The ISU women’s basketball team ended its final exhibition game Sunday with a 75-56 win over South Dakota. An excited Cyclone team caught fire early in the first half and never looked back.

“Everyone fed off the energy,” junior Mary Fox said. “We were getting fastbreak lay-ups and easy buckets.”

Within the first three minutes, Fox buried two three-pointers on consecutive drives that jump-started the offense. Fox ended with 10 points, on 4-of-5 shooting.

“Everybody’s unselfish and everyone wants to make each other score,” said freshman Lyndsey Medders, who got her first start. She had four assists and five points.

The Cyclones led 31-6 midway through the first half.

“The first five minutes we played the way we want to play,” head coach Bill Fennelly said. “We made shots early and added energy. Any time you do that at home, our fans really get into the game.”

Junior Lisa Kriener, who had 18 points on 8-of-13 shooting, said the team stuck together and had fun playing the game.

“We showed how we stick together today and if one person made a three-pointer, we’d run down pumping fists to the other end,” Kriener said.

Kriener made shots by posting up, faking the shot and banking the ball in.

“The guards did a great job of getting the ball in the post,” Kriener said. “I was left one-on-one in the post a lot and it is all about going up strong and finishing the shot.”

Later in the first half, the Coyotes went on a 13-0 run, bringing the score to 31-19. But it was the closest margin the team would get to the Cyclones.

“There were some spurts when we were dead and they hit some shots,” junior Anne O’Neil said. “But we were able to come out of it with some three-pointers.” O’Neil had 9 points and 6 assists.

Senior Erica Junod scored 16 points and had seven assists. She made 3-of-5 three pointers.

“We’ve improved since last week and it showed offensively and defensively today,” Junod said.

Next weekend, the Cyclones will open the regular-season schedule and travel to Cleveland, Ohio, to face the Cleveland State Vikings.