AMES – Following the conclusion of non-conference play, the Cyclones are heading to Stillwater, Oklahoma, to take on the Cowgirls in their first Big 12 game at 4 p.m. Saturday.
Iowa State ended non-conference play with a 9-4 record after taking on several experienced opponents and well-coached teams. The nine wins were fueled by strong play from sophomore center Audi Crooks, averaging just under 22 points per game and nearly eight rebounds a game.
The Cowgirls have put together a 10-1 record, with their one loss coming against Richmond. Seton Hall transfer guard Micah Gray leads the offense for Oklahoma State, averaging 16 points per game.
“I think we’re ready, I don’t know that anyone can completely say whether or not you’re ready for anything,” head coach Bill Fennelly said. “We’ve challenged ourselves in the non-conference.”
Non-conference play can look very different for teams, which is true for Oklahoma State and Iowa State. The Cowgirls played no ranked opponents, and the only games away from home were part of the Daytona Beach Classic. The Cyclones took on three ranked opponents and had four games away from Hilton Coliseum.
“You look at a lot of schedules, and some people schedule to win as many games as they can, which is okay,” Fennelly said. “Some people schedule really hard and some people are in the middle.”
Two of the Cyclones’ four losses were against top-five opponents in South Carolina and UConn, and the two others were against in-state opponents in front of packed crowds and loud environments.
“I think the biggest thing is, you wanna feel like the challenges that come in the conference is not the first time you’ve seen it,” Fennelly said. “It might just be a road game, let alone a ranked opponent.”
There will be an abundance of challenges for Iowa State in Big 12 play, but one of the biggest might be finding scoring. With the news of junior transfer guard Kenzie Hare taking a medical redshirt and being out the rest of the year, only two Cyclones are averaging over eight points per game.
“Offensively, we’ve got to find some scoring consistency, some scoring balance besides Audi [Crooks] and Addy [Brown],” Fennelly said. “We’ve played 13 games, and you take those two out of it, and we’ve had maybe 10 double-figure games.”
Junior guard/forward Sydney Harris has stepped up and shot the ball well throughout the year, including a 17-point performance against UConn. Another player who has shown spurts is freshman guard Aili Tanke, who shoots just under 35% from 3-point land.
“Now that Big 12 play starts, we are 0-0,” Tanke said. “We’ve played some tough teams in some tough environments. Every Big 12 game is high stakes, and I think we have kinda experienced that a little bit.”
Every game is a battle, and points will play a big role in collecting wins. Although Fennelly wants more consistency on offense, Crooks will need to continue the high level of play to succeed in the conference.
“The Big 12 is a great league. Obviously, it’s expanded, so I’m just excited to get going with that,” Crooks said. “Hopefully, kick it off with a win.”
Iowa State starts off Big 12 play against a strong Cowgirl team in Stillwater, Oklahoma, on Saturday at 4 p.m. The game will be broadcast live on ESPN2.
