Huge win for Cyclone women

AMES - Bill Fennelly isn't a coach who likes to rank best players, best games or best victories in his career. But when asked if Saturday ranks among his best memories, tears flooded his eyes and his voice dropped to barely a whisper.

'Yeah, just because of the day. All of my players ... and my family,” Fennelly said. 'Our team needed this really bad. I'm really happy for them that they get to stand out at half court some year and tell everybody what they did against the University of Texas.”

It was a storybook-type day for Fennelly. Iowa State knocked off previously undefeated No. 3 Texas, 59-57, in Hilton Coliseum. Former players from Fennelly's 20-year tenure were honored in the second half when he was recognized for his two-decade run in Ames.

Tumultuous doesn't begin to describe the last few days for the Cyclones (11-3, 2-1), who surrendered a 24-point lead Wednesday in a two-point loss to TCU. Practice after the loss to the Horned Frogs left a lot to be desired, Fennelly said, but there wasn't an option other than to turn the page.

'The way it turned out, to play a great team at home, if you don't show up to play here with an Iowa State jersey on against Texas on national TV, then you don't belong here,” Fennelly said. 'I thought our kids handled it that way.”

Texas (13-1, 2-1) jumped on Iowa State early, thanks to Brady Sanders, who hit three 3-pointers to propel the Longhorns to a 13-5 lead. Texas, which shot 45.5 percent in the opening half, held its biggest lead at 37-19 with 2:50 until halftime.

From there, Iowa State flipped its switch. The Cyclones went on a 38-13 run capped by a Seanna Johnson layup with 8:10 left. Iowa State led, 57-50.

Nikki Moody flirted with a triple-double by recording 17 points, eight rebounds and seven assists. After foul trouble stymied her against TCU, Moody responded by playing 39 minutes against Texas and committing just one foul.

'When the buzzer went off, the first thing I did was run up to her and say ‘It's senior year,'” Brynn Williamson said. 'That's how seniors play.”

Texas had a chance with 19 seconds left but a missed a 3-pointer and two jumpers.

Iowa State got its first win against a top-five team since beating Texas Tech in 2004.

'I challenged our players,” Fennelly said. 'You want to be one of those people that stands out there five years from now, 10 years from now and be revered as those (former players) are? It happened (today).”

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