AMES — Iowa State’s strong 3-point shooting set the tone early and continued throughout the game, leading to a 57-point victory over USC Upstate, with 49% of the team’s total points in the 92-35 win.
The Cyclones were gifted many opportunities around the perimeter throughout the game and although the successful 3-point shots gave Iowa State 45 points, head coach Bill Fennelly explained how it still was not their best turnout.
“We missed a lot of threes that were open and obviously we have ridiculous struggles at the free throw line which is a major concern for us right now,” Fennelly said.
The Cyclones exuded confidence head-on as they set the pace of the game with a 3-point shot taken by guard Kenzie Hare right off the first play from Iowa State’s won jump ball.
Creating a permanent spot in the starting lineup for the past two games has been guard Aili Tanke, who granted the Cyclones double digits on the scoreboard in the first quarter with her first successful shot of the night, taken behind the arc.
“Finally, my shots are starting to hit, which is good because I started off really strong that first game, and then it’s been downhill,” Tanke said. “So it’s nice to see that and it also opens up Audi [Crooks], who we can’t go without.”
Making her breakout game of the season was guard Kelsey Joens, who led the team throughout the first quarter with six points, due to her two successful 3-point shots.
“[Joens] and Tanke were the two that in the 12 to 17-minute range took the advantage that we were hoping for and moved the ball very well,” Fennelly said.
Iowa State finished the first quarter by nailing five 3-pointers, giving the Cyclones a 21-point lead heading into the second quarter.
Tanke continued to lead the team with 3-pointers, having several opportunities throughout the rest of the game around the perimeter, but only nailing four out of her seven attempted shots.
“She can really shoot it, she’s confident in her shot,” Fennelly said. “The one thing about [Tanke] that I have been really impressed with is for a freshman she really doesn’t make too many silly mistakes, she doesn’t try to do things that she shouldn’t. A lot of kids want to make a play that’s not quite there, if she isn’t sure she doesn’t do it.”
Joens continued greatness after the first quarter, as she became a star 3-point shooter, ending the night with a season-high 11 points due to two more 3-point shots.
“She was really good, she brings a lot of energy to our team,” Fennelly said. “She makes shots and she’s active.”
“It felt really good, just doing what the coach asked,” Joens said. “We have really talked about rebounds a lot lately so just going, crashing on boards and just doing what the team needs me to do at the end of the day.”
Junior guard Lily Hansford finally made her mark in the stats sheet by sinking her first shot of the season—a 3-pointer.
“You can tell when she made it, everyone went crazy,” Fennelly said. “I mean everyone knows how hard she works, everyone knows her history, and everyone knows one of the things she can do really well historically is shoot it, it just hasn’t gone in.”
“She puts so much work in and just to see that one go in, we were all so happy for her to see that the lid popped off for her,” Joens said.
This shot motivated the team, leading forward Addy Brown to finish the third quarter with another three-pointer, culminating in back-to-back threes. Brown capped off the quarter with a buzzer-beater shot from beyond the arc granting two successful 3-point shots during the game.
