Iowa State (17-11, 8-9 Big 12) made 8-of-20 shots from 3-point range to upset No. 6 Texas (21-7, 14-3 Big 12), 70-66 at the Erwin Center.
The victory was ISU’s first over a top-10 team since beating UT two years ago when it was ranked No. 8 and dealt the Cyclones their first four-game conference winning streak since 2013.
The Cyclones held the lead for the majority of the game, but it game down to the wire. Down 68-66, UT’s Ariel Atkins attempted to tie the game with 0:06 seconds left, but her jumper was off the mark. Bridget Carleton corralled the rebound and was quickly fouled. The deadeye then sealed the victory by calmly sinking both charity shots to give the Cyclones a 70-66 lead.
Carleton had 18 points on 7-of-10 shooting from the floor and Seanna Johnson poured in 22 points to lead the Cyclones. Johnson equaled her career high in 3-pointers by sinking her first four attempts from long range.
Former Mason City Mohawk Jadda Buckley chipped in with 14 points and five assists. She moves to No. 22 on ISU’s career scoring list with 1,161 points. Her five assists, mark the 51st game of her career with five or more dimes.
Iowa State was hot out of the gates, winning the first quarter 22-19 behind 64 percent shooting. ISU fell behind 10-4, but made 8-of-its-final-10 shots in the quarter to take command. Heather Bowe’s 3-pointer with 0:06 seconds left gave the Cyclones the lead.
The Cyclones maintained their lead in the third quarter, heading into halftime with a 37-33 advantage. Carleton gave the Cyclones their largest lead at 28-21 after draining a 3-pointer with 6:23 left before the break. UT closed the gap to a point, but Johnson hit a pair of free-throws and buried a trey in the final two minutes.
Johnson had 11 points at intermission.
Johnson stayed in the zone in the third quarter, scoring 10-straight ISU points behind a pair of 3-pointers to give the Cyclones a 49-42 lead with 4:09 left in the period. After UT cut it to a one-point game in the closing seconds of the quarter, Carleton got a steal and buried a deep 3-pointer at the buzzer to make it 58-54 to begin the fourth period.
UT scored the first six points of the fourth period take its first lead since late in the first quarter at 60-58. However, the Cyclones responded with a 9-0 run to move ahead 67-60 with 4:15 left in the game. Tee Tee Starks had a pair of hoops and Bowe buried a trey in run.
UT cut the ISU lead to 68-66 after a Alecia Sutton layup with 0:44 seconds left. The Cyclones had a chance to extend their lead further, but uncharacteristically missed three charity shots in four attempts during a two-minute span before Carleton made two key free throws in the closing seconds.
This victory is ISU’s first win over a top-10 opponent since beating Texas at Austin in 2015, and the first four-game conference win streak since 2013.
ISU has made a 3-pointer in 701-straight games, connecting on eight tonight.
Iowa State returns home for Senior Night on Feb. 27, playing host to Oklahoma State in a 7 p.m. tipoff.
We ain't done yet y'all.. #cyclONEnation
— Jadda Buckley (@jdbucks11) February 25, 2017
RECAP: Iowa State knocks off No. 6 Texas, 70-66 in Austin. #CyclONEnation https://t.co/tw3dPKfcVv pic.twitter.com/mLu9nen74t
— Cyclone Basketball (@CycloneWBB) February 25, 2017
