Ames, Iowa - True freshman Danielle Page scored a career-high 10 points off the bench, but No. 19 Iowa State used a 15-2 run midway through the second half to run to a 74-54 win over the Nebraska women's basketball team at Hilton Coliseum on Saturday afternoon.
With the loss, Nebraska slipped to 11-7 overall and 3-3 in the Big 12, while Iowa State matched its best start in school history to improve to 15-1 overall, while improving to 5-0 in the league.
Kiera Hardy led the Huskers with 17 points, but the sophomore from Kansas City, Mo., spent much of the first half on the bench in foul trouble, as did NU's second-leading scorer Jessica Gerhart, along with starting forward Elena Diaz.
Despite the early foul trouble for the Huskers, Page scored eight points in the final 10 minutes of the first half to keep the Huskers within striking distance at 32-28, as the two teams went to the locker room at halftime.
Page, a true freshman from Monument, Colo., who scored her previous career high of nine points against No. 10 Texas Tech on Wednesday night, scored eight points in the final 10 minutes of the first half to power the Huskers back from a 22-13 deficit with 10 minutes to play in the half.
Hardy scored eight of NU's first 13 points in the opening 10 minutes of the game, but the Big 12's leading scorer in conference play picked up her second foul midway through the first half and did not return until feeding Page on the Huskers' final possession of the first half.
Jina Johansen added a pair of first-half three-pointers to help the Huskers, while Chelsea Aubry, Gerhart and Diaz each added two points.
Nebraska matched the Big 12's best rebounding team on the glass in the first half, as each team pulled down 21 rebounds. The Huskers forced 10 ISU turnovers in the first half, while committing just six turnovers of their own in the opening period.
The Huskers' rebounding and defense helped them overcome 34.3 percent shooting in the first half, including just 2-of-12 shooting from three-point range. Iowa State managed to keep the lead despite shooting just 41.7 percent from the field by hitting 5-of-8 three-pointers in the first half.
In the second half, Nebraska stayed within striking distance after a Hardy jumper cut the lead to 43-39 with 14:25 left in the game, before the Cyclones erupted on a 15-2 run to build a 58-41 with 8:28 to play.
The Huskers continued to battle and trimmed the lead to 12 points at 59-47 with 4:32 to play but could get no closer.
Nebraska Coach Connie Yori was unable to stay around for the final score, after she was whistled for a pair of technical fouls with under four minutes to play.
Four Cyclones finished the game in double figures led by Anne O'Neil's 15 points, while Mary Fox, Lyndsey Medders and Katie Robinette each contributed 14 points.
Iowa State finished the game hitting 45.3 percent from the field, including 47.6 percent (10-21) three-pointers. The Cyclones also hit 16-of-23 free throws, while outrebounding the Huskers 42-35. Iowa State committed 17 turnovers, while forcing 15 miscues by the Huskers.
Nebraska shot just 36.4 percent from the field and hit just 4-of-22 three-pointers. The Huskers also hit just 2-of-5 free throws on the afternoon.
Nebraska will enjoy the midweek off from competition before returning to home action at the Bob Devaney Sports Center on Saturday, Jan. 29, at 7:05 p.m., when the Huskers take on Kansas.