AMES – Iowa State (6-4, 0-0 Big 12) totaled 16 3-pointers in the win over Troy (1-7, 0-0 Sun Belt) Sunday afternoon. The Cyclones were led by two 20-point scorers in the 105-68 victory.
The Cyclones surpassed 100 points for the first time since Dec. 19, 2021 against Prairie View A&M and had their third game of 2023 with double digit 3-pointers. Nyamer Diew had a career-high six made 3-pointers on her way to totaling a season-high 20 points on 7-of-11 shooting, including 6-of-7 from deep. Audi Crooks put up a game-leading 21 points, only missing one shot out of 10 attempts. Crooks came one rebound shy of a double-double.
Addy Brown was dominant, going out to her fifth double-double and fourth straight with 11 points and 12 rebounds while adding six assists. Jalynn Bristow notched 17 points while Hannah Belanger was the fifth double-digit scorer with 12, while the duo combined for seven triples.
Emily Ryan made her 2023 debut playing limited minutes, totaling five points, four rebounds and two assists.
Belanger opened up scoring with a 3-pointer, while Diew and Crooks made it three-straight on the Cyclones’ first three shot attempts to begin ahead 9-0. Troy then hit a run to take a slim lead of 10-9, but Diew responded sending in another shot from deep and followed to send in a layup right out of the media timeout to bring ISU’s lead to 14-10. At the end of one, the Cyclones held the advantage of 18-14.
The second quarter began with a pair of triples by Belanger and Diew as the Cyclones found a double-digit lead. Diew remained efficient from beyond the arc, netting her fourth on as many attempts in her next trip down the court to make it 27-14. Crooks would go on to join Diew in double figures, while Bristow followed to send in a 3-pointer and layup to put ISU up 47-26 with 1:30 left in the half. The Cyclones closed the half ahead 47-31.
Crooks made ISU’s first two buckets of the second half, remaining perfect from the field with six shots. Iowa State stayed ahead by 20 as Brown put in the Cyclones’ 10th triple with 2:58 to go in the frame.
Leading by 19 (68-49) at the beginning of the final quarter, Brown officially notched her double-double with a jumper, putting the score at 78-57 with just under seven minutes to play. The Cyclones continued to send in 3-pointers, totaling six in the quarter alone led by trio by Bristow. Kelsey Joens was fouled twice in the final minutes of play, making all four of her free throws to end the game on a 15-2 Cyclone run.
Top Performances
Nyamer Diew went out her fifth 10-plus point game of the season and 18th of her career. Totaling 20 points at 64 percent shooting, Diew had her first 20-plus point game of the season and second of her career. Diew totaled 14 points in the first half alone on 5-of-7 from the field including shooting perfectly from the 3-point line with four made.
Audi Crooks made her first seven shots and ended her day shooting at 90 percent, notching 21 points for her third 20-plus point and ninth 10-plus game.
Notes
The Cyclones made 16 3-pointers, the most since ISU hit 17 triples against Kansas on Feb. 23, 2022.
Iowa State’s 26 assists mark the fourth game this season with 25 or more assists, the most since the 1999-2000 season with six games with 25 or more dimes.
Nyamer Diew recorded her second career game with 20 or more points to go along with a career-high six 3-pointers.
Audi Crooks recorded the third 20-point game of her career with 21 points on 9-of-10 shooting from the floor, the fourth-highest field goal percentage by a freshman (min. 7 attempts).
Five Cyclones scored in double figures, marking the second time this season with five or more players finishing with 10 or more points (6 vs. NDSU, Dec. 10).
Addy Brown recorded her fourth-consecutive game with a double-double and fifth overall in just 10 career games with 14 rebounds and 13 points. Brown is tied for 17th in NCAA Division I for double-doubles this season.
Iowa State next host in-state rival UNI this Wednesday, Dec. 20 at 6:30 p.m.
