The Cyclones’ leading scorer was 6-foot-1 guard Kelsey Bolte, who averaged 16.9 points per game and shot over 42 percent from three-point range. Five Cyclones averaged over eight points per game, and Iowa State shot 37 percent as a team from beyond the arc. The Cyclones’ starting lineup against Marist stood 5-7, 5-11, 6-1, 6-2, and 6-7. Although Marist entered the contest with a 26-game winning streak, the Red Foxes had not been at their best in in the MAAC Championship two weekends prior. In his pregame interview with Geoff Brault for the Red Fox Network, head coach Brian Giorgis cited a few key factors for success against Iowa State: • Getting off to a fast start. “If we can stay with them from the beginning, I think we have a good shot,” Giorgis said. • Getting balanced scoring in support of Erica Allenspach. • Contending with the size of Iowa State’s front line. To say Giorgis nailed the essentials of this game would be an understatement. Erica Allenspach & Elise Caron - women’s basketball An early 8-0 run staked the Red Foxes to a six-point lead less than two minutes in. Iowa State did re-claim a one-point lead with eight minutes left in the first half, until Marist countered with threes by Elise Caron and Corielle Yarde on its next two possessions. The Red Foxes’ lead ballooned to 20 in the first half, was 15 at halftime, and never was less than six in the second half. The balance in Marist’s scoring was equally impressive. For the first time in two seasons, five Red Foxes – the entire starting lineup – scored in double figures. Kate Oliver led the way with 16. Brandy Gang, who hit two three-pointers in the first two minutes of the game, had 13. Yarde and Caron both had 12, and Caron added eight assists against just two turnovers. As for Allenspach, it speaks to her greatness that on a day when she shot 2-for-8 from the field, her impact on the game was immense. She finished with 11 points, six rebounds, five assists (with zero turnovers), a blocked shot, and a steal in 37 minutes. She turned in a stellar defensive performance on Bolte, who scored 18 points but shot 6-for-20 in the process. Although Marist was outrebounded 48-29, the Red Foxes were truly the best version of themselves. They had 21 assists on their 24 field goals while committing just seven turnovers. Marist held a 26-4 advantage in points off turnovers, as they forced 17 from the Cyclones. The Red Foxes’ 74-64 victory was their fourth in NCAA Tournament play in program history.
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MARIST ATHLETICS
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