Cyclones Fall to 12th-Ranked Huskers, 57-49

AMES, Iowa – The 23rd-ranked Iowa State defense held 12th-ranked Nebraska to 20 points below its season scoring average, but the Cyclone offense never fully got on track as the Cyclones fell 57-49 in the Big 12 season opener Saturday night at Hilton Coliseum.

Senior Alison Lacey was ISU's only player in double figures with 23 points, while the Cyclones were held to their lowest offensive output since scoring 47 points at Kansas last February. The ISU defense, however, held the Huskers to 37.3 percent shooting and 23.1 percent shooting from three-point range. The Cyclones also held NU's leading scorer, Kelsey Griffin, to 13 points and 11 rebounds.

The loss snapped an 11-game win streak and a 12-game home winning streak for Iowa State. The Cyclones dropped to 12-2 on the season and 0-1 in the Big 12, while Nebraska improved to 14-0 overall and 1-0 in the league.

Iowa State shot a season-low 36.4 percent from the field and hit a season-low two three-pointers. Freshman Jessica Schroll led the way for Iowa State on the glass with a career-high eight rebounds. NU outrebounded ISU, 38-35, the first time the Cyclones have lost the battle of the boards this season. Anna Prins chipped in eight points and six rebounds as ISU's second leading scorer.

“First of all, Nebraska is an outstanding team,” ISU head coach Bill Fennelly said. “You can see why they are 14-0 and No. 12 in the country. Our team defended as well as we could. Offensively we struggled. Aus (Lacey) had no help. It's hard to win when you only have one person in double figures.”

Chassidy Cole went straight to the basket on ISU's first possession, to give the Cyclones their only lead of the first half, 2-0. The Huskers led by as many as nine in the first period, but Iowa State was able to cut the halftime margin to two, 29-27.

In a role reversal for the two teams, the Cyclones led Nebraska 20-8 in points in the paint, while the Huskers hit five three-pointers to ISU's one in the first half. NU shot 50 percent from the field, while Iowa State shot 40 percent.

After Nebraska got out to a 19-10 advantage, Prins dropped in back-to-back buckets to cut the NU lead to five. The Huskers took an eight-point advantage twice more, including a 26-18 margin with three and a half minutes to go in the half. Lacey and Stuckey combined for six straight points in the paint to close the margin to two, 26-24.

Yvonne Turner answered ISU's run with a three-pointer for NU that quieted the Cyclone crowd, but Stuckey drained a three from the corner with just a second remaining in the half, and Nebraska threw up a shot at the buzzer that went off the back iron. Iowa State trailed at the half for the first time this season, 29-27.

The Cyclones held Nebraska without a field goal over the first five minutes of the second half, getting out to a 33-29 lead. Prins blocked a Griffin shot that ignited the ISU crowd with 15 minutes to go, but Nebraska scored four straight to tie the game at 33-all.

Lacey went to the line and hit two free throws to put ISU up 37-35 and that was the Cyclones' final lead of the contest. Nebraska took a 10-point lead, 49-39 on a pair of free throws by Griffin with three minutes to go. Iowa State sliced the lead to five, 49-45, on five straight points by Lacey. The Cyclones got as close as five points on three more occasions, including a score of 54-49 with 17 seconds remaining. Nebraska hit three of its final four free throws to close out the victory.

The Cyclones will hit the road for the next two games, traveling first to 10th-ranked Texas A&M Wednesday for a 7 p.m. tip. Then ISU will travel to Colorado for a contest with the Buffaloes on Saturday.

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Team Stats

Alison Lacey

Anna Prins

Denae Stuckey

Jessica Schroll

Players Mentioned

Chassidy Cole

Chassidy Cole

Alison Lacey

Alison Lacey

Anna Prins

Anna Prins

Jessica Schroll

Jessica Schroll

Sponsors

Iowa State University Athletics