AMES – Sophomore guard Arianna Jackson and junior guard Lily Hansford combined for seven 3-pointers, as Iowa State took down UCF 90-56 at home Saturday.
The Cyclones are now 6-3 in conference play and have won five of their last six games. The Knights stayed winless in Big 12 play but were at an even larger disadvantage on Saturday.
UCF was without its top three scorers against Iowa State, putting role players in more of the spotlight out of nowhere. Kaitlin Peterson, Hannah Gusters and Emely Rodriguez average 44.6 points per game combined for the Knights, while the rest of the team only averages 23.6.
One of the top scorers, Gusters, was removed from the roster on the UCF website and is no longer with the team, per Black & Gold Banneret. However, UCF head coach Sytia Messer said Peterson could not make the trip, while Gusters and Rodriguez were medical decisions.
Jackson and Hansford took advantage of the depleted Knights roster, combining for 25 points on 9-of-15 combined shooting.
Before Saturday, Jackson averaged 4.6 points per game, while Hansford averaged 0.6, the lowest on the team. On Saturday, the two were key components to putting up 90 points and blowing out UCF.
Hansford went 4-for-7 from the field, all attempts coming from beyond the arc. Her previous season-high four points came in the most recent game against BYU, going 4-for-4 from the free throw line. She ended the UCF game with 12 points and four rebounds, both season-highs.
“It meant everything to see the ball fall today,” Hansford said. “It also meant everything that, you know, my coaches and my teammates, they still believe in me, and passing me the ball.”
Outside of the past two games, Hansford had not scored in Big 12 play. She had gone eight straight games without scoring but had no trouble letting it fly against the Knights.
“She has never complained, she’s never pouted. It’s just like, keep shooting it,” Iowa State head coach Bill Fennelly said. “Literally today at shootaround, I just said make sure you’re letting it fly because we thought we’d see some zone, so I thought she’d get some looks.”
Hansford is a transfer from Oregon State, where she hit 48 3s as a sophomore at a 45% clip, some of which came in some big games. Four of those 3-pointers were in the Elite Eight against South Carolina.
“[Fennelly] printed off all of my big games,” Hansford said. “He was just like, this is who you are, and remember that this is who you are.”
“It’s not anything, but you know, the ball’s not going in the basket, so you just try to do anything you can,” Fennelly said. “Just a friendly mental reminder, been there, done that.”
It can be tough to have a long stretch of games not scoring or not contributing in ways that one may have in the past, but Jackson and the rest of the team recognize the work Hansford has put in.
“I’m just so proud of her for sticking with it. As another guard, I understand the struggle of not seeing the ball go in,” Jackson said. “I know how hard she works and how much she’s in the gym.”
Jackson has started 19 of the Cyclones’ 21 games but has mostly been praised for her defense throughout the season. Her 13 points became the second-most points she scored this season. On the season, she makes around 34% of her 3’s but shot 50% from deep against the Knights.
“I think it just builds confidence. I was saying earlier that it really takes the pressure off of Addy [Brown] and Audi [Crooks],” Jackson said. “I think that’s what makes it such a dangerous team, is just anyone can have that night.”
It was both Hansford and Jackson who were able to have that type of night, and they hope to keep it rolling into next week when they take on two top-25 opponents, where 3-point shooting may be a must.
Iowa State has a few days of rest before it takes on No. 10 Kansas State in Manhattan, Kansas, on Thursday.
