The Iowa State Cyclones women's basketball team suffered yet another setback, falling 75-67 to the Utah Utes at Hilton Coliseum on Sunday night, marking their third loss in four games. The defeat snapped Iowa State's impressive 12-game home winning streak and left them with a record of 10-6 overall and 1-2 within the Big 12 Conference.
Utah showcased their shooting prowess, hitting 13 three-pointers throughout the matchup. Maye Toure led the Utes with 24 points and connected on four shots from beyond the arc, which helped her team gain control late in the game. This was Utah's fifth game this season with at least 13 three-pointers made, bringing their record to 12-2 and maintaining their undefeated streak within the Big 12 at 3-0.
Despite the loss, Cyclone's standout performance came from Audi Crooks, who scored 29 points and grabbed eight rebounds. Crooks not only led all scorers but also reached the milestone of 1,000 career points, doing so faster than any player in Iowa State's women's basketball history at 49 games. Emily Ryan contributed significantly as well, scoring 18 points and dishing out six assists, maintaining her trending performance from previous games.
Coach Bill Fennelly expressed disappointment with his team's inability to make shots, saying, "I thought our kids competed but at the end of the day, sometimes basketball's really simple and it's a make-shot, miss-shot game and [Utah] made some tough ones; we couldn't make anything." Fennelly's analysis reflected the challenges Iowa State faced throughout the match, primarily stemming from Utah's effective scoring, especially beyond the three-point line.
The Cyclones initially struggled, finding themselves trailing as Utah opened the game by connecting on their first seven field goals and establishing early dominance with an 11-point lead. Despite the adverse start, Iowa State fought back, with Crooks leading the charge as they managed to close the gap and even tie the game at various points. At one stage, the Cyclones took the lead, thanks to contributions from Addy Brown and the continued scoring by Crooks.
The intensely competitive game featured four ties and nine lead changes; the Cyclones were able to battle back from early deficits but could not maintain momentum against Utah's late-game scoring spurt. After tying the game up at 58-58 with free throws from Brown, Utah pulled away with key three-pointers, including consecutive shots from Kennady McQueen.
Defensively, Iowa State struggled, allowing Utah to capitalize on their shooting chances. The Utes finished the game with a shooting percentage of 47%, primarily fueled by their long-range success; they drained five threes during the last five minutes, which proved pivotal.
Fennelly pointed out the necessity for his squad to find consistent contributors, stating, "We can't expect to win like [this], not in this league when there are other teams who have five people contributing night-in and night-out." That comment underscored the need for full-team involvement if the Cyclones hope to bounce back from this lengthy streak of underperformance.
Despite the loss, there are positives to take away, primarily Crooks’ remarkable milestone and Ryan’s continued development as a pivotal player for Iowa State. The Cyclones' next opportunity to get back on track will be on the road, facing Arizona State on Wednesday evening at 7:30 p.m. (CT), followed by another contest against Arizona on Saturday.
These upcoming matches present Iowa State with the chance to regain momentum and rectify their recent deficiencies. Only time will tell if this team, once hailed as a favorite for success, can turn things around.
Reflecting on their all-time record, Iowa State now holds a mark of 877-672 (.566), with head coach Bill Fennelly's career record now at 787-372 (.679). The Cyclones are set to keep the tradition of innovation alive as they have now made at least one three-point field goal for 943 consecutive games, extending their NCAA women’s record with this stat. Sydney Harris was the one who connected on the first three-pointer against Utah to keep the streak intact.
While moral victories can be challenging to appreciate, upward trajectories often begin with reflection. The Cyclones must analyze this defeat, rework their strategies, and focus on improvement as they continue to progress through the demanding Big 12 season.