The streak has been snapped.

After losing four straight games, the ISU women’s basketball team broke through with a 66-60 win against Missouri. The victory comes on the heels of a shattering 1-point loss to Kansas, and was just the chance for the Cyclones to prove their worth.

“It’s a win that we had to have,” said junior Megan Ronhovde. “The pieces came together at Kansas, and it got to a point where we said enough is enough.”

Coach Bill Fennelly said the Cyclones stuck to their game plan, and they finally reaped the benefits.

“We challenged our players to step in front of that line instead of staying behind it, and tonight we beat a very good team,” he said. “It was a special game for us.”

The Cyclones (13-8, 4-6 Big 12) used blistering man-to-man defense to shut down Missouri’s (16-6, 6-4) offense and create shots of its own. The Tigers’ leading scorer, LaToya Bond, was held to 16 points against the willowy arms of Ronhovde. Fennelly, best known for implementing a zone defense, said man defense was the only option against Missouri.

“We really felt man was the way we had to play this team, and it was the only way to give us a chance to win the game,” he said. “Megan [Ronhovde] did a great job guarding Bond.

“After playing this at Kansas, it made us believe we could really play the man.”

In addition to the team rebirth, it was also a night of redemption for Nicky Wieben, who had been silent for almost 60 minutes of play, including sitting out the entire second half at Kansas.

Wieben powered her way on the inside for 18 points and 6-of-9 shooting, including her first 3-pointer of the season. She also pulled down nine rebounds in the effort.

That consistency was also apparent in Ronhovde, as she produced her third consecutive double-figure night with a season-high 20 points. She knocked down four treys on the night, pierced by two back-to-back threes in the first half.

Missouri garnered an early 6-point lead and eventually a 9-0 run until it was easily up by a 13-point margin. Iowa State’s Brittany Wilkins then notched the team’s next eight points before Missouri worked the lead back up.

Wieben then tallied four straight points, followed by Ronhovde’s arrows from the outside. The teams traded points back-and-forth and ended the half quietly with a 35-27 Tiger lead.

“The first half we made a couple shots, and then we went brain-dead at the end for a couple possessions,” Fennelly said.

The team quickly cut the lead in the second half with a three from Ronhovde, trailed by one from Wieben and another by Heather Ezell with 11:45 remaining. Pandemonium broke out in Hilton until Bond sliced through with a drive, upping the lead to five.

“It seems so simplistic, but our defense was solid on the half court,” Fennelly said. “We started making shots and people relaxed. We were in great shape and everyone just kept shooting.”

Ronhovde continued to cut her team closer with two free throws, and two straight threes from freshman Amanda Nisleit and Ezell put Iowa State ahead 55-49.

“By the time we went down and scored on those threes, there was really no looking back,” Ronhovde said.

Missouri was led by Christelle N’Garsanet with 24 points, and she rebounded 12 boards to lead both teams.

Ezell grabbed 14 points on the night, including three from behind the arc, and filled Lyndsey Medders’ assisting role with 13 of her own. Wilkins was the fourth Cyclone in double digits with 11, as well as 10 rebounds.