Harmon and No. 14 Texas women beat No. 6 Iowa State 73-48

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Rori Harmon scored 20 points and No. 14 Texas used a smothering defensive effort to beat No. 6 Iowa State 73-48 Wednesday night, snapping the Big 12 leading Cyclones’ five-game win streak.

Audrey Warren added 16 points and four steals as she locked down Iowa State standout forward Ashley Joens over the first three quarters as Texas pulled away.

Joens scored 18 to become Iowa State’s career scoring leader, but struggled most of the game to find her shot and committed six turnovers. She now has 2,156, passing Angie Welle, who scored 2,149 from 1999-2002,

Texas has rebounded from a three-game losing streak with three consecutive wins. Texas swept the regular season matchup with the Cyclones, holding Iowa State under 50 points both times.

Texas led 31-26 at halftime and blew the game open with a dominant third quarter, holding the Cyclones without a basket for more than five minutes in one stretch.

Texas built a 10-point lead when four Longhorns scored on consecutive possessions and Joanne Allen-Taylor swished a 3-pointer from the left corner.

After an Iowa State timeout and turnover, Harmon swished another 3-pointer. Warren’s two free after Iowa State coach Bill Fennelly was called for a technical foul made it 49-30 late in the third quarter.

BIG PICTURE

Iowa State: The Cyclones came into the game with their best ranking in 20 years and a one-game lead over No. 15 Oklahoma and No. 7 Baylor heading into the home stretch of the season. Iowa State hosts the Sooners and Saturday and play the Bears, the 11-time defending champions, at home on Feb. 28. The Cyclones haven’t won the Big 12 since 2000.

Texas: The Longhorns honored Retha Swindell, the first Black woman to play a varsity sport at Texas, and former coach Rodney Page, who was the school’s first Black head coach in any sport when lead women’s program launched in 1974. A 6-foot-2 forward, Swindell is still the program’s career rebounds leader with 1,759 from 1975-1979.

UP NEXT

Iowa State host No. 15 Oklahoma on Saturday.

Texas plays at West Virginia on Sunday.