The Cyclones started slowly Wednesday night in Des Moines and finished the same way in a tough 90-86 loss to the Drake Bulldogs, their second loss to an unranked opponent so far this season.

The Bulldogs put together an inspired team effort, which saw four starters score in double-digits.

“Drake played a great game,” Cyclone head coach Bill Fennelly said. “I think they deserved to win. They played very hard, and they played with a lot of enthusiasm.”

Drake jumped out to an early six-point lead and shot .500 in the first half, but 12 Bulldog turnovers, two Erica Haugen steals on the final two Drake possessions and five clutch Stacy Frese three-pointers gave Iowa State a 39-35 halftime lead.

When the Cyclones returned to the court in the second half, it looked like business as usual in the early going, as Drake cooled down and Frese continued her effective shooting from beyond the stripe.

“We were up,” Angie Welle said. “We had them where we wanted them. We traded baskets, and then we just couldn’t score.”

The Bulldogs refused to roll over, though, keeping the score close and playing with high intensity. Scrappy play and key Cyclone turnovers led to a one-point game with just over 10 minutes left to play.

Led by the physical inside play of senior Tammi Blackstone and freshman Carla Bennett, Drake then reeled off five straight points to take a 71-63 lead with eight minutes to play.

“In a game like this, the best players kind of wash out, and there’s somebody that comes out of nowhere,” Fennelly said. “Carla Bennett was the one tonight that really impacted the game as much as anyone.”

The lead would remain in the five-point vicinity until near the end of the game.

Despite an inspired final two minutes, ISU just couldn’t snatch the lead from the Bulldogs, who didn’t miss a clutch shot or rebound all night.

Drake actually improved upon its amazing first-half shooting, knocking down over 61 percent of its shots in the final frame.

Megan Taylor’s streak of cold shooting continued, as she finished the game just 3-of-11 from the field, having missed all four of her three-point attempts and her only free throw attempt.

“Megan’s a scorer, and tonight wasn’t her night to get it in the basket,” Fennelly said. “If the question is, ‘Are you going to let her shoot it?’ Absolutely. All year. All next year. Every damn time. She’s won us a lot of games, and she’ll win us a lot more.”

The talented junior did pull down eight rebounds, which tied her for the team lead with Desiree Francis.

Stacy Frese led all players with 34 points, including a school-record 10 three-pointers on 18 attempts. At times, it seemed to everyone, her coach included, that she was the only Cyclone on the court.

“I think what you saw tonight was that a team beat one player out there,” Fennelly said.

Despite leading Drake on the boards, no one could seem to stop Bennett and forward Haley Sames, who combined for 39 points and 21 rebounds in the Bulldog post. The duo knocked down 17 of 24 shots.

“Haley Sames was incredible,” Fennelly said. “I’m so glad she’s graduating.”

“They had good position,” Welle said. “They backed us in there. You had to respect Haley wherever she went.”

Cyclone twin towers Welle and Gintare Cipinyte didn’t manage 10 rebounds in tandem.

“We don’t have much time to worry about it,” Welle said. “We have a big game with Iowa on Saturday.”

ISU will enjoy just two days off before its much-anticipated home contest against Iowa.