The following is a press release courtesy of Iowa State athletics communications.
MORGANTOWN, West Virginia – Bria Holmes’ layup and free throw with four seconds left gave West Virginia a 54-52 win over Iowa State Saturday at WVU Coliseum. The loss drops ISU to 16-10 overall on the season and 7-8 in the Big 12. WVU is now 16-11 overall, 6-9 in conference competition.
The Cyclones led by as many as 17 points in the first half, but were held to just 16 second-half points. Nikki Moody led ISU in defeat with 15 points and five assists, while Seanna Johnson chipped in 14 points and eight rebounds.
How it Happened
The Cyclones and Mountaineers played out an even first 10 minutes, as WVU held a 15-14 lead with 9:43to go in the first frame. Then everything changed, as Iowa State found some hot hands from deep that allowed it to go on a 18-2 run and open up a 32-17 advantage. Seanna Johnson was the key to the run for the Cyclones, recording 10 of her 12 first-half points during the run that played across nearly six minutes of game-time.
The Mountaineers fought back, running off a 7-0 run via some Cyclone turnovers to reduce the Iowa State advantage to single digits. However, Emily Durr ensured ISU would have a double-figure edge heading into the locker room, putting back a missed Nikki Moody jumper to make it 36-26 Iowa State.
The second half saw WVU get the upper hand early on to get back into the game. The Mountaineers scored 17 of the first 23 points of the capped off, but a lay-in from Bria Holmes to get WVU back ahead 43-42. The lead lasted all of 18 seconds as Emily Durr nailed a wide-open corner 3 to restore order for ISU at 45-43.
The Cyclones would expand its lead back up to six points, but the shot stopped falling for both sides as Iowa State went over eight second-half minutes without a basket while WVU only had two field goals for an over 10 minute period prior to its game-winning basket. The Mountaineers retook the lead at the line as Linda Stepney hit a free throw to make it 51-50 with 1:19 to go. That lasted all of seven seconds as, out of an ISU timeout, Moody hit a jumper to restore the ISU lead to 52-51. Both teams came up empty on ensuing possessions until Stepney fouled Brynn Williamson with 25 seconds left. However, she missed both, leading to WVU’s possession where on the third shot of the possession, Holmes got her lay-in and was fouled by Kidd Blaskowsky to get WVU ahead 54-52.
ISU had one final chance with 4.4 seconds left, but Holmes intercepted Blaskowsky’s in-bound pass intended for Moody and secured the WVU victory.
Game Notes
*Iowa State extended its NCAA-record 3-point streak to 638-straight games.
*Nikki Moody finished with 15 points, her 18th game this season in double figures and 63rd of her career.
*Moody now has 710 career assists, now ranking ninth in Big 12 history.
Up Next
Iowa State returns home for a pair of home games. The Cyclones take on Texas Tech Tuesday at 7 p.m. inside Hilton Coliseum. The game will be shown on Cyclones.TV Powered by Mediacom.
