The lowdown

The No. 14 ISU women’s basketball team (11-0, 0-0 Big 12) defeated William & Mary (3-8, 0-0 Colonial Athletic Association) 85-65 on Sunday to win the Cyclone Challenge. 

Freshman guard Jadda Buckley and junior guard Brynn Williamson led Iowa State offensively against the Tribe. Both finished the game with 19 points.

With the win against William & Mary, Iowa State finished its non-conference schedule undefeated for only the third time in team history. The Cyclones will open conference play on Jan. 2nd at Texas Christian.

Turning point

With 11:56 remaining in the first half, Williamson hit a three-pointer to put Iowa State up 23-12. In the next four minutes, the Cyclones would go on to score five more three-pointers.

Iowa State would finish the game with a season-high of 14 three-pointers. As a team they shot 40 percent from beyond the arc.

X-factor

In the first half, Williamson shot 5-8 from beyond the arc and had all of her 19 points for Iowa State. 

Williamson also had six rebounds and four assists in her 28 minutes against William & Mary. 

By the numbers

62.5 – Williamson’s three-point shooting percentage in the first half. Iowa State shot almost 48 percent as a team during the opening period. 

3 – Number of times Iowa State has gone undefeated through conference play. 

9 – Number of Cyclones that attempted at least one three-pointer against William & Mary. Five of them made one or more.

55 – Number of points Iowa State scored in the first half against William & Mary. The total is the most points scored in any half by Iowa State this season.