LUBBOCK, TEXAS – Iowa State (12-5, 5-1 Big 12) dropped its first conference contest of the season to Texas Tech (14-5, 3-3 Big 12) by a final of 71-63 Wednesday night.
Iowa State fell behind 29-34 at halftime and could not rally back to solidify the road win. The home team shot efficiently from deep, netting 13 3-pointers including five in the first half by Texas Tech’s Rhyle McKinney.
Emily Ryan led ISU scorers with 18 points, a season high, while shooting at 8-of-13 from the field. Audi Crooks had double-double No. 3 with 14 points and 12 rebounds while Hannah Belanger (11) and Jalynn Bristow (10), who shot at a perfect 4-of-4 from the field, totaled four in double figures. Crooks brought in a career high with her 12 rebounds.
How it Happened
Texas Tech took the first five points off the board and proceeded to go up 10-4 midway through the opening quarter following five ISU turnovers. At 2:14 with Texas Rech up by nine, Belanger began to turn things around with a 3-pointer while a pair of Crooks layups brought ISU back within two at 13-11. The first came to a close with TTU leading 16-11.
The home team would again find a nine-point advantage, but a 3 by Bristow and a Ryan layup off a Bristow steal made it 22-18 with 7:58 on the clock in the second quarter. Texas Tech’s McKinney followed to send in her fifth triple to keep the Red Raiders ahead. ISU responded, trimming the lead down to one (25-24) after a 6-0 run including back-to-back Isnelle Natabou layups. At 1:32, Iowa State would then get its first lead at 29-27 on a Ryan 3, but Texas Tech ended the half on a 7-0 run to go back ahead 34-29.
Texas Tech would continue to hold the lead as the second half got underway, going on to run ahead 43-37 with 5:35 in the third. Iowa State kept in it, making it a four-point game (46-42) after Belanger knocked down her second from beyond the arc with just over two minutes to go. The game was sent to the fourth quarter with the Red Raiders matching their largest lead of nine at 51-42.
TTU made it a double-digit lead to open the final frame, while Ryan tallied her second deep shot to bring it back to single digits at 58-49 at 7:16. Texas Tech would again find its largest lead, this time at 14 (63-49), as ISU called a timeout at 5:34. Bristow sent in her second 3 on as many attempts out of the timeout, but the shot could not spark a comeback. Texas Tech would go on to win the contest 71-63.
Top Performance
Emily Ryan had her fourth 10-plus point performance in her eighth game back with a season-high 18. Ryan also chipped in five assists, two blocks, a steal and a rebound. It was the senior’s 56th 10-plus point game of her career.
Notes
Iowa State women’s basketball’s all-time record dropped to 839-659 (.560) and 326-347 (.484) all-time in conference games.
Iowa State’s 6-1 Big 12 record is the second time in program history (2000) that the Cyclones have started the conference slate with that record.
Head coach Bill Fennelly’s career record moved to 768-359 (.681). His Iowa State record moves to 602-306 (.663) overall.
With Hannah Belanger’s 3-pointer in the first quarter, Iowa State has now recorded a triple in an NCAA women’s basketball record 911 consecutive games.
ISU has outrebounded every opponent this season, grabbing 40 boards tonight compared to Tech’s 30.
Isnelle Natabou scored her 100th point as a Cyclone against Texas Tech. Natabou has now posted 103 points at Iowa State.
Jalynn Bristow also scored her 100th point as a Cyclone with 10 points on 4-of-4 shooting from the floor.
With five field goals tonight, freshman Audi Crooks has made 112 field goals this season. The fifth-best mark for field goals in a season by a Cyclones freshman is Angie Welle’s 134 makes in 1998-99.
Addy Brown reached the top 5 freshman assists leaders with one assist tonight, totaling to 90 so far this season.
Up Next
Iowa State will next travel to Lawrence to meet Kansas Wednesday, Jan. 24 at 6:30 p.m. The game will be streamed on Big 12 Now on ESPN+.
