It had been a while since Nicole “Kidd” Blaskowsky made more than one 3-pointer in a game.

The sophomore guard had not done it since the first time Iowa State played Kansas State on Jan. 18. She made four during the loss. Blaskowsky — the Cyclones’ leading 3-point scorer — matched that number against the Wildcats the second time around Saturday night.

Blaskowsky and the No. 23 ISU women’s basketball team (16-5, 5-5 Big 12) defeated Kansas State (9-12, 3-7 Big 12) 84-65 on Saturday after losing five of its last six games. The Cyclones combined for a total of 11 3-pointers against the Wildcats.

“We made some shots, which was nice. That was probably the greatest thing. For us to score 84, it’s an explosion. We had some good looks at it,” said ISU coach Bill Fennelly. “The first half we were efficient. Your defense leads to your offense. Kidd hit some 3s early.”

Blaskowsky — who made her first start of the season against the Wildcats — finished the game with 13 points and four rebounds in 35 minutes of play.

“Kidd is a player that has the capability to score in bunches. She is going to shoot. She’s not passing up shots that we’ve been passing up,” Fennelly said. “We have six starting players here.”

Just like Blaskowsky’s 3s, Iowa State’s offense had dropped in the recent weeks since its first loss Jan. 11. The ISU offense spiked again in both Kansas State games. The Cyclones fell to the Wildcats in the first match-up despite scoring 74 points and making 12 3-pointers.

Iowa State got the win the second time around Saturday after out-scoring Kansas State 45-19 in the first half. Four Cyclones had double-digit in points and five made at least one 3-pointer against the Wildcats.

Senior forward Hallie Christofferson scored all of Iowa State’s first seven points. Not long after, Blaskowsky hit a 3-pointer five minutes in to get Iowa State’s first basket from beyond the arc.

“It was [a relief],” said junior guard Nikki Moody of making 3-pointers. “We started off not hitting, but we just had to shoot the ball.”

Blaskowsky and Moody would make two more 3-pointers in the next minute and a half. Iowa State had seven 3-pointers by the end of the first half and shot above 40 percent from the perimeter.

In the second period, the Cyclones would never lead by fewer than 14 points.

“Once somebody starts hitting, then everybody just starts hitting. The energy just kind of spreads around the court,” Christofferson said. “Everything picks up on defense and offense. It just starts with somebody.”