Dynamic duo helps Cyclones steal win

Andrew Nickerson and Amanda Ouversons

With the chants of Hilton Magic ringing, senior Erica Junod and her teammates provided the 10,164 fans in attendance at Hilton Coliseum Wednesday a little magic of their own.

Junod scored 20 points in her first game of the season, and Iowa State (3-1) hit 12 free throws in the second overtime as they defeated instate rival Iowa (3-2) by a score of 101-94 in two overtimes.

It was first time that either team had scored 100 points in the series.

Junod also had no turnovers and six assists.

“[It was the] greatest game ever to be a part of. After this game, if you don’t like women’s basketball, you’re brain-dead,” ISU head coach Bill Fennelly said.

“This game is about No. 10 — one of the most amazing things I’ve witnessed in my life.”

Iowa’s Kristi Faulkner hit a 3-point shot to give Iowa an 85-79 lead late in the first overtime. Iowa State rallied to tie the game as Junod stole the ball in the corner of the Hawkeyes’ end and gave a pass to freshman guard Lyndsey Medders with 18 seconds left in the first overtime.

Medders was 6-of-10 shooting and scored a team-high 21 points. She also had nine assists.

“I can’t believe she’s a freshman, she’s so mature,” Iowa head coach Lisa Bluder said. “She had nine assists and was strong. She’ll be a great player for them.”

Junod said the team fed off the fans’ energy.

“We came back, kept going with what we had,” Junod said.

“[The fans] get us going. We get them going. The fans’ excitement helped us to a win.”

Juniors Mary Fox and Brittany Wilkins each scored 14 points, while Lisa Kriener chipped in with 12. Fox had a game-high 11 rebounds, and the Cyclones outrebounded the Hawkeyes 46-40.

Iowa State jumped to a 12-2 lead with 14:56 remaining in the first half after Fox hit her first two shots of the game, both 3-pointers. Faulkner hit a jump shot to cut the lead to 33-30, but Medders hit a 3-point shot and redshirt junior Anne O’Neil made two free throws to give the Cyclones an 8-point halftime edge.

In the first half, Medders had 12 points on 4-of-7 shooting and Fox and Wilkins each had six points. Junod’s first 3-point shot of the game fell for her only points of the first half.

Iowa’s Lindsay Richards led the Hawkeyes with eight points in the first half and Jamie Cavey added seven. Faulkner scored 22 points for Iowa.

With 11:47 remaining in the second half, Iowa (3-2) used a 7-0 run to pull within 48-45. Cavey’s bucket tied the game at 70 with 2:01 left.

Jennie Lillis, who scored 24 points in Iowa’s 64-39 win last season, put the Hawkeyes up for the first time of the game with 1:21 left. Lillis’ half-court shot at the buzzer fell short. She scored 14 points on only 5-for-14 shooting.

“I know how good she is,” Fennelly said. “[I saw] what she did to us last year.”

With 1:41 left in the first overtime, Cavey fouled out with Iowa leading 85-81. Cavey had a game-high 23 points on 11-of-16 shooting.

“It was 40 minutes of very good basketball,” Bluder said. “We built a big hole that was tough to get out of. We had all the momentum in the first overtime and none in the second.”

Iowa State ended the game on a 22-9 run.

Freshman Megan Ronhovde came off the bench to score nine points and grab five rebounds.

“[The rivalry game] was unbelievable,” Ronhovde said.

“It’s everything Junod and Coach Fennelly talked about, it was great.”