KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Ashley Joens scored 22 points, Lexi Donarski added 20 and Iowa State defeated No. 14 Oklahoma 82-72 on Saturday to advance to the championship game of the Big 12 Tournament.
Nyamer Diew came off the bench for 19 points for the third-seeded Cyclones (21-9), who will face No. 15 Texas in Sunday’s championship game.
Madi Williams led the second-seeded Sooners (25-6) with 19 points, Nevaeh Todd added 14 and Skylar Vann 13.
Iowa State was up 70-53 a minute into the fourth quarter when Oklahoma went on a nine-point run to cut the deficit to six with 4:24. Back-to-back baskets from Madi Williams made it 70-64.
Then the Cyclones, who had missed nine-straight shots, got a basket from Joens on an inbounds play and the next time down the floor Diew hit her career-high fourth 3-pointer.
Tot answered with a 3 and then came the back-breaker. Denae Fritz missed a 3-pointer but ISU got the rebound, only to have Taylor Robertson block Donarski. Fritz grabbed the ball and got it to Emily Ryan well beyond the top of the key. Ryan, who entered the game with 1,000 career point, let the ball fly and it dropped through the basket as the shot clock ran out and Iowa State led 78-67 with 2:28 to play.
Iowa State finished with 11 3s and shot 45%. Joens surpased 3,000 career points with her first basket of the second half and her 3,009 points moved her into 13th on the NCAA list, nine behind USC legend Cheryl Miller. Joens broke the Big 12 career record for games played in the quarterfinals and is now at 155.
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