ISU Wins Cyclone Challenge; Ezell Named MVP

Tuesday, December 30

Ames, Iowa

7:30 PM

Iowa State

10-2

North Dakota (Cyclone Challenge)

6-8

Team	1	2	F
North Dakota	12	34	46
Iowa State	36	40	76

ISU Wins Cyclone Challenge; Ezell Named MVP

12.30.2008 | Women's Basketball

Box Score

By: cyclones.com

AMES, Iowa ? Senior Heather Ezell ignited the Cyclone offense for the second consecutive night, winning MVP honors and leading the Iowa State women's basketball team to a 76-46 win over North Dakota to claim the American Family Insurance Cyclone Challenge title Tuesday.

Ezell contributed 15 points, going 5-of-6 from the field and 3-of-4 from three-point range. The Springfield, Mo, native also chipped in seven rebounds ands two assists. Kelsey Bolte and Ashley Arlen joined Ezell on the all-tournament team. Bolte finished with nine points, after turning in 21 in the first round, and collected eight boards. Arlen scored a career-high 14 points.

Complete Post-Event Coverage
Final Stats Notes Newsconference Photo Album Game 3 Box Score		Quotes First Half Replay Second Half Replay

Other members of the all-tourney squad included Kierah Kimbrough (North Dakota), Emily Spickler (Lamar) and Erika Harris (Niagara).

“I was very pleased with the way we played defensively in the first half,” ISU head coach Bill Fennelly said. “I'm excited to be 10-2 knowing what we have ahead of us. Heather (Ezell) is one of those people who find a way to win games. It's nice to see her get some recognition.”

Iowa State (10-2) shot 39.1 percent from the field and knocked down six three-pointers in the contest, while the defense held North Dakota to just 32.1 percent shooting. The Cyclones connected on 20-of-25 from the charity stripe, and outrebounded UND, 53-28.

After giving up a three-pointer to start the game, the Cyclones went on a 15-0 run. Ezell sparked the run with eight points, including a pair of treys and a steal and layup. After North Dakota hit two free throws, Iowa State ran off 13 unanswered points for a 34-10 lead. The 13-0 run included nine points from Arlen as the freshman seemingly hit everything she threw at the hoop. The two teams traded field goals to end the half with a 36-12 Cyclone advantage.

Iowa State held North Dakota to 17.4 shooting from the field and outrebounded the Fighting Sioux, 30-12, in the first 20 minutes. The Cyclones also outscored North Dakota 13-1 off second-chance points.

ISU opened the second period with a 12-2 run, with scoring from five different players, to widen the gap 48-14. North Dakota cut it to 60-28, but Iowa State reeled off another 7-0 run, including a couple of field goals by Jocelyn Anderson and a three-pointer by Alexis Yackley. Iowa State outscored North Dakota 40-34 in the second half.

Iowa State will play host to 19th-ranked Vanderbilt Saturday at 2 p.m. at Hilton Coliseum. Cyclone fans are encouraged to wear cardinal colored apparel as part of Cardinal Rules Day. The game against the Commodores represents the first of three this season for ISU against 2008 NCAA Sweet 16 teams.

Lamar 64, Niagara 54

Lamar defeated Niagara, 64-54, in the consolation game of the American Family Insurance Cyclone Challenge Tuesday night at Hilton Coliseum. Lamar led by as many as 12 in the first half, but Niagara came back to tie the game (28-28) with less than a minute remaining. Lamar hit a three just before the break to take a 31-28 advantage into the locker room and then opened an eight-point lead to start the second half. Niagara took a one-point advantage with 10 minutes left in the game and led again with six and a half minutes to go, but Niagara went on an 8-0 run (46-53) and never trailed again. Nikki Williams led Lamar with 20 points and four players from Niagara finished in double digits, led by Erika Harris' 17.