March 7, 2007

Game recap courtesy of www.cyclones.com

OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. -- Lyndsey Medders scored 27 points, including a 3-pointer in the last seconds of regulation, to pace Iowa State to a 79-76 overtime victory over Nebraska Wednesday afternoon in second round action of the Big 12 Women's Basketball Championship.

The win improves the Cyclones to 24-7, as ISU will face top-seeded Texas A&M in the semifinals tomorrow night at 6 p.m.

"This was obviously one of the best college games I have ever been a part of," ISU head coach Bill Fennelly said. "You feel bad for Nebraska. They played their guts out. This is what Big 12 basketball is all about."

The game began as a see-saw affair, as both teams traded baskets in the first eight minutes. Nicky Wieben scored ISU's first six points on a trio of buckets and Medders posted eight points, including a pair of treys, to keep ISU close at 18-16.

Nebraska grabbed its biggest lead of the game at the 6:38 mark of the first half when Kiera Hardy buried a trey from the left wing to give the Huskers a 30-20 advantage. The Cyclones quickly answered with a 10-2 run to cut the lead to 32-30 with 4:46 left. Alison Lacey was responsible for eight of ISU's 10 points in the run behind a pair of 3-pointers.

NU closed the half making its last four baskets while holding a 45-36 lead at intermission. The Huskers were on fire in the first period, making 18-of-28 shots from the floor (64.3 percent), while the Cyclones hit at a 52.0 percent clip.

Both teams cooled off in the opening moments of the second period. The Huskers missed their first nine shots and ISU was just 1-of-its-first-7 from the floor, as NU led 47-41 with 15:10 remaining. Wieben cut the Husker lead to 47-44 with a 3-pointer at the top key, but NU finally made its first field goal of the second half at the 14:01 mark with a lay-in by Danielle Page to increase its lead to 49-44.

The Cyclones finally closed the gap and took the lead with 7:32 remaining on five quick points from Wieben and Lacey, culminated by Lacey's third trey of the game to give ISU a 57-55 lead. The lead was short, however, as the Huskers responded with a trey from Chelsea Aubry on their next possession. After another hoop from NU's Hardy, Lacey drilled another 3 followed by a Rachel Pierson basket off a nifty feed from Medders to make it 62-60 in favor of the Cyclones with 4:32 left.

The momentum shifted back to NU, as the Huskers took the lead with 1:12 left (68-66) on a Page lay-in. After Megan Ronhovde made one of two free-throws (68-67), the Cyclones got a stop on the defensive end, setting up a chance for the last shot, but Medders mishandled an inbounds pass resulting in a turnover. Page was fouled and sank two free-throws to push NU out in front 70-67. Needing a three to tie, Medders dribbled off a double-screen to nail a trey with :01.7 left to force the overtime.

"I was unable to get my shot, but Wieben set the perfect screen," Medders said. "It felt good right when it left my hands."

Medders got ISU rolling in the extra session, drilling her fifth 3-pointer followed by a lay-in from Wieben to give ISU an early 75-72 edge. Two more free-throws by Medders pushed the Cyclone lead to 77-72, but NU answered with four-straight points to cut the lead to 77-76 with 1:24 left in the overtime period. Ronhovde then got a key steal with under a minute left to set up a pair of free-throws from Medders to pad ISU's lead to 79-76 with :29.6 remaining. Nebraska had one last chance, but Hardy's 3-pointer at the buzzer was off the mark.

Lacey was instrumental in the win, tying a career high with four 3-pointers en route to 14 points. Medders and Lacey were a combined 9-of-12 from beyond the arc, helping ISU hit 10 or more treys (11) in a game for the eighth time this season. Wieben added 14 points and four rebounds in the win.