Cyclones Run Past Red Raiders, 77-48

AMES, Iowa – The Iowa State women's basketball team (13-12 Overall, 5-9 Big 12) used a 29-0 run in the first half to blow by Texas Tech (11-14 Overall, 2-12 Big 12) by a score of 77-48 on Wednesday night. Freshman Meredith Burkhall led the way for Iowa State, putting up 19 points and seven rebounds while shooting 7-of-12 from the field.

How it Happened
After trailing 8-2 midway through the opening quarter, Iowa State turned the game around in dominant fashion, putting together one of its best stretches of basketball this season. The Cyclones held Texas Tech scoreless for the final 5:50 of the quarter, and scored 16 consecutive points to go up 18-8 after 10 minutes. A Nicole Blaskowsky triple, followed by six-straight points from freshman Bridget Carleton, sparked the flurry. The Cyclones hit three from beyond the arc and forced four TTU turnovers during the streak to end the period.

The ISU run did not snowball into the second quarter. It avalanched. Blaskowsky, Carleton and Seanna Johnson rained in threes to open the period, along with buckets inside from Johnson and Burkhall to complete the onslaught. When it was all said and done, ISU had compiled a 29-0 run that spanned 9:12 of game time. The Cyclones kept their foot on the pedal, closing the half out with a 44-13 lead, having outscored the Red Raiders 42-5 after finding themselves in the early six-point hole.

Bridget Carleton led the way offensively with 13 points, but had help from all over, as Iowa State was 7-of-14 from three-point range and racked up 11 assists in the half. The Cyclone defense, which often led to success on the offensive end, was locked in all half. They held the Red Raiders to 4-of-28 shooting (14.3 percent) and forced eight turnovers. No Texas Tech starter scored more than two points in the first half.

The third quarter featured Burkhall offensively for Iowa State. After scoring six in the first half, the freshman from Urbandale, Iowa, poured in 13 points in the quarter, hitting 4-of-5 from the field and knocking in five three throws. Ivonne Cook-Taylor also got going in the third, scoring 16 in the period for the Red Raiders. The Cyclones led 67-33 with 10 minutes to play.

The highlight of the fourth quarter came when junior Lexi Albrecht splashed home a three to a standing ovation from the Hilton Coliseum crowd. Albrecht lost her sister Melissa Grossman to cancer in December. Tonight's annual Play 4Kay game was a tribute to Grossman, with the hashtag #FightLikeMel on the Cyclones' warm-up shirts.

Cyclone Quick Hits
*Iowa State has now hit a 3-pointer in an NCAA-record 668 games.
*Meredith Burkhall's 19 points are a new career-high.
*Bridget Carleton recorded the sixth double-double of her career.
*Seanna Johnson now ranks 24th on ISU's career scoring list (1,095).
*ISU's eight turnovers are its fewest since Jan. 2.

Up Next
Iowa State will travel to Waco, Texas to face Baylor on Saturday, Feb. 20 at 2 p.m. The game will air on FSSW Plus.

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Team Stats

Meredith Burkhall

Nicole "Kidd" Blaskowsky

Bridget Carleton

Jadda Buckley

Players Mentioned

Bridget Carleton

Sponsors

Iowa State University Athletics