Cyclones Fall at Nebraska to Close Regular Season

LINCOLN, Neb. ? Iowa State hit nine treys and outrebounded Nebraska, but poor shooting and turnovers plagued the Cyclones as they fell, 55-45, at Nebraska Wednesday night. Nebraska hit eight treys and shot 45.8 percent for the contest.

With the loss, Iowa State finished tied with Texas for seventh place in the final Big 12 standings. The Cyclones finish the regular-season slate with an 18-11 overall record and a 7-9 mark in the Big 12. Nebraska improved to 20-10 overall and 9-7 in the league, locking up sixth place in the final standings.

Iowa State will take the eighth seed into the Big 12 Championship, beginning Tuesday, March 11. The Cyclones will play Colorado at noon on Tuesday.

Alison Lacey went 4-for-6 from three-point range and finished with 14 points to lead the Cyclones. Heather Ezell also finished in double figures with 11 points, including three treys. Amanda Nisleit led ISU on the boards with eight rebounds. Iowa State shot 34.6 percent from the field and 40.9 percent from three-point range. ISU outrebounded NU, 33-28, but committed 14 costly turnovers. The Huskers had three players finish in double figures.

The Cyclones trailed 31-21 at the intermission after allowing the Huskers to shoot 52 percent over the first 20 minutes. Iowa State hit five treys and Nebraska matched them with five, but the Cyclones were able to outrebound NU, 16-13. Lacey drained three treys in the first half for nine points to lead the Cyclones.

The game was close for the first 10 minutes with the two teams matching shot for shot, leading to a tie game, 13-all. Nebraska put together back-to-back field goals for a 17-13 lead, but Ezell drained a three to cut the lead back to one, 17-16. Yvonne Turner hit consecutive treys for a 23-16 NU advantage. After a Cyclone score, the Huskers went on a 6-0 run to expand their lead to 11, 29-18. Lacey hit another three-pointer with 1:24 to go, but Nebraska got the final score of the half from Kelsey Griffin for the 10-point halftime margin.

The Huskers scored to open the second half, but the Cyclones went on an 8-0 run to answer, including threes by Kelsey Bolte and Lacey, to cut the margin to four, 33-29. But Nebraska again answered with an 8-0 run to open its lead back to 12, 41-29. After a Denae Stuckey basket, the Huskers got five more points for a 15-point lead, 46-31.

Iowa State cut the lead to 10, 48-38, with four and a half minutes to go, but Nebraska had an answer every time the Cyclones scored from there forward.

Players Mentioned

Kelsey Bolte

Kelsey Bolte

Kelsey Bolte

Heather Ezell

Heather Ezell

Heather Ezell

Heather Ezell

Alison Lacey

Alison Lacey

Alison Lacey

Alison Lacey

Amanda Nisleit

Amanda Nisleit

Amanda Nisleit

Amanda Nisleit

Denae Stuckey

Denae Stuckey

Denae Stuckey

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