AMES — Iowa State women’s basketball turned defense into offense Wednesday, October 28, 2026, forcing 30 turnovers and scoring 42 points off those mistakes in a 90-32 exhibition victory over Upper Iowa before 8,791 fans at Hilton Coliseum.
Tjasa Turnsek led four Cyclones in double figures with 16 points and six rebounds. Iowa State collected 21 steals, dominated the paint and received half its scoring from the bench ahead of the regular-season opener.
Ashleigh Connor sparked the defensive effort with six steals in just over 15 minutes. Emilija Dakic added five steals to go with 11 points and six rebounds, helping Iowa State hold Upper Iowa to 18.9 percent shooting.
The Peacocks made only 10 of 53 field-goal attempts and went 6-for-32 from 3-point range. Iowa State finished with a 42-4 advantage in points off turnovers and outscored Upper Iowa 56-6 in the paint.
Turnsek shot 6-for-12 from the floor and grabbed five offensive rebounds. Sienna Harvey contributed 12 points on 5-for-8 shooting and a team-high four assists. Alex-Anne Bessette also went 5-for-8, finishing with 12 points and five rebounds.
Gift Ezekiel supplied nine points and a game-high eight rebounds, including four on the offensive end. Xiao Zhang added nine points, while Mya Babbitt knocked down two 3-pointers for six points.
Iowa State outrebounded Upper Iowa 47-32, gathered 14 offensive boards and held an 18-6 edge in second-chance points. The Cyclones’ reserves contributed 45 points, with all 13 players logging at least 10 minutes and nobody reaching 20.
Arianna Jackson buried a 3-pointer nine seconds into the game, and Iowa State never trailed. The Cyclones opened a 15-point lead while keeping Upper Iowa scoreless for nearly five minutes, then finished the first quarter ahead 27-4.
The second quarter brought more of the same. Babbitt’s 3-pointer made it 31-6 with 6:36 remaining, and Iowa State closed the half on a 20-1 run to take a 54-13 advantage into the locker room.
Bessette opened the second half with a layup. Iowa State shot 11-for-17 in the third quarter, building a 79-22 lead heading into the fourth. The margin eventually reached 61 points.
The Cyclones finished at 50 percent from the field, making 32 of 64 attempts, and recorded 15 assists. There were still areas to sharpen before games begin counting: Iowa State shot 4-for-18 from beyond the arc, made 22 of 36 free throws and committed 16 turnovers.
Lindsey Davis led Upper Iowa with nine points. Ava Privet and Cora Widel scored six apiece, while Widel blocked four shots.
The exhibition offered a look at the Cyclones heading into a season following longtime assistant Jodi Steyer’s retirement after 24 seasons with Iowa State.
Iowa State remains 0-0 because the exhibition does not count toward its regular-season record. The Cyclones officially open the 2026-27 season Monday, November 2, hosting Grambling State at Hilton Coliseum. Tipoff is set for 6:30 p.m.