Ames, Iowa ? Defense did it for Drake.

Drake held off Iowa State with three defensive stands in the final minute and handed the 20th-ranked Cyclones a rare loss at home, 63-61 Wednesday night.

“It basically boiled down to defense,” Drake coach Lisa Stone said. “Had we rebounded a little bit better and lessened those second-chance opportunities, it might have put us in a little bit better situation.

“But we hung on with great defensive effort.”

Carla Bennett led Drake (2-0) with 15 points and sank one of two of free throws with 1:04 left to put the Bulldogs ahead to stay.

Iowa State (1-1), which had defeated Drake by 30 points each of the last two years, then failed on three chances to tie or take the lead. It was the Cyclones’ first loss in a non-conference regular-season game at home since Drake won at Hilton Coliseum on Dec. 7, 1994.

“We had a lot of wide open shots that we missed,” said Iowa State coach Bill Fennelly, who had been 39-0 against non-conference foes in the regular season. “With a team like we have, we have to execute to win and we didn’t do that.”

Iowa State’s Erica Junod was short on an open 3-pointer from the left side with 45 seconds to go and Lindsey Wilson’s 15-footer bounced off the rim with 5 seconds to play.

Iowa State's Erica Junod, left, drives to the basket past Drake's Carla Bennett during the first half in Ames, Iowa. Drake surprised the Cyclones 63-61 on Wednesday.

Drake’s Maureen Head hit one of two free throws with 3.9 seconds left to make it 63-61 and Iowa State had one last chance, calling time in the frontcourt with 2.6 seconds showing. But Wilson, watching the clock all the way, shot after the buzzer sounded.

No. 12 Texas Tech 81, Valparaiso 46

Lubbock, Texas ” Jia Perkins scored 18 points, including 10 in the second half, to lead Texas Tech past Valparaiso.

Tech (2-1) seized control early, scoring 15 of the game’s first 18 points. Natalie Ritchie ignited the early scoring flurry by connecting on two 3-point baskets. Perkins capped the spree with a 12-foot jump shot, giving the Lady Raiders a 15-3 lead.

Valparaiso (1-2) got no closer than 10 points the rest of the game.