win over Missouri Western State Sunday afternoon at Hilton Coliseum.

The Cyclones struggled getting the ball inside the paint early, and the MWSU defense gave the ISU offense room to shoot from outside. Iowa State got out to a 37-18 halftime lead with six Cyclones hitting three-pointers in the first half. Seven of ISU's 14 first half field goals were from beyond the arc.

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As the game progressed, however, ISU began to find success inside as well. Senior Nicky Wieben went 5-of-6 from the floor for 13 points, including a three-pointer, over the first 20 minutes, and finished with 15 points for the contest. Senior Heather Ezell hit one three-pointer in the opening minutes in the game, but got hot in the second half, knocking down five more treys for a total of six.

Ezell led the Cyclones with 18 points, and added five assists and four rebounds. Alison Lacey's return to the starting lineup was a bright spot as well for ISU, as the junior posted nine points, six rebounds and five assists in 21 minutes on the court.

“I think our main improvement (from the first game to the second) was having Aus (Lacey) being able to play extended minutes,” ISU head coach Bill Fennelly said. “She changes our team dramatically.”

Iowa State got treys from Ezell, Kelsey Bolte and Wieben over the first three minutes to open a 9-4 lead. Eight of ISU's first nine field goal attempts came from long range. The Cyclones held Missouri Western to eight field goals (26.7 percent) in the first half and forced the Griffons into 10 turnovers.

MWSU cut the lead to four, 16-12, after going on a 6-3 run. The Cyclones responded with 13 unanswered points, including six from Wieben, for a 29-12 ISU advantage.

In the first four minutes of the second half, ISU further extended its lead, 50-23, as the Cyclones knocked down three quick treys. Ezell got hot fast, draining three treys in a span of one and a half minutes to increase the lead, 63-35.

Freshman Ashley Arlen played well for the Cyclones, finishing with 10 points, including seven points in the final period, and seven rebounds.

Iowa State will open the regular season next Sunday against UMKC at 1 p.m. at Hilton Coliseum.