Former Mason City Mohawk Jadda Buckley led the Cyclones with a personal-best 11 assists.
Sophomore Bryanna Fernstrom put up 23 points, 13 rebounds and a school record nine blocked shots in the Cyclone victory.
Fernstrom led the way in the early going, scoring nine points and grabbing three rebounds in the first quarter. Jadda Buckley and Seanna Johnson chipped in six each, and the Cyclones shot 50 percent from the field to take a 24-18 lead after one. The Lumberjacks made four of their eight three-point field goals in the opening stanza to stay within striking distance.
It was an up-and-down second quarter for the Cyclones, as NAU stayed hot from long distance. The Lumberjacks put together a 13-3 run early in the quarter to take a brief 31-30 lead when Passionate Amukamara hit a triple with 5:23 to play in the half. However, Johnson scored six of ISU’s final 11 points to regain a 41-40 lead at halftime.
Despite making just four field goals in the third period, the Cyclones boosted their lead to 57-54 behind six points each from Buckley and Fernstrom. The ISU defense was bolstered by five blocks from Fernstrom in the quarter, as NAU shot just 6-of-18 in the period.
Iowa State pushed its lead to double digits for the first time with a quick 7-0 run early in the fourth quarter. The flurry took just a minute of game time, as Fernstrom hit a pair of buckets inside, to go with a Nicole Blaskowsky three-pointer to put the Cyclones up 66-56 with 6:34 to play. ISU would hold on to win 79-63, as Buckley (17) and Johnson (16) joined Fernstrom in double-figures. Buckley also registered the first double-double of her career, chipping in a career-high 10 assists.
Sophomore Bryanna Fernstrom put up an eye-popping state line of 23 points, 13 rebounds and nine blocks, falling just one block short of the fourth triple-double in school history. The Center City, Minn., native, was 8-of-17 from the field and is now the new school record holder for blocks in a game.
Iowa State will be back in action on Wednesday, Dec. 30 as they open Big 12 play at Kansas State at 7 p.m. CT. Television coverage for the game can be found on ESPN3.
