AMES, Iowa — Utah State's women's basketball team was battered by the Cyclones of Iowa State, 70-40, in the first night of the American Family Insurance Cyclone Classic Friday. Trailing 36-23 at halftime, the Aggies were outscored 33-17 in the second half.
Utah State falls to 3-8 with the loss, while Iowa State won its eighth in a row to improve to 11-1 on the season. The Cyclones are now 7-0 at home and have won 33 of their last 38 (33-5) home games, and are 146-27 at home under head coach Bill Fennelly, including 67-3 against regular-season non-conference opponents.
For the first time this season, no Aggie player scored in double-figures. Junior forward Jenny Gross led USU with nine points, while senior forward Brittany Hagen and freshman guard Indira Kaljo tallied six points each. Kaljo came off the bench and hit a three-pointer from the right wing at the 10:50 mark as the shot clock was winding down, and hit another trey on the next possession, doubling her career-high.
Gross was one of three players with a team-leading six rebounds, as USU was outrebounded 45-36, as Iowa State came into the game averaging a double-figure rebounding margin. Junior guard Taylor Richards and redshirt-freshman Sharvelle Hurd matched Gross with the six boards.
Iowa State had three players in double-figures, led by 18 from Heather Ezell off the bench, hitting just five three-pointers. Nicky Wieben added 13 points, while Alison Lacey added 12 points to go with a game-high nine rebounds.
Utah State returns to the Hilton Coliseum today at 4 p.m. to take on Colgate (1-12), which lost 85-57 to Loyola Marymount on Friday.
The Aggies tip off Western Athletic Conference action on Jan. 4, hosting Boise State at 7 p.m. in the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum.