CINCINNATI, OHIO – No. 10 Iowa State (14-2, 2-2 Big 12) suffered the road loss to Cincinnati (6-10, 1-3 Big 12) by a final score of 71-63 Wednesday night.
The Cyclones struggled shooting at 35.8 from the field compared to Cincinnati’s nearly 50 percent. Cincinnati’s Mya Perry led the game with 26 points. Audi Crooks had her sixth-straight game with 20-plus points with 23, while Jada Williams also scored in double figures with 13.
The Bearcats found themselves ahead 10-5 three minutes into the contest while the Cyclones pressed on to bring it within one (14-13) out of the first media timeout. ISU used another run after falling behind to again trim its deficit to one in the final minute of the first, but Cincinnati kept hold of the advantage hitting a layup with four seconds to go to lead 23-20.
Jada Williams gave the Cyclones the lead at 24-23 as the second began, but a quick Bearcat 3-pointer flipped it right back in the host’s favor. Iowa State was held to 33.3 shooting in the half as Cincinnati entered halftime ahead 33-28.
Iowa State made its first three field goals of the third quarter on its way to retaking the lead at 34-33 with 7:52 on the clock. Again a Cincinnati deep shot came right after, but a layup followed by two free throws by Crooks put the Cyclones back up. At 38-38 Arianna Jackson drained a 3 to keep the lead with ISU at the midway point, but Cincinnati provided another lead change (42-41) with just under four minutes to play. Jackson broke up a 6-0 Cincinnati run with her second 3 as the quarter came to a close, and Reese Beaty made it a one-point game at 49-48 but the home team made the final shot in the frame to enter the fourth ahead 51-48.
The Cyclones called an early timeout at 8:12 after the Bearcats made their fourth triple to run ahead 56-48. Cincinnati extended its lead to double digits at 66-55 after a pair of free throws with 3:36 remaining. UC held on to win it 71-63.
Up Next
Iowa State returns home hosting West Virginia this Sunday at 2 p.m. The game will be streamed on ESPN+.
Notes
Iowa State women’s basketball’s all-time record moves to 885-680 (.565) and 347-360 (.491) in conference play.
Fennelly’s career record moves to 814-380 (.682) in his 38-year career and 648-327 (.665) at Iowa State.
With 23 points tonight, Audi Crooks extended her double-figure scoring streak to 82 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.
The performance marked her 53rd career 20-point game.
Crooks passed Megan Taylor (1,866) and Lindsey Wilson (1,875) on Iowa State’s all-time scoring list, moving her career total to 1,886 points to rank fourth all-time at ISU.
Crooks added 10 field goals to her career total, now ranking third with 766 made baskets in her career after passing Tonya Burns’ 760 buckets (1982-85).
Kenzie Hare scored her 850th career point with her third point of the night.
Jada Williams scored her 900th career point tonight with her 10th point of the game.
