Bowling Green, KY (My Sportsbook) - Nicky Wieben tallied 18 points and pulled down eight rebounds to help lead the Iowa State Cyclones to a 71-57 win over the Ball State Cardinals in the second round of the NCAA Tournament at E.A. Diddle Arena. Fourth-seeded Iowa State (26-8) also got 16 points from Kelsey Bolte as they advanced to the Sweet 16 out of the Berkeley Region and will now face off against Michigan State this weekend following that team's upset win over top- seeded Duke earlier in the evening. Amanda Nisleit added 14 points and a game- high 10 rebounds, followed by Alison Lacey with 13 points and four assists. The 12th-seeded Cardinals (26-9), who stunned perennial favorite Tennessee in the first round of the event, were paced by Porchia Green with 18 points, followed by Jade Barber and Emily Maggert with 13 and 12 points, respectively. Despite shooting only 39.3 percent from the field in the first half, including 1-of-6 behind the three-point line, Ball State trailed by just three points at the break, 28-25. In the second half BSU again suffered beyond the arc, converting only 1-of-5 attempts, leaving the Cardinals with the 14-point setback. The Cardinals shot 39.0 percent from the floor on the night and a meager 2- of-11 out on the perimeter.
|