AMES – No. 10 Iowa State (14-1, 2-1 Big 12) fell for the first time this season on Sunday at the hands of No. 22 Baylor (13-3, 2-1 Big 12), 72-70.
The Cyclones’ 14-0 record coming in matched their best start in program history. The Cyclone loss also snaps a 16-game winning streak inside Hilton Coliseum. The Cyclone scoring was led by Jada Williams with 28 points and Audi Crooks with 26. Taliah Scott had 21 for the Bears.
Crooks opened the game’s scoring with two jumpers and continued with the Cyclones’ first nine points to give ISU an early 9-7 lead. A Williams 3-pointer and four points from Baylor brought the score to 12-11 at the first quarter media timeout. The teams would trade baskets to end the first quarter, where the Cyclones led 21-17. Crooks totaled 14 points in the first period, while Baylor’s Darianna Littlepage-Buggs had 12.
The beginning of the second quarter saw more back-and-forth action with each team making timely field goals. The Bears got hot towards the halfway point of the period, however, cashing in three straight makes from distance to take the lead, 35-32. But Crooks and Arianna Jackson had an answer, hitting two layups and triple, respectively, to put the Cyclones back in front. The Bears once again had an answer though and would take a 41-39 lead into the halftime locker room.
Baylor kept its momentum going from the first half, tallying the first four points of the third quarter. But Williams flipped the momentum back to the Cyclones with a three to make it 45-42 Bears. The teams traded baskets once again, and Baylor would take a 49-48 advantage into the third quarter media timeout. ISU battled back to tie the game twice at 51, 53 and eventually 56 to end the quarter, but couldn’t take the lead back.
The trend continued as Baylor hit a jumper to take a two-point lead to begin the final quarter, before the Cyclones would answer with a jumper of their own from Williams to tie the game back up at 58. The Bears answered again though, extending out what would eventually be a 70-62 advantage. Still, Williams refused to back down, scoring eight straight for the Cyclones to tie the game at 70 a-piece with 30 seconds remaining. But Baylor’s Taliah Scott cashed in the game-winning jumper to give the Bears the 72-70 win and hand the Cyclones their first loss of the season.
Top Performers
Jada Williams totaled 28 points, seven assists and six three-pointers in 31 minutes for the Cyclones. Audi Crooks was close behind with 26 points and 10 rebounds in 34 minutes.
Up Next
The Cyclones go on the road to face Cincinnati on Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. on ESPN+.
Notes
Iowa State women’s basketball’s all-time record moves to 885-679 (.566) and 347-359 (.492) in conference play.
Fennelly’s career record moves to 814-379 (.682) in his 38-year career and 648-326 (.665) at Iowa State.
With 26 points today, Audi Crooks extended her double-figure scoring streak to 81 games, the longest active streak in NCAA women’s basketball. It is the longest streak among Big 12 players since Brittney Griner’s 116-game streak.
Crooks has also finished 53 career games with 20 or more points.
Finishing with 10 rebounds, Crooks posted her fifth double-double of the season.
Jada Williams posted a career-high 28 points with six 3-pointers and seven assists.
With her first basket of the day, Addy Brown matched Iowa State’s 29th all-time scoring total of 1,158 career points (Colleen Peterson, 1976-78) through 83 career games.
