MANHATTAN, Kansas – The Iowa State women’s basketball team (9-3 overall, 1-0 Big 12) earned a hard-fought win on the road at Kansas State (10-2, 0-1 Big 12), 84-79, to open up Big 12 play. Iowa State netted 11 triples and shot 49.2 percent from the field in the win.
Iowa State started off hot, jumping out to a 15-7 lead that was capped by a layup by Meredith Burkhall off an assist from Jadda Buckley. The Cyclones closed the first quarter strong making five of their last six shots and grabbing a 22-14 lead. ISU went 10-of-18 from the floor and shot at a 55.6 percent clip. Seanna Johnson led the Cyclones with nine points and four rebounds.
In the second quarter, the Cyclones suffered two scoring droughts over three minutes apiece and scored just 15 second quarter points, but ISU held K-State to just 14 second quarter points to maintain a double-digit lead. Buckley emerged for the Cyclones in the second quarter scoring 12 of her 14 first-half points off 4-of-5 shooting in the second. Buckley paced the Cyclones to a 37-28 halftime lead with 14 points for her 27th career double-digit outing.
In the third quarter, Kansas State started to make a run, but sophomore Emily Durr stuffed the Wildcats with a huge 3-pointer off the bench to give ISU its 11-point lead back. KSU’s Megan Deines would answer Durr with a 3-pointer, but Durr returned the favor with another big triple to push the ISU lead back to double-digits. Durr wasn’t done yet as she grabbed a steal on the other end and finished it off with a layup to give the Cyclones a 64-51 lead to close the third quarter.
Iowa State would hold off a frantic Wildcat attack in the fourth-quarter that would see Kansas State come within three with just seconds remaining. A pair of extras by Bridget Carleton would ice the victory for the Cyclones as ISU took an 80-75 lead with 27 seconds remaining.
Sophomore Jadda Buckley netted 19 points and had a banner second quarter as she scored 12 of Iowa State’s 15 second-quarter points. Buckley also dominated from long range, netting five triples off 5-of-7 shooting from downtown. The point guard also dished a game-high eight assists.
