AMES – No. 18 Iowa State (9-3, 0-0 Big 12) took down Eastern Illinois (3-7, 0-0 OVC) 87-55 Sunday evening. The Cyclones shot over 53 percent from the field and over 45 percent from three in the contest.
Cyclones.com
Audi Crooks tallied 30 points in the victory, her second-straight game with 30 points or more and third of the season. Addy Brown had a double-double, scoring 20 points and pulling down 11 rebounds. Sydney Harris hit three triples and ended the game with nine points, while Emily Ryan totaled seven assists.
Crooks opened the scoring for the Cyclones with a layup 10 seconds into the game. Arianna Jackson got on the board early with a three-pointer to put the Cyclones ahead, 7-4. Brown added a triple of her own to force an Eastern Illinois timeout less than three minutes into the game. The next few minutes saw minimal scoring action from both teams, and the Cyclones would lead 14-10 crossing the three-minute mark in the first quarter. A Crooks layup, Kelsey Joens three and Brown layup would put the Cyclones up 23-12 after the first period.
Sydney Harris kicked off the second quarter by nailing a 3-pointer to put the Cyclones up 14. After four points from Crooks and two from Ryan, the Cyclones would take a 32-21 lead into the second quarter media timeout. Brown would tally four more points immediately out of the timeout to extend the lead to 15 with three minutes to play in the period. The Panthers would respond though and cut the lead to single digits at halftime, 38-29.
Crooks and Brown combined for the Cyclones’ first 13 points of the second half, but the Panthers wouldn’t back down, staying within 11 heading into the third quarter media timeout. Crooks and Brown continued their second half run as they were responsible for another five before an Aili Tanke three put the Cyclones up 60-47 at the end of the quarter.
Crooks would score the opening two ISU baskets before a Jackson triple to put the lead at 20 points would force a Panther timeout. Crooks tallied her 30th point of the game with 6:15 remaining. The Cyclones would get two threes from Harris and one from Lily Hansford in the final five minutes to cap off a 36-15 run and an 87-55 victory.
Top Performer
Crooks scored 30 points for the second-straight game on 12-for-16 shooting and went 6-for-6 from the free throw line. Crooks also added four rebounds and three assists in 27 minutes.
Up Next
Iowa State travels East to take on No. 2 UConn at 7:30 p.m. (CT) Tuesday night on FS1.
Notes
Iowa State’s all-time women’s basketball record moves to 876-669 (.561).
Head coach Bill Fennelly’s Iowa State record moves to 620-316 (.662) and his career record moves to 786-369 (.681).
The Cyclones have made at least one 3-point field goal in an NCAA women’s record 939 consecutive games, finishing with six triples tonight. ISU has made 7,619 triples throughout the streak and has finished with 10 or more 3-pointers in a game 288 times.
Audi Crooks’ performance marked her third 30-plus point game of the season and fourth of her career. Crooks has finished with 10 or more points in 44 consecutive games.
Emily Ryan finished with seven assists tonight, moving her career total to 869 dimes. The mark is tied for 20thst all-time in NCAA Division I women’s basketball and second in the Big 12.
Addy Brown recorded her fourth double-double of the season and 14th of her career. She tallied 20 points and 11 rebounds.
