KANSAS CITY, Mo. — How’s this for an encore?

Following the best regular season in school history, the Iowa State women’s basketball team outdid itself by winning the Big 12 tournament in Kansas City on March 11.

Iowa State beat Texas 75-65 Saturday night at Municipal Auditorium for the first conference tournament title in school history.

“Obviously we’re ecstatic about winning another championship. It makes it even more special knowing that we beat one of the top programs and one of the greatest coaches in NCAA history,” ISU coach Bill Fennelly said.

The Cyclones were led by Desir‚e Francis, who scored 19 points on 8-13 shooting from the floor. The senior forward connected on three of four shots from three-point range.

All of this was accomplished with an upset stomach.

Right before the second half was to begin, Francis vomited in the free throw lane. There was a delay for about 15 minutes while the damage was cleared.

“I guess my food didn’t settle from lunch. But after I threw up I felt a lot better, and it was all good,” Francis said.

The Cyclones got off to a characteristically fast start to the game, jumping out to a 19-9 lead halfway through the first half. The rest of the initial stanza was played to a standstill, and the Cyclones held a 10-point lead at the break, 31-21.

After the Francis incident, the second half began much the same way the first one concluded, with both teams trading baskets.

But the Cyclones pulled away with jumpers from Megan Taylor and Tracy Gahan, a bucket in the post from Angie Welle and another basket and foul shot from Gahan.

When Taylor knocked down another jumper, it was a 50-31 game with 11:46 to play, and the only thing in doubt was the final margin.

The Cyclone defense on Texas All-American Edwina Brown was often suffocating. The senior forward finished with 23 points, but she was limited to only 9 of 25 shooting from the floor. Brown made six of her last seven shots well after the game had been decided.

Three Cyclones — point guard Stacy Frese, Welle and Francis — were named to the all-tournament team along with Brown and Nebraska’s Nicole Kubik.

The attendance of 9,130, most of whom sported cardinal and gold, set a Big 12 Tournament record.

“It was like a home game out there, it really was. We have the best fans in America, and I think that tonight proved it,” Fennelly said.

“Hilton South, that’s what everybody was calling it,” Frese said. “They were incredible tonight, and they’ve been incredible all year.”