Cyclones suffer lopsided loss to Sooners; Fennelly postgame video

Cyclone Fanatic’s coverage of Iowa State women’s basketball is brought to you by Wilson Toyota of Ames. 

AMES — After starting the season on a school-record 14-game winning streak, nothing has gone right for the Iowa State women’s basketball team in their last four games.   

The Cyclones (14-4, 3-4 Big 12) suffered their fourth consecutive loss on Tuesday night, and their third in a row at Hilton Coliseum, to the Oklahoma Sooners (12-7, 3-3 Big 12) by a 75-54 final.

Iowa State had picked up an overtime win over Oklahoma in Norman just 16 days earlier as part of their unbeaten start to the season.  

The theme of the losing streak for Iowa State has been an inability to shoot the basketball. Those shooting woes continued on Tuesday night as the Cyclones shot just 17-for-54 (31.5 percent) from the field and 4-for-26 (15.4 percent) from 3-point range. 

“If we don’t shoot the ball well and put too much pressure on our defense, we are going to struggle,” Iowa State coach Bill Fennelly said. "And that is what has happened the last four games."

The Cyclones were led offensively by junior guard Nikki Moody, who finished with 18 points and five assists. 

“I thought that Nikki was probably the one kid that showed up to play,” Fennelly said. “The foul trouble hurt her a little bit, but she was aggressive and tried to get to the basket.” 

In the first matchup between the two teams, it was Iowa State freshman guard Jadda Buckley that set the tone for the Cyclones with 29 points. On Tuesday, she finished with zero points on just two shot attempts. 

“To shoot the ball just twice in 28 minutes, when you shoot the ball as well as she does,” Fennelly said. “I don’t know why she does it.” 

The Cyclones also got the usual contribution from Hallie Christofferson, who finished with 15 points and eight rebounds, before fouling out with 7:42 to go in the ballgame.  Christofferson had entered the game needing 17 points to pass Stacy Frese as No. 8 all-time in scoring at Iowa State.  

Oklahoma was led in scoring by Aaryn Ellenberg with 22 points. The Sooners also out-rebounded Iowa State 43-35 and forced 16 Cyclone turnovers. 

The Iowa State women’s next action will be Saturday on the road in Lubbock, Texas against the Texas Tech Red Raiders.