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<title>PHOTOS: Cyclones fall to Utes 75-67</title>
<link>https://iowastatedaily.com/307586/sports/photos-cyclones-fall-to-utes-75-67/</link>
<comments>https://iowastatedaily.com/307586/sports/photos-cyclones-fall-to-utes-75-67/#respond</comments>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[ Josue Aleman, Photojournalist]]></dc:creator>
<pubDate>Mon, 06 Jan 2025 06:29:06 +0000</pubDate>
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<category><![CDATA[Addy Brown]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[alisa williams]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[arianna jackson]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[emily ryan]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[hilton coliseum]]></category>
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<title>Takeaways: Crooks hits milestone, but not enough as Cyclones fall to Utes</title>
<link>https://iowastatedaily.com/307565/sports/takeaways-crooks-hits-milestone-but-not-enough-as-cyclones-fall-to-utes/</link>
<comments>https://iowastatedaily.com/307565/sports/takeaways-crooks-hits-milestone-but-not-enough-as-cyclones-fall-to-utes/#respond</comments>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[ Kayde Sheaffer, Sports Reporter]]></dc:creator>
<pubDate>Mon, 06 Jan 2025 04:35:34 +0000</pubDate>
<category><![CDATA[Sports]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Sports / Womens Basketball]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Addy Brown]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[audi crooks]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[basketball]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[big 12]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[bill fennelly]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[cyclones]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[iowa state]]></category>
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<category><![CDATA[utah]]></category>
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<description><![CDATA[AMES — Iowa State suffered its first loss on home court, falling 75-67 against Utah Sunday, marking its second loss in the Big 12 Conference. The Cyclones’ inability to defend against Utah’s top performers determined the loss, as the Utes had multiple shooting success points from around the court. Iowa State’s early struggle Quickly presented...]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[AMES — Iowa State suffered its first loss on home court, falling 75-67 against Utah Sunday, marking its second loss in the Big 12 Conference. 
The Cyclones’ inability to defend against Utah’s top performers determined the loss, as the Utes had multiple shooting success points from around the court.
Iowa State’s early struggle
Quickly presented with Utah’s shooting strength, the Cyclones struggled to find a rhythm in the first quarter, which led to them trailing the Utes for most of the game.
With Utah’s quick ability to take control of the game and maintain a strong pace, the Utes were able to make continuous back-to-back shots from around the court as Iowa State was unable to keep up.
“Half of them were my fault because we weren’t really guarding their post players out there and probably half of them were mistakes either offensively or defensively that led to open looks,” Iowa State head coach Bill Fennelly said.
Despite maintaining a defensive front, the Cyclones were sloppy with their ball handling as they overthrew their passes and gave in to Utah’s strength of scoring during the transition phase. The Utes made 16 points off turnovers and had seven fast break points. 
“A lot of the time they caught us slacking and we were not ready for that,” sophomore forward Addy Brown said.
With an offensive head start, Utah outshot Iowa State 23-17 in the first quarter, finding success from 3-pointers as the Utes shot 55.6% from behind the arc.
“They ran their stuff well and to their credit, we were slacking,” sophomore center Audi Crooks said. “On the switches and ball release, some of the help was late, we were not there where we should have been and that’s their offense.”
Having strength around the court, Utah also found success in the paint as forward Mayè Tourè led the team with 10 points, making four of her five attempted field goal shots.
“Start of the game, we were not guarding 21 [Tourè] on the 3-point line. Kid has made eight all year, made 20 in her life so we were not going out there we needed some help,” Fennelly said. 
Crooks’ milestone and battle inside
With both teams facing challenges, its top players were able to execute a successful game as Tourè and Crooks scored in the double-digit range.
Crooks played her 49th career game and made history by scoring her 1,000th career point, which makes her the fastest player in Iowa State women’s basketball history to reach this milestone.
Crooks found success in the paint as usual, walking away with a team-high of 29 points and eight rebounds, but committed five turnovers.
Along with finding success in the paint, Tourè was a strong asset around the perimeter as she made four of her six 3-point shots, walking away with a team-high of 24 points and nine rebounds while committing four turnovers.
“I of course did not expect her to hit those 3’s and get hot,” Crooks said. “Especially in those times when we are trying to help each other out with switches and help defense in those things, we just didn’t expect and anticipate that and I think that ended up hurting us, but that’s her credit. She’s a top player and a great basketball player.”
Lack of perimeter defense leads to Utah’s win
Despite coming back from their lack of defensive skill in the first quarter, the last-minute pressure got to the Cyclones as their inability to defend around the perimeter led to their second conference loss. 
By strengthening their defense around the low post, the Cyclones missed defensive opportunities at pivotal moments in the last minutes of play, which gave the Utes the ability to seal the game from behind the arc. 
With back-to-back 3-pointers made by senior guard Kennady McQueen and Tourè in the fourth quarter, the Utes were able to strengthen their lead. 
“The one they made in the fourth quarter, they just ran a simple ball screen and we have been switching it all day and we didn’t,” Fennelly said. “Again, they kick and great players make that shot and that’s what they did.”
Along with Iowa State’s heightened aggression on the defensive side, its personal fouls took a toll, as the Utes sealed the game with their additional success from the charity stripe on top of their 50% success rate from behind the arc.
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<title>Cyclones still searching for fourth scorer after 75-67 loss to Utah</title>
<link>https://iowastatedaily.com/307582/sports/cyclones-still-searching-for-fourth-scorer-after-75-67-loss-to-utah/</link>
<comments>https://iowastatedaily.com/307582/sports/cyclones-still-searching-for-fourth-scorer-after-75-67-loss-to-utah/#respond</comments>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[ Ford Griffith, Sports Reporter]]></dc:creator>
<pubDate>Mon, 06 Jan 2025 04:33:32 +0000</pubDate>
<category><![CDATA[Sports]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Sports / Womens Basketball]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Addy Brown]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[ashley joens]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[audi crooks]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[basketball]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[big 12]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[bill fennelly]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[cyclones]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[emily ryan]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[iowa state]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[sports]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[sydney harris]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[utah]]></category>
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<description><![CDATA[AMES – Iowa State battled back and forth against the Utes in Ames, but Utah pulled away and took down the Cyclones 75-67 Sunday night. The loss brings Iowa State down to 10-6 overall and 1-2 in Big 12 play. It also gives the Cyclones their first home loss of the season after winning the...]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[AMES – Iowa State battled back and forth against the Utes in Ames, but Utah pulled away and took down the Cyclones 75-67 Sunday night.
The loss brings Iowa State down to 10-6 overall and 1-2 in Big 12 play. It also gives the Cyclones their first home loss of the season after winning the first 10 games in Hilton Coliseum.
Sophomore center Audi Crooks led the way with 29 points and eight rebounds, and fifth-year senior guard Emily Ryan contributed 18 points, six assists and five rebounds. Sophomore forward Addy Brown filled the stat sheet with 10 points, eight assists and six rebounds as well.
Unfortunately for Iowa State, Utes forward Mayè Tourè had 24 points and nine rebounds of her own, including four 3’s, fueling the strong Utah offense and helping them outscore the Cyclones 23-18 in the fourth quarter.
“Start of the game, we were not guarding 21 [Tourè] on the 3-point line,” Iowa State head coach Bill Fennelly said. “Kid’s made eight all year made 20 in her life, so we weren’t going to go out there. That’s not what Audi [Crooks] can do anyway, she doesn’t really guard space.”
With Crooks, Ryan and Brown accounting for 57 of the team’s 67 points, it is hard to win games when opponents can key in on one or two players on the floor at a time.
“We sort of got 10 points out of the rest of the team, and with Emily Ryan only getting to play so many minutes, you’re really hurt, and Addy [Brown] didn’t have a great night offensively,” Fennelly said. “There’s a lot of things that we have to figure out or get better, but you can’t play in this league, or any league, probably, and have 10 points from the rest of your team.”
With the Cyclones’ fourth-highest scorer, junior guard Kenzie Hare, out for the year, it makes it hard for them to find any consistent scoring from role players. 
“There’s nothing, nothing we can do about it except work harder,” Fennelly said. “Work, coach better, figure out a new system or something because I don’t think it’s going to change a whole lot with how people guard and how they’re going to guard Audi [Crooks].”
Junior guard/forward Sydney Harris has had games of 17 and 13 points, but her field goal attempts and scoring have been quite volatile at times. Outside of Harris and the obvious big three, no Cyclone has been close to being consistent on the scoring end.
Averaging 30 points per game through three conference games, Crooks became the fastest Cyclone to reach 1,000 career points ever. She hit the mark in her 49th career game, passing Cyclone great Ashley Joens.
Crooks has been carrying a majority of the workload, but it has been even more evident in conference play as she has scored slightly above 40% of the team’s points in Big 12 play, compared to 30% overall.
“Coach Fennelly was big on production needed outside of just the starting five, or as far as like our bench production,” Crooks said. “It can’t just be one or two or three people to win like that.”
In correlation to the lack of scoring outside of the trio, Iowa State has struggled from beyond the arc, shooting just 25% against the Utes.
“It’s been a tough stretch for us as a team overall, just a lot of extra time outside of the gym,” Brown said. “We know it’s going to fall, just a matter of time. We just gotta stay confident.”
Iowa State’s next two games reside in the state of Arizona, as the first game is in Tempe when the Cyclones take on the Arizona State Sun Devils at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday. The game will be on ESPN+.
]]></content:encoded>
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<title>Cyclones eye statement win, face high-scoring Utes at home</title>
<link>https://iowastatedaily.com/307563/sports/cyclones-eye-statement-win-face-high-scoring-utes-at-home/</link>
<comments>https://iowastatedaily.com/307563/sports/cyclones-eye-statement-win-face-high-scoring-utes-at-home/#respond</comments>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[ Ford Griffith, Sports Reporter]]></dc:creator>
<pubDate>Sun, 05 Jan 2025 09:00:37 +0000</pubDate>
<category><![CDATA[Sports]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Sports / Womens Basketball]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[arianna jackson]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[big 12]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[big 12 basketball]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[bill fennelly]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[college basketball]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[cyclones]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[iowa state]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[reagan wilson]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[utah]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[utes]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[women's basketball]]></category>
<guid isPermaLink="false">https://iowastatedaily.com/?p=307563</guid>
<description><![CDATA[AMES – Iowa State takes on Utah in its third Big 12 matchup at 5:30 p.m. Sunday in Ames. The Utes have won both Big 12 games to start conference play and will be a tough matchup for the Cyclones. The Cyclones improved to 10-5 after a convincing win over Kansas, bringing them to 1-1...]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[AMES – Iowa State takes on Utah in its third Big 12 matchup at 5:30 p.m. Sunday in Ames. The Utes have won both Big 12 games to start conference play and will be a tough matchup for the Cyclones.
The Cyclones improved to 10-5 after a convincing win over Kansas, bringing them to 1-1 in Big 12 games. Sophomore center Audi Crooks scored 33 points on 13-for-18 shooting, while sophomore forward Addy Brown collected her fifth double-double of the season.
Utah has a high-powered offense that puts up the 22nd most points per game in the nation, while the Cyclone defense is right around the middle of the nation in points allowed per game. 
“Slowing down that offense, that’s going to be hard,” Iowa State head coach Bill Fennelly said. “I think the thing with them is they’re as analytically driven as any team we play. It’s threes and twos, they really believe in that system.”
Junior guard Gianna Kneepkens will be the main focus for the Cyclones to shut down. Kneepkens averages 18 points per game and shoots 44% from downtown. The Utes have plenty of scoring threats, however, as six players score nine or more points.
“Everyone needs to be ready to go. There are lots of movements,” sophomore guard Arianna Jackson said. “I think our coaches called it a little bit of Drake on steroids. So lots of movement, lots of transition, so just be ready to go.”
The Utes have an impressive resume with them sitting right outside the top 25, including a win over then-No. 3 Notre Dame. Kneepkens scored 16 in the game as they took down the Fighting Irish 78-67.
“They’ve already beaten Notre Dame and, you know, they’re off to a really good start in the league,” Fennelly said. “So tremendous challenge for our kids.”
Iowa State played what might have been its most complete game against the Jayhawks, with Crooks scoring 33, fifth-year senior guard Emily Ryan putting up 19 and Brown adding 10 points and 11 rebounds. 
“It’s hard to kind of bounce back from a loss, but I think we did that really well,” freshman guard Reagan Wilson said. “After this win, it will just keep us rolling the next game.”
A common theme with a lot of the Cyclones’ wins has been a big game from Crooks. Although finding offense outside of her is important, she is consistently a point of emphasis for the Cyclone offense and the opponent’s defense.
“It’s, you know, trying to figure out what they’re going to do,” Fennelly said. “I think the thing that we’ve really come to the conclusion on over time is you’re going to see a little bit of everything.”
Crooks has taken a lot of double teams this season, which opens it up for shooters on the perimeter or players cutting to the basket.
“It’s important for us to find a way to get her the ball, so just scouting, see how they play behind her, and then also how we can work off that,” Wilson said. “If they’re doubling the post, the shooters open, and if they’re not, you know, it’s her day to cook.”
Fennelly believes Utah may have the size to play Crooks one-on-one more often than most teams, utilizing Utes forward Mayè Tourè’s size and athleticism. Tourè stands at 6-feet 3-inches and averages a block per game.
“I think the two things that always will give [Crooks] trouble or any post-player trouble is great size. Obviously, that gives everyone trouble,” Fennelly said. “Someone that might have some athleticism and length. You know, we had trouble with that. Hannah Stuelke did a good job on her.”
Iowa State will look to continue getting Crooks good looks at the basket, but will continue to look for scoring elsewhere as it takes on Utah at home at 5:30 p.m. on Sunday. The game will be televised on ESPN 2.
]]></content:encoded>
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<item>
<title>PHOTOS: Iowa State Men’s Basketball beat the Baylor Bears 74-55</title>
<link>https://iowastatedaily.com/307558/sports/photos-iowa-state-mens-basketball-beat-the-baylor-bears-74-55/</link>
<comments>https://iowastatedaily.com/307558/sports/photos-iowa-state-mens-basketball-beat-the-baylor-bears-74-55/#respond</comments>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[ Josue Aleman, Photojournalist]]></dc:creator>
<pubDate>Sun, 05 Jan 2025 08:57:59 +0000</pubDate>
<category><![CDATA[Multimedia]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Multimedia / Photos]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Multimedia / Photos / Sports]]></category>
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<category><![CDATA[Sports / Mens Basketball]]></category>
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<category><![CDATA[baylor]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[bears]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[cyclones]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[iowa state cyclones]]></category>
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<category><![CDATA[milan momcilovic]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[nate Heise]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[tamin lipsey]]></category>
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<div class="photocredit"><a href="https://iowastatedaily.com/staff_name/josue-aleman/">Josue Aleman</a></div> <div class="photocaption">
Nate Heise (0) soars to dunk the ball during the Iowa State vs. Baylor University basketball game, Hilton Coliseum, Jan. 4, 2025. </div>
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<title>Defense rules the day, No. 3 Cyclones roll past No. 25 Baylor</title>
<link>https://iowastatedaily.com/307522/sports/defense-rules-the-day-no-3-cyclones-roll-past-baylor/</link>
<comments>https://iowastatedaily.com/307522/sports/defense-rules-the-day-no-3-cyclones-roll-past-baylor/#respond</comments>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[ Brett Twelmeyer, Sports Editor]]></dc:creator>
<pubDate>Sun, 05 Jan 2025 00:22:17 +0000</pubDate>
<category><![CDATA[Sports]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Sports / Mens Basketball]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[basketball]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[baylor]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[bears]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[big 12]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[brandton chatfield]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Curtis Jones]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[cyclones]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[dishon jackson]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[iowa state]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[joshua jefferson]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[keshon gilbert]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[mens basketball]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[milan momcilovic]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[sports]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[t.j. otzelberger]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[tamin lipsey]]></category>
<guid isPermaLink="false">https://iowastatedaily.com/?p=307522</guid>
<description><![CDATA[AMES – Defense was the name of the game in No. 3 Iowa State’s 74-55 win over No. 25 Baylor at Hilton Coliseum Saturday. Now two games into Big 12 play, the Cyclones sit 2-0 in the conference and 12-1 overall. It was a day of honoring and remembering the Big 12 Championship teams from...]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[AMES – Defense was the name of the game in No. 3 Iowa State’s 74-55 win over No. 25 Baylor at Hilton Coliseum Saturday. Now two games into Big 12 play, the Cyclones sit 2-0 in the conference and 12-1 overall.
It was a day of honoring and remembering the Big 12 Championship teams from 1999-00 and 2000-01. Head coach T.J. Otzelberger wanted to emulate their style of play with his current squad.
“In order for us to do the best job honoring those guys, we really wanted to be focused defensively,” Otzelberger said. “At many stretches of the game, we did that. There was a couple lapses, but [I] was proud of those guys for appropriately honoring those teams.”
Though Iowa State shot well from 3-point range at 48% (10-of-21), it wasn’t the main part of the win. The suffocating Cyclone defense allowed Baylor to shoot just 29.7% (19-for-64) from the field.
That percentage set a season-low for Baylor.
“We can win in so many different ways,” senior guard Keshon Gilbert said. “Our defense comes first, and that’s what happened [Saturday].”
From half to half, the Bears didn’t see any improvement. Baylor had more shots than the Cyclones thanks to its ability to grab offensive rebounds. The Bears had 13 boards on the offensive glass, which is something Iowa State doesn’t want to see.
“At the start, they were terrific,” Otzelberger said. “Finishing plays on the glass, that’s an area we continue to work on.”
Even with the extra scoring chances, Baylor still couldn’t get the ball in the hoop. The post defense of forwards Joshua Jefferson and Brandton Chatfield, combined with senior center Dishon Jackson was more than enough for the Cyclones to keep the Bears down.
The defensive glass was where they shined. 14 of Iowa State’s 34 total defensive rebounds came from the frontcourt trio.
Jackson led rebounding, along with Gilbert, with 10. Gilbert was also the leading scorer for the Cyclones with 16 on 5-of-10 shooting. This was Gilbert’s first double-double of the season.
Closely behind Gilbert in scoring was sophomore forward Milan Momcilovic, who was the hot hand from deep. All of his shots were from 3-point range, where he went 4-for-7 and finished with 15 points after he added on three free throws.
“We want [Momcilovic] to be so aggressive,” Otzelberger said. “Regardless of when it comes, we’ve got tremendous confidence in his ability to knock it down.”
Guards Curtis Jones and Tamin Lipsey knocked down two big 3’s of their own against Baylor, each at times that lifted Iowa State either into or through a little scoring run.
“[Jones] usually doesn’t have that same issue. He’s hunting, and we need him to keep hunting,” Otzelberger said. “It was great to see [Lipsey] knock a few down. I’m on him non-stop about ‘Get your feet set.’”
Like Momcilovic, Baylor’s Jeremy Roach also went 4-for-7 from 3-point range. Of the Bears’ offense, Roach was the one who sparked things and gave Iowa State fits. His 16 points led Baylor in scoring.
To beat a top-25 team at home is impressive. To do it the way Iowa State did against Baylor is even more so.
“We’ve got everything you need,” Momcilovic said. “We’re a really dangerous team.”
]]></content:encoded>
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<title>Takeaways: No. 3 Iowa State takes down No. 25 Baylor with ease</title>
<link>https://iowastatedaily.com/307524/sports/takeaways-no-3-iowa-state-takes-down-no-25-baylor-with-ease/</link>
<comments>https://iowastatedaily.com/307524/sports/takeaways-no-3-iowa-state-takes-down-no-25-baylor-with-ease/#respond</comments>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[ Cayden Storm, Sports Reporter]]></dc:creator>
<pubDate>Sun, 05 Jan 2025 00:22:12 +0000</pubDate>
<category><![CDATA[Sports]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Sports / Mens Basketball]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[basketball]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[baylor]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[bears]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[big 12]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Curtis Jones]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[cyclones]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[iowa state]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[keshon gilbert]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[mens basketball]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[milan momcilovic]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[sports]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[t.j. otzelberger]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[tamin lipsey]]></category>
<guid isPermaLink="false">https://iowastatedaily.com/?p=307524</guid>
<description><![CDATA[AMES — In what was expected to be a highly contested matchup of top 25 teams, it was anything but, as No. 3 Iowa State never trailed in its 74-55 victory over No. 25 Baylor Saturday. Iowa State shuts down Baylor offense Coming into the game, Baylor had the second-best scoring offense in the Big...]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[AMES — In what was expected to be a highly contested matchup of top 25 teams, it was anything but, as No. 3 Iowa State never trailed in its 74-55 victory over No. 25 Baylor Saturday.
Iowa State shuts down Baylor offense
Coming into the game, Baylor had the second-best scoring offense in the Big 12, averaging 86.4 points per game, trailing only Iowa State. 
It was a different story on Saturday. The Cyclones neutralized the Baylor offense, allowing the Bears to only score a season-low 55 points. 
Baylor shot a season-low 29.7% from the field, but did a good job limiting turnovers, committing just eight.
“It shows that we can win in so many different ways,” Iowa State senior guard Keshon Gilbert said. “Even if we don’t turn people over, our defense comes first.”
“Except for about three or four of those late possessions, I thought we did a great job in that department [contesting shots],” Iowa State head coach T.J. Otzelberger said. 
The Bears’ two leading scorers, Norchad Omier and Robert Wright, particularly struggled. 
Iowa State held Omier to just nine points after going 3-for-11 from the field and 1-for-7 from 3-point range. Nine points is now Omier’s second-lowest-scoring output of the season. 
Wright was held to 10 points, going 4-for-17 from the field and 1-for-6 from 3-point range. Wright’s 23.5% field goal percentage was his worst of the season.
Trio of Cyclones lead the way in scoring 
Iowa State may have been held to a season-low 74 points, but it still had some solid offensive contributions.
Three Cyclones scored in double-figures; Gilbert, sophomore forward Milan Momcilovic and senior guard Curtis Jones. 
“We got so many weapons, so many people that can score the ball and getting everybody touches makes everybody feel good,” Gilbert said. 
Gilbert led the way in scoring once again on Saturday. The senior guard scored 16 points, going 5-of-10 from the field and 2-of-3 from 3-point range. 
Gilbert also recorded a season-high 10 rebounds as well as five assists in Iowa State’s victory. 
Momcilovic wasn’t far behind, as he scored 15 points on Saturday afternoon. All of Momcilovic’s attempts were from 3-point range and he shot them well, going 4-for-7.
Momcilovic leads Iowa State in 3-point percentage this season, shooting 44.1% from behind the arc.
“We want Milan [Momcilovic] to be so aggressive,” Otzelberger said. “We want him always on the hunt because regardless of when it comes, we’ve got tremendous confidence in his ability to knock it down.”
“I think I shot the ball well today, just came out aggressive, hunting the ones that are open,” Momcilovic said. 
Jones, the Cyclones’ other leading scorer, scored 14 points in 28 minutes off the bench. Jones went 6-of-13 from the field and 2-of-5 from 3-point range. 
“We need [Jones] to keep hunting,” Otzelberger said. 
Cyclones shoot well from behind the arc
In Iowa State’s 79-69 victory over Colorado on Monday, it shot just 22% from 3-point range, which allowed the Buffaloes to hang around longer than they probably should have. 
That was not the case for the Cyclones on Saturday, as they shot a very efficient 47.6% from 3-point range, which made it difficult for Baylor to try to climb back into the game. 
Momcilovic led the way from 3-point range, going 4-for-7, while Gilbert, Jones and junior guard Tamin Lipsey each made two of their own, going a combined 6-for-12 from behind the arc. 
“When you’re the more aggressive team, teams have to collapse,” Otzelberger said. “That’s where the looks from three come from.”
Going into Saturday’s game Iowa State had not been a great 3-point shooting team. 
The Cyclones had shot just 34.2% from behind the arc in their first 12 games, which ranks 13th among Big 12 teams. Despite the lackluster numbers from 3-point range, the Cyclones still had the top offense in the Big 12, which shows how talented this team is. 
If Iowa State can get more shooting performances like it had on Saturday, it is hard to imagine that many teams would be able to take them down. 
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<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">307524</post-id> </item>
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<title>Iowa State takes a tight loss to defending champions LSU in season-opening meet</title>
<link>https://iowastatedaily.com/307518/sports/iowa-state-takes-a-tight-loss-to-defending-champions-lsu-in-season-opening-meet/</link>
<comments>https://iowastatedaily.com/307518/sports/iowa-state-takes-a-tight-loss-to-defending-champions-lsu-in-season-opening-meet/#respond</comments>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[ Aleigha Bailey, Sports Reporter]]></dc:creator>
<pubDate>Sat, 04 Jan 2025 04:29:51 +0000</pubDate>
<category><![CDATA[Sports]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Sports / Gymnastics]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[cyclones]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Frederique Sgarbossa]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[gymnastics]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[iowa state]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Josie Bergstrom-Te Slaa]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Lauren Thomas]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[lsu]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[noelle adams]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Rachel Wilke]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[tigers]]></category>
<guid isPermaLink="false">https://iowastatedaily.com/?p=307518</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Iowa State traveled to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to face the LSU Tigers in their first meet of the season Friday night. The meet ended with a loss for the Cyclones with a final score of 197.300-194.100. This meeting marked the 14th meeting of Iowa State and LSU. The Tigers hold a 13-1 record against the...]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[Iowa State traveled to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to face the LSU Tigers in their first meet of the season Friday night. The meet ended with a loss for the Cyclones with a final score of 197.300-194.100. 
This meeting marked the 14th meeting of Iowa State and LSU. The Tigers hold a 13-1 record against the Cyclones. 
Despite the close loss, the performance of Iowa State put itself in a position for a successful season.
Overall performance
LSU, which ranked second ahead of the season opener in the Women’s Collegiate Gymnastics Association (WCGA), and is coming off of a National Championship, was a competitive challenge for Iowa State, who opened up the season 32nd in the poll.
Iowa State started the night on uneven bars. Freshman Frederique Sgarbossa tied for fifth with two LSU gymnasts with a score of 9.800.
Following uneven bars, the Cyclones’ top performers on vault were sophomore Noelle Adams and senior Josie Bergstrom-Te Slaa, who tied for third and led the team with a score of 9.850.
The third event of the meet was the floor exercise. Senior Rachel Wilke landed in a three-way tie with two LSU gymnasts with a score of 9.875.
The night for Iowa State rounded out with the balance beam. Fifth-year senior Lauren Thomas was the leader for the Cyclones with a score of 9.800 and placed fifth.
Adams and Bergstrom-Te Slaa dominate all around
Before the start of the season, Adams and Bergstrom-Te Slaa were both named to the Big 12 Preseason Team.
These two both placed within the top five in all-around events. Between the duo, expectations are high regarding their performances.
Both gymnasts showed great talent on the balance beam to strengthen the team’s overall performance.
Adams placed fourth in a two-way tie with an LSU gymnast with a score of 29.475. Her best performance was a tie between vault and floor exercise with impressive scores of 9.850.
Ahead of this meet, Adams was placed on the Big 12 preseason team for vault and floor exercise. Adams also led the team in event wins last season.
Bergstrom-Te Slaa has been a consistent part of this team’s performance throughout her time as a Cyclone. 
From being placed on the Big-12 Preseason Team for vault, and receiving her best collegiate performance with a score of 9.925 on vault in her junior season, Bergstrom-Te Slaa will hold a key role on this team.
Throughout the opening meet, Bergstrom-Te Slaa’s best score was 9.850 on vault. Both Adams and Bergstrom-Te Slaa look to be key parts of the team throughout the season after starting the season off with some highly skilled performances.
The Cyclones look to bounce back from this tough loss in their next meet, where they host Brown and Iowa for the Iowa State Tri-Meet on Jan. 10 from Hilton Coliseum at 6:30 p.m.
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<title>No. 3 Iowa State takes on No. 25 Baylor in Big 12 home opener</title>
<link>https://iowastatedaily.com/307514/sports/no-3-iowa-state-takes-on-no-25-baylor-in-big-12-home-opener/</link>
<comments>https://iowastatedaily.com/307514/sports/no-3-iowa-state-takes-on-no-25-baylor-in-big-12-home-opener/#respond</comments>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[ Cayden Storm, Sports Reporter]]></dc:creator>
<pubDate>Sat, 04 Jan 2025 02:41:18 +0000</pubDate>
<category><![CDATA[Sports]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Sports / Mens Basketball]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[basketball]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[baylor]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[bears]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[big 12]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Curtis Jones]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[cyclones]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[iowa state]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[jamaal tinsley]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[marcus fizer]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[mens basketball]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[paul shirley]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[sports]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[t.j. otzelberger]]></category>
<guid isPermaLink="false">https://iowastatedaily.com/?p=307514</guid>
<description><![CDATA[AMES — Saturday afternoon’s game against No. 25 Baylor is a big one, as the No. 3 Cyclones look to move to 2-0 in the Big 12 and secure their second top-25 win of the season. The Bears are off to an up-and-down start to their season. The preseason No. 8 team in the country...]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[AMES — Saturday afternoon’s game against No. 25 Baylor is a big one, as the No. 3 Cyclones look to move to 2-0 in the Big 12 and secure their second top-25 win of the season. 
The Bears are off to an up-and-down start to their season. The preseason No. 8 team in the country has fallen to No. 25 after going 9-3 in their first 12 games, but their schedule has been difficult.
Baylor’s three losses have been at the hands of currently ranked No. 19 Gonzaga, No. 1 Tennessee and No. 11 UConn. 
Baylor’s most notable wins include a one-point victory over St. John’s and a five-point victory over No. 23 Arkansas. 
“A team with a lot of strengths, they’re playing really good basketball,” Iowa State head coach T.J. Otzelberger said. “The games where they hadn’t been successful has either been on the road against really good teams or against a great Tennessee team who’s playing as well as any.”
Despite the up-and-down start to this season, Baylor has been one of the strongest programs in the nation in recent years. 
Over the last five seasons, Baylor has finished no lower than fourth in the Big 12, finishing first in the standings twice and has won at least one NCAA tournament game each year, including winning the 2021 National Championship.
“Every year, the consistency, they have a really good team. They continue to have a culture, in a way, that they do things that’s impressive.” Otzelberger said. 
The Bears are led by senior forward Norchad Omier. The forward is averaging 16.1 points and 10.9 rebounds per game, along with 1.2 blocks and 1.6 steals. 
“Omier is a mismatch nightmare, a guy who plays extremely hard. Leads the league in double-doubles, really motored up.” Otzelberger said. 
The Bears’ second-highest scorer is freshman guard Robert Wright III. Just like Iowa State’s second-highest scorer, Curtis Jones, Wright also comes off the bench and averages 13.1 points and 5.4 assists per game. 
“Offensively, they’ve got terrific guard play across the board and even into the bench. Wright coming off the bench is playing tremendously,” Otzelberger said.
Iowa State is 4-5 against Baylor since Otzelberger became the head coach in 2021, but Iowa State went 2-1 last season including a win in the Big 12 tournament.
“We’ve got tremendous respect for them, the program, the way that they do things,” Otzelberger said. “We’re gonna have to have great practices and preparation to be our absolute best come Saturday.”
If Saturday’s game was not already big enough, it will also include the return of the 1999-2000 and 2000-01 Iowa State men’s basketball teams to Hilton Coliseum. 
The 1999-2000 team went 32-5, won the Big 12 and made a run to the Elite Eight before losing to the eventual National Champion, Michigan State.
The 2000-01 team went 25-6 en route to winning the Big 12 for the second season in a row, before losing in the first round of the NCAA tournament.
Three players from those teams, Marcus Fizer, Jamaal Tinsley and Paul Shirley, went on to play in the NBA.
“Those guys, they did so much for our program. The successes they had were tremendous,” Otzelberger said. “So awesome that we’re able to have those guys back to be able to honor them and show them the respect that they deserve for everything that they’ve done for our program and putting us in the position that we’re in now.”
Iowa State and Baylor tip-off at 1 p.m. Saturday from Hilton Coliseum. The game will be broadcast live on CBS. 
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<title>New rotations prove fruitful in Iowa State’s win over Kansas</title>
<link>https://iowastatedaily.com/307507/sports/new-rotations-prove-fruitful-in-iowa-states-win-over-kansas/</link>
<comments>https://iowastatedaily.com/307507/sports/new-rotations-prove-fruitful-in-iowa-states-win-over-kansas/#respond</comments>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[ Kayde Sheaffer, Sports Reporter]]></dc:creator>
<pubDate>Thu, 02 Jan 2025 05:58:52 +0000</pubDate>
<category><![CDATA[Sports]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Sports / Womens Basketball]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Addy Brown]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[audi crooks]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[big 12]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[big 12 basketball]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[bill fennelly]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[college basketball]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[cyclones]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[emily ryan]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[iowa state]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[jayhawks]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[kansas]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[women's basketball]]></category>
<guid isPermaLink="false">https://iowastatedaily.com/?p=307507</guid>
<description><![CDATA[AMES – Iowa State welcomed the new year with a wide variety of rotations and lineups to gain a 78-64 win against Kansas, marking the Cyclones’ first Big 12 conference win of the season following two consecutive losses. With a well-developed core of three players for Iowa State’s starting lineup throughout the season, consisting of...]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[AMES – Iowa State welcomed the new year with a wide variety of rotations and lineups to gain a 78-64 win against Kansas, marking the Cyclones’ first Big 12 conference win of the season following two consecutive losses.
With a well-developed core of three players for Iowa State’s starting lineup throughout the season, consisting of sophomore center Audi Crooks, sophomore forward Addy Brown and senior guard Emily Ryan, the last two spots in the lineup have been a logical change throughout the season.
Filling the last two spots for Wednesday’s game against the Jayhawks were sophomore guard Arianna Jackson, who has become a dependable player in the starting lineup throughout the season, and junior guard/forward Sydney Harris. 
The recent transfer from TCU played her first game positioned in the starting lineup, playing a new high of 34 minutes this season. Harris secured eight points from her two 3-point shots and her two successful free throws. Along with her contributions offensively, Harris was a strong defensive player, as she secured five defensive rebounds during her time on the court.
Halfway through the first quarter, the Cyclones have a typical rotation of substituting Crooks with sophomore forward Alisa Williams. However, Crooks was replaced on the court by sophomore center/forward Lilly Taulelei, who has been a player who tends to join the court toward the end of the game. 
“Basically [Taulelei] has been the best of her and [Williams] in practice and it’s a tossup. I mean, they both know we need, in a normal night, we need 10 minutes, and that’s their role,” Iowa State head coach Bill Fennelly said. “I thought both did a couple of positive things, it was just a practice decision.”
With the strong starting lineup and change in rotations early on, Iowa State had a strong first quarter to set the tone for the game. The Cyclones outscored Kansas 19-13, gaining a six-point lead in the first 10 minutes of play. The early lead was contributed by two players, Crooks who scored 16 points and Ryan who secured three points.
“Audi [Crooks] night in and night out consistently does her job. Just her being so reliable every single night is so important for our team,” Ryan said. “Consistency is something that’s just so impressive. Every single night she shows up.”
“Coach [Fennelly] kind of let me know during practice that it was going to be a game where the ball’s going to go in quite a bit because he thought that’s where our advantage would be,” Crooks said. “When he says things like that, I kind of take that with a lot of pride and just try to finish and [the] guards do an amazing job of getting the ball inside.”
Crooks ended the night with a team-high 33 points, making 13 out of her attempted 18 field goal shots and contributed heavily to the team’s 54% of points from in the paint. Crooks added two blocks and seven rebounds as well.
“Not only does [Crooks] performance impact her numbers on statsheets, but it also impacts everyone on the team,” Ryan said. “It’s just a big difference when she’s on the court and doing her job. She just impacts so much that doesn’t go on a stat sheet. It’s just really special that I get to play with her.”
Despite unequal scoring in the first quarter, the team’s ball possession changed frequently due to consistent rotation adjustments on the court. Sophomore guard Kelsey Joens and freshman guards Reagan Wilson and Aili Tanke made their appearance in the last minutes of the first quarter. 
Moving into the second quarter with Crooks being substituted out again, Williams joined the court for the first time and scored three points.
With the early lead build-up throughout the first half, the Cyclones were fed a 14-point lead in the last minutes of the game and were balancing foul trouble between their starting lineup players. This led to the Cyclone players, such as junior guard Lily Hansford, who had not yet played, to get her minutes in and prevent Kansas from gaining possession of the ball in the last minutes.
“I think we just decided to stop giving them the ball, to be honest with you,” Crooks said. “We were giving them a lot of really easy points, easy possessions, and second chances, those are things that have killed us in games prior and those are things that can’t happen.”
]]></content:encoded>
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<title>Takeaways: Crooks dominates in the Cyclones’ first conference win</title>
<link>https://iowastatedaily.com/307509/sports/takeaways-crooks-dominates-in-the-cyclones-first-conference-win/</link>
<comments>https://iowastatedaily.com/307509/sports/takeaways-crooks-dominates-in-the-cyclones-first-conference-win/#respond</comments>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[ Ford Griffith, Sports Reporter]]></dc:creator>
<pubDate>Thu, 02 Jan 2025 05:49:42 +0000</pubDate>
<category><![CDATA[Sports]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Sports / Womens Basketball]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Addy Brown]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[audi crooks]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[big 12]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[bill fennelly]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[college basketball]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[cyclones]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[emily ryan]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[iowa state]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[iowa state basketball]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[jayhawks]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[kansas]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[women's basketball]]></category>
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<description><![CDATA[AMES – Iowa State took down Kansas in dominant fashion 78-64 Wednesday afternoon at Hilton Coliseum, backed by 33 points from sophomore center Audi Crooks. The win improved the Cyclones to 10-5 and brings their conference record to 1-1. Kansas falls to 10-3 and stays winless in Big 12 play. In the first quarter alone,...]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[AMES – Iowa State took down Kansas in dominant fashion 78-64 Wednesday afternoon at Hilton Coliseum, backed by 33 points from sophomore center Audi Crooks.
The win improved the Cyclones to 10-5 and brings their conference record to 1-1. Kansas falls to 10-3 and stays winless in Big 12 play.
In the first quarter alone, Crooks scored 16 of her 33 points on 8-of-10 shooting. The Cyclones led 19-13 at the end of the first, but the Jayhawks outscored the Cyclones 20-17 in the second. At the break, Iowa State led 36-33 behind 16 Crooks points and seven points and eight rebounds from sophomore forward Addy Brown. 
The second half showcased some strong play on both the offensive and defensive ends. Fifth-year senior guard Emily Ryan stepped up on the offensive end in the second half, scoring 13 of her 19 points in the second half. Iowa State shot 55% from the field, which helped maintain a large lead the entire second half.
Crooks stays on track
After a tough loss in their first conference matchup against Oklahoma State, in which Crooks scored an efficient 28 points, the Cyclones stayed true to who they were against the Jayhawks, continuously feeding Crooks, especially when they tried to guard her solo.
“They started off one-on-one and I just kind of went on a run from there,” Crooks said.
Despite not scoring in the second quarter, Crooks scored 33 points on 13-for-18 shooting and went 7-for-13 from the free throw line. 
“Coach [Bill Fennelly] kind of let me know during practice that it was gonna be a game where the ball was going to go inside quite a bit because he thought that’s where our advantage would be,” Crooks said. “When he says things like that, I take that with a lot of pride, I just try to finish.”
Crooks has now scored 30 or more points in three of her last five games. Additionally, Crooks is 14th in the nation, shooting slightly above 61% on 211 attempts, the highest of anyone in front of her.
“Her consistency is something that’s just so impressive every single night,” Ryan said. “Tonight, 33, it seemed effortless.”
Fennelly added that Crooks could have had 40 points if she had made some of her free throws due to how Kansas guards opposing players.
<figure id="attachment_307476" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-307476" style="width: 2001px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" class="wp-image-307476 size-full" src="http://iowastatedaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/IMG_6970.jpg" alt="" width="2001" height="1334" srcset="https://iowastatedaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/IMG_6970.jpg 2001w, https://iowastatedaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/IMG_6970-600x400.jpg 600w, https://iowastatedaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/IMG_6970-1200x800.jpg 1200w, https://iowastatedaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/IMG_6970-768x512.jpg 768w, https://iowastatedaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/IMG_6970-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://iowastatedaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/IMG_6970-300x200.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 2001px) 100vw, 2001px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-307476" class="wp-caption-text">Audi Crooks (55) calls for the ball during the Iowa State vs. University of Kansas NCAA women’s basketball game at Hilton Coliseum on Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2025, in Ames, Iowa. (Luis Rodriguez)</figcaption></figure>
Ryan provides a third scoring option
Throughout non-conference play, the Cyclones have struggled to find consistent scoring outside of Crooks and Brown, but Ryan added some juice to spread out the Jayhawk defense.
Ryan scored 19 points, her most of the season, while adding six assists. Her scoring helped open up the inside for Crooks and made it easier for her to distribute the ball to others.
Ryan is also sixth in the country in assists per game, with 6.9, proving to be one of the top distributors in the country. If she can consistently score the ball at a slightly higher rate while still distributing the ball, the Cyclone offense could be deadly.
“We’ve been telling her, you don’t have to shoot 15 times but you’ve got to be someone that at least might have a chance to score,” Fennelly said. “If they’re going to take away the 3 point line and double Audi [Crooks], she went 7-of-8 and most of them were layups.”
A morale boosting win
After starting the season ranked No. 8 and falling out of the top 25 after a gauntlet of a non-conference schedule, it’s been hard to build confidence for the Cyclones. A game like this against a tough team helps in that category.
“I do think the break really helped. I really do,” Fennelly said. “It was a really hard December. Obviously, schedule-wise, travel-wise, there are teams in our league that have not played a road game and we’ve been all over the place.”
Before the win against Kansas, the Cyclones had lost three of four games, including a big loss against No. 4 UConn and a loss to in-state rival Iowa in front of a hostile crowd.
“It’s one of those things that you can either have that happen and kind of pout and feel sorry for yourself or it can make you hungrier and want to get back on the court and adjust and come back the way we wanted to,” Ryan said. “That’s the way this team approached it, we were hungry for a win.”
The Cyclones have a short break before they are back in action at 5:30 p.m. Sunday against Utah at home. The Utes have an 11-2 record and are 2-0 in Big 12 play.
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