By Michael Murrell
Ames, IA- Bill Fennelly’s Cyclone squad got a much-needed win Wednesday over Texas Tech, 79-68. Iowa State led the entire second half behind 55 points from their Big Three.
Bridget Carleton led the way for Iowa State with a well-rounded stat line that included 20 points, 12 rebounds and 4 assists. Buckley and Johnson also scored 20 and 15 respectively.
Texas Tech, who knocked off Iowa State back in January, started off hot making four 3-pointers in the first five minutes, including three from Caldwell who finished with 18 points. Iowa State responded with a big second quarter jumping out to an 8-point halftime lead which they extended to 15 early in the third quarter.
The Lady Raiders fought back though cutting the deficit to 5-points multiple times behind some good guard play from Ivonne CookTaylor (11 points) and Caldwell. At the end though Buckley and Carleton’s free throw shooting down the stretch, who were a combined 11-13 from the line in the second half, proved too much for the young Texas Tech squad to overcome.
“We’ve got to be a team that attacks the basket,” Fennely said after the game, “we’ve talked at length that we are a team has to defensive rebound and have a good disparity at the free throw line when we can.”
Seanna Johnson reached the 1500 point, 1000 rebound milestone Wednesday night as she played her third to last regular season game in Hilton Coliseum. “All the credit goes to my teammates and my coaches,” Johnson said after the game. “They’ve believed in me since I got here and they trusted me to be a part of the program.”
Iowa State now enters into a critical part of their schedule as a team currently on the outside looking in for the NCAA tournament. With two potential resume boosting games as they play two potential tournament teams in West Virginia at home this Saturday at noon and at #8 Texas next Friday in Austin.
