AMES—Hilton Coliseum was full of fans on a snowy December Sunday, showing out for the Cyclones. Iowa State certainly put on a show, dominating Northern Illinois University in a 105-52 victory.
“It was a great team win,” sophomore guard Reagan Wilson said. “I think we have been preparing ourselves very well at practice.”
In the first half, the Cyclones’ offense was on fire, outscoring Northern Illinois in their 3-pointers alone. This was a physical half, which led to many free throws; the team went 12-for-16, while junior forward Addy Brown had the most, going 6-for-7.
“I think Addy [Brown] is as well-rounded a basketball player we have had here [Iowa State] in a long time,” Head Coach Bill Fennelly said. “She can pass it, score, rebound and defend. She is the kind of kid who is absolutely perfect.”
The top performers for the half were Brown with 10 points, eight assists and six rebounds. Junior center Audi Crooks posted 17 points and four rebounds, and junior guard Arianna Jackson had nine points and one assist.
“We’re always working on our game and put so much confidence in each other,” Wilson said. “It’s great to see the amount of cheer and excitement everyone has for each other’s successes.”
In the second half, the Cyclones did not let up on the gas pedal, putting up 51 more points to give them their final score of 105. This half’s leaders were redshirt junior forward Alisa Williams, with 12 points, two rebounds and going 5-for-6 from the charity stripe.
Junior center/forward Lilly Taulelei had six points, two rebounds and was 2-for-4 on free throws.
Wilson had five points, one rebound, three assists and went 2-for-2 on free throws. Jackson made three triples in this game, pushing her over 50% on threes this season, really helping Iowa State’s offense continue to climb.
Iowa State continues to build up its offense every game, gaining a big lead to allow bench players to play in the fourth quarter. Giving these players opportunities is a huge advantage, as they are gaining experience from younger players to help them with their depth and experience as the season progresses.
The Cyclones had 40 bench points, which is over a third of their final score. In the fourth quarter, the group outscored 23-9, showcasing the dominance of the bench players as well.
The Cyclones shot 70% from the free-throw line tonight, not as well as they have done in the past.
“We didn’t shoot the free throws very well today,” Fennelly said. “It’s a huge part of our game. Many games come down to who made the free throws, so it’s something we continue to work on at practice.”
The Cyclones have shown great strides in their offense this year and need to continue this success as they prepare for the Cy-Hawk game against Iowa on Wednesday.
