The Iowa State Cyclones were defeated by the Oklahoma Sooners in what was a close game in the Lloyd Noble Center on Tuesday night. The final score was a 67-61 Oklahoma victory, as the Cyclones’ record now sits at 12-8 (8-5 Big 12) with four games left in the regular season. 

The Cyclones had a tough night offensively to begin the game and while they were able to bring the game within reach toward the end of the second half, they couldn’t get much going to make a run. 

3-point and free-throw shooting

Iowa State is a team you associate with being able to shoot the three ball at an efficient rate, but against the Sooners, the team couldn’t get going from beyond the arc.

The team shot 9-35 from the 3-point line and Iowa State Head Coach Bill Fennelly felt as if it was one of those nights where shots just were not going in.

“In the first quarter we got any shot we wanted and we couldn’t make them,” Fennelly said. “It’s one of those nights you’re really scared about but you have to make shots to win games and we didn’t make anything tonight.”

With the Cyclones shooting 25 percent from deep, it allowed the Sooners to take advantage of the struggling offense and they were able to capitalize. 

The Cyclones also struggled at the foul line, having gone 4-10 on the night.

Had the team been able to convert their shots from the line, the game could have been very different and Fennelly acknowledged as much postgame.

“Obviously the 3-point line and the free-throw line [were stats that stood out to me],” Fennelly said. “Certainly the free-throw line was not good tonight and our shot selection at times was not what it should have been but you can’t go 9-35.” 

Freshman and bench unit struggle

Along with shooting struggles for the Cyclones, the freshmen starting trio of Lexi Donarski, Kylie Feuerbach and Emily Ryan weren’t able to get much going for themselves either.

The trio had 10 points combined on 4-21 shooting and were unable to get into any type of rhythm. 

The freshmen starters along with the bench unit really struggled offensively and Fennelly recognized their rough night. 

“Our freshmen starters really, really struggled and we didn’t get a whole lot off the bench either,” Fennelly said. “We got a lot of great looks at the basket and they didn’t go in but that’s basketball.

“You take Aubrey [Joens] out of there it was really bad so that’s the game, our team has to be a team that makes open shots and spreads the court but we had some kids who really had tough nights.”  

Despite the offensive struggles from most of the team, freshman Aubrey Joens had herself a career night as she finished with 17 points and gave the team life in the first half.

Joens has been settling into the team nicely as of late and her performance Tuesday night, although the team struggled, goes to show the work she’s been putting in. 

The Cyclones will hope to bounce back from their off night in their next game against TCU. The last time they played the Horned Frogs, they won convincingly in a 91-68 blowout and will hope to repeat that at Hilton Coliseum.

Tipoff for the Cyclones’ game against TCU is scheduled for 7 p.m. with streaming available on ESPN+ via Big 12 Now.