Mar 9, 2024; Kansas City, MO, USA; Iowa State Cyclones guard Emily Ryan (11) celebrates after defeating the Baylor Lady Bears during the second half at T-Mobile Center. Mandatory Credit: Amy Kontras-USA TODAY Sports
Kansas City – Iowa State went 4 minutes and 29 seconds consecutively without scoring a point in its 67-62, Big 12 quarterfinals win over No. 5 Baylor on Saturday.
The Cyclones were being hindered by a Baylor press that started to show itself late in the third quarter, but stayed within striking distance despite the lack of execution during the stretch.
“I think we were just sped up,” freshman guard Addy Brown said. “It wasn’t anything they did. It was the choices we made with our passes and we just sped ourselves up, but once we calmed down it was perfectly fine and we beat it with no problems.”
Fortunately for the Cyclones, the Bears mustered just six points – on a pair of 3-pointers – during that scoreless drought.
Baylor ended the fourth quarter with a 3-24 mark from the field.
“They were ultra aggressive,” Fennelly said. “They started trapping us. They always pressure the ball. Their press bothered us. I thought we were in the right spots and I think what happens is when you get pressed a lot people run away from the ball a little bit. And they’re down there like, hey, Emily, I hope you get it up the floor. We had trouble with it. We made a couple really bad decisions.
“The biggest thing we told our kids is, ‘you gotta play through the contact,’ and we had about four possessions in a row that were awful and we work on it constantly,” Fennelly said. “Once we changed our entry point, it was — it definitely bothered us. They don’t want to say that too much, but it was very good. They can guard you now.”
But Iowa State held strong.
Once the Cyclones were able to get into an offensive rhythm, the shots started to fall.
Fennelly credits the mindset of Iowa State’s freshmen pairing with the experience of Emily Ryan for the final three minutes and nine seconds, where the Cyclones outscored Baylor 12-1.
“I think what happens is there was – our team is balanced between the young guys that (say) let’s just keep playing and Emily Ryan, who keeps everyone organized.” Fennelly said. “And when you get that combination it’s kinda different, but I think today probably was more that way considering the moment, considering the stress level than we have had all year. There was no panic by the young ones and Emily is always talking, we’re fine, we’re fine, next one. She just — she is the leader that they needed and they needed her really bad today and she came through as she always does.”
Ryan finished the game with 12 points, 7 rebounds and 10 assists, which helped her set the program record for career assists at Iowa State.
“Obviously it’s a great record,” Fennelly said. “We’ve had a lot of great point guards that have played at Iowa State, and for her to do it says a lot about her, says a lot about the people that she has played with. You get an assist because you throw it to someone who can make a basket. Emily will never probably have her jersey retired. She won’t be viewed in some regards like some of the All-American players we’ve had, but there is no one that I’ve ever coached that loves her teammates, loves her school, loves her coaches more than her. It’s been an honor for me to coach her. I’ve had a lot of great people. You guys just don’t see it like I see it, but there is no one like her, ever will be.”
The constant throughout the game continuously went back to getting the ball to Audi Crooks in the paint.
Iowa State moved the ball around in an effort to get double and triple-team’s away from Crooks, and get her back to a 1-on-1 matchup.
Baylor had no answer, and Crooks rolled to 23 points on the day, one of which came in a shooter’s roll 3-pointer that rattled in and gave the Cyclones a big momentum swing in the first quarter.
“I got the green light from (Fennelly),” Crooks said. “It kind of bounced around a little bit and I’m like ‘Please, please, I want the green light,’ and it went in. I was so excited.”
There’s no telling if Crooks will return to the arc for a shot in Iowa State’s next game, but as long as it finds the net, she’ll be allowed to keep shooting.
Iowa State will take on No. 1 Oklahoma in the Big 12 semifinals on Monday at 1:30 p.m.
