Lincoln -Brooke Schwartz scored 13 of her game-high 20 points in the second half as Nebraska defeated No. 15 Iowa State, 68-67, in front of a Big 12 record crowd of 13,135 and a national television audience Sunday afternoon at the Bob Devaney Sports Center.
With the win, Nebraska, which has now won 27 straight games at the Devaney Center, improves to 16-7 overall and 5-5 in the Big 12. The home winning streak is the third-longest in the nation and the second-longest in school history. The Huskers' win was their fifth at home over a ranked team in the streak, which dates back to the 1996-97 season.
The Cyclones (16-4 overall, 8-2 in the Big 12) had an opportunity to end the Huskers' winning streak, but Stacy Frese's last second shot bounced off the rim and Schwartz snared it and cleared it for the Huskers as time expired.
Frese finished the game with 16 points and two assists, while freshman center Angie Welle added 16 points and a game-high eight rebounds for ISU, which dropped into a first-place tie with Texas Tech at 8-2 in league play.
Despite Welle's eight boards, the Huskers outrebounded the Cyclones 35-31. Iowa State entered the game leading the Big 12 and ranking ninth nationally with a +8.8 rebounding margin.
Along with Schwartz's five rebounds, junior forward Monique Whitfield sparked the Huskers off the bench with five rebounds of her own to go along with 16 points. Cori McDill added 10 points and five boards. Charlie Rogers and Monet Williams each scored seven points and grabbed five rebounds in the win, Nebraska's third over a top 25 team this season.
Trailing 67-64, McDill's jumper cut the ISU lead to 67-66 with 1:29 remaining. On Nebraska's next possession, NU guard Nicole Kubik found a wide-open Williams for the winning basket with 1:01 remaining.
The Huskers prevailed despite an off shooting performance from Kubik, who was just 3-of-12 shooting from the floor and finished with season-low six points, a game-high nine assists and just one turnover in 39 minutes.
The Huskers return to action this Wednesday, Feb. 10, to face Baylor, beginning at 7:05 p.m. The game will be broadcast by NETV.