LEXINGTON, Ky. - The University of Dayton women's basketball team eliminated Iowa State, 78-66, in its NCAA Tournament First Round game Friday afternoon at Kentucky's Memorial Coliseum. UD advances to Second Round action on Sunday and will play the winner of #2 Kentucky and #15 Tennessee State. The Flyers were led by senior Ally Malott with 18 points, a game-high 12 rebounds and three blocks for her seventh double-double this season.

Also for the Flyers, senior Andrea Hoover recorded a game-high 20 points and junior Saicha Grant-Allen chipped in 13 points. Junior Kelley Austria was the fourth Flyer in double-figures scoring at 11 points.

Dayton narrowly won the battle of the boards, corralling 36 boards to Iowa State's 35. The Flyers shot 48.3 percent from the field for the game while the Cyclones were firing at 38.3 percent.

An 8-0 run for the Flyers six minutes into the second half pushed UD's lead to 16, 57-41. The Cyclones battled back, holding the Flyers scoreless for three-and-a-half minutes as ISU's Seanna Johnson scored 10 points by herself. Iowa State cut the advantage to 10, 60-50, but Malott ended the drought with a jumper with 8:21 remaining. ISU was able to pull within seven, 70-63, but would get no closer as UD ended up with the 12-point win.

Dayton opened the game with a 6-0 run and three-consecutive three-point baskets gave the Flyers a 26-22 advantage with just over nine minutes to go in the first half. Iowa State was only able to muster one point over the final three minutes of the frame and Dayton went into intermission leading, 42-34.

The Cyclones were led by Nikki Moody with 17 points and five assists while Fallon Ellis grabbed eight rebounds for the Cyclones.