ISU Knocks Off No. 12 K-State on Memorable Night

Saturday, January 31

Ames, Iowa

7:00 PM

Iowa State

4-216-4; Big 12

Kansas State

5-218-2; Big 12

Team	1	2	F
Kansas State	19	31	50
Iowa State	22	38	60

ISU Knocks Off No. 12 K-State on Memorable Night

01.31.2009 | Women's Basketball

Box Score

By: cyclones.com

AMES, Iowa ? The No. 22/23 Iowa State senior class put together its best collective effort of the season as the Cyclones earned their third win over a ranked opponent at Hilton Coliseum this season with a 60-50 victory over No. 14/12 Kansas State Saturday night. The Cyclones (16-4; 4-2) went 29-for-36 from the charity stripe and outrebounded the Wildcats (18-2; 5-2), 36-25, to win the defensive battle.

Heather Ezell led the Cyclones with 19 points, including eight from the charity stripe over the last minute of the game. She also contributed seven rebounds. Fellow senior Nicky Wieben chipped in 13 points and nine rebounds. Jocelyn Anderson scored nine points, including going 7-of-8 free throw line. Amanda Nisleit had seven points and eight rebounds.

Complete Post-Event Coverage
Final Stats Notes '98-'99 Team Recognition First Half Replay		Quotes Photo Album ISU Newsconference Second Half Replay

“Certainly it was a really big win for our team in a lot of ways,” ISU head coach Bill Fennelly Said. “I was very proud of how they handled themselves, on a night that we honored some very special former student-athletes. It was important that we played that way, and important that our players understood what this was all about. We found a way to win the game.”

The Kansas State defense held Iowa State to 35.9 percent shooting and a season-low three three-pointers. The Wildcats shot 38 percent from the field and hit just two treys. KSU went 10-for-16 from the charity tripe. Shalee Lehning finished with 15 points after being held scoreless in the first half. Ashley Sweat finished with 14 for Kansas State.

The Cyclones took a 22-19 lead into the locker room after Kelsey Bolte hit a shot at the buzzer. Bolte's field goal capped an 8-0 Cyclone run to end the first half.

Kansas State got out to a 6-2 lead to start the game, and after pushing it to 8-4, Iowa State came back to tie the score at 8-all. Kansas State took a 15-9 lead off of field goals by a pair of reserves. The Wildcats again pushed their lead to six, 17-11, before Ezell hit ISU's only three-pointer of the half (17-14). Kansas State scored once more before the Cyclones went on their 8-0 run for the three-point halftime advantage.

Iowa State went on a 6-1 run coming out of the break for a 28-20 lead. Sweat scored four points to get the Wildcats within four, 28-24. After a Bolte bucket, Lehning finally got going for KSU, scoring six straight points as the Wildcats trimmed the margin 31-30 with 12:16 to play.

After Nisleit hit two free throws, Kansas State went on a 6-0 run to take its first lead of the second half (39-35). The run was capped by a pair of free throws by Kari Kincaid when Alison Lacey was called for a technical.

Anderson hit a pair of free throws and followed with a field goal to give the Cyclones a 45-42 advantage and the lead for good. Kansas State cut the margin to one before Ezell hit a huge trey to give ISU a 48-44 lead with 1:45 to go. The Cyclones went on to hit 12 consecutive free throws, including the last eight by Ezell, in the final minute and 10 seconds to claim the win.

The Cyclones recognized a group of women's basketball letterwinners who returned for a reunion at halftime. There was a special video tribute to the 1999 NCAA Elite Eight team which had eight members returning. Fennelly kept the current Cyclone squad on the court until the presentation was complete.

“Sometimes there are certain things not more important than the game, but just as important,” Fennelly said. “Our players need to understand what those people have done for them, and for what they've done for our school. I just didn't feel like it was right to run in the locker room and not have our players see that.”

The Cyclones will play host to No. 11/7 Texas A&M at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Hilton Coliseum. The Aggies are 17-3 overall and 5-2 in the Big 12.