NORMAN, Oklahoma – No. 11 Iowa State (10-3, 2-1 Big 12) dropped its first conference contest to No. 17 Oklahoma (12-2, 2-1 Big 12) on Sunday afternoon, 82-79. After a matchup featuring 25 lead changes, the game was not decided until the clock hit zero.
The Cyclones were without Stephanie Soares, averaging over 15 points and 10 rebounds per game, who left the game two minutes in after injury. The Cyclones were outscored 24-12 in the third quarter and fought back with a 31-23 fourth quarter, but fell in the final seconds.
Emily Ryan began the day with 498 career assists and wasted no time dishing out two less than 90 seconds in to become the fifth player in ISU history to hold 500. Ryan put up a game of nine points, eight rebounds and eight assists.
Ashley Joens added another 20-point performance to her name with 27 to lead all scorers. Lexi Donarski notched her fourth 20-point game of the season on 7-of-14 shooting and Nyamer Diew had a season-high 14 points.
How it Happened
The contest led off with a triple knocked down by Joens in the opening minute with Soares putting up a layup next, both on assists from Ryan. OU then hit two from deep to grab a lead of 6-5. Back-and-forth action followed while Donarski and Joens hit two more beyond the arc with two minutes remaining in the first to go up 18-14. With eight seconds on the clock, Oklahoma netted a triple to close the quarter with the one-point edge at 19-18.
Joens opened double-figure scoring on two made free throws as the second quarter got rolling. The Sooners then went out to a 24-20 lead, but Donarski had the answer with a 3-pointer to pull back within one. With the score at 30-29, Diew added a trey and two free throws to flip the lead back to the Cyclones, 34-30. Joens kept hold of the ISU advantage with another pair of free throws, remaining perfect with eight made to enter halftime ahead 36-35.
ISU struggled from the field, going 0-for-7 to start the second half as OU went ahead 43-38. The Cyclones came back within a pair, but Oklahoma hit a run of seven to then extend its lead to 52-45. OU hit another run of six-straight to end the third ahead 59-48 after a buzzer-beating triple.
Joens netted her third shot from deep 30 seconds into the final quarter before the Sooners built up a lead of nine. Iowa State battled back within three on a Donarski trey at 64-61. After another trey by Diew and two made free throws by Joens, it was back to a one-point game (67-66) with five minutes remaining. Denae Fritz hit a big triple, the 10th of the game, to bring the lead to ISU at 70-69. With 35 seconds in the game, OU held the lead of 78-77 as both sides followed to make back-to-back layups. OU’s Taylor Robertson made two free throws after being fouled for a score of 82-79. With a second left, Iowa State missed the game-tying 3-pointer as time expired.
Player of the Game
Ashley Joens tallied 27 points for her sixth 20-plus point performance of the season and 63rd of her career. The fifth-year senior totaled three treys while going 12-for-13 (92 percent) from the charity stripe. Joens ended the day one rebound shy of a double-double.
Up Next
No. 11 Iowa State hosts Kansas State Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. The game will be streamed on Big 12 Now on ESPN+.
