Mar 11, 2024; Kansas City, MO, USA; Iowa State Cyclones guard Emily Ryan (11) brings the ball up court past Oklahoma Sooners guard Kennady Tucker (4) during the second half at T-Mobile Center. Mandatory Credit: William Purnell-USA TODAY Sports
Iowa State won its 2023 Big 12 championship with consecutive wins over Baylor, Oklahoma and Texas, and will now have the chance to do the same for the 2024 title on Tuesday (8 p.m. ESPN2).
Despite the return trip, Iowa State boasts a different set of players. For many, it’s their first championship game.
“For some of us we get to come back and play in a championship game,” Iowa State coach Bill Fennelly said. “We won it last year. Well, there are five freshmen, a D-2 transfer and another transfer that weren’t in Ames last year. So they’ve never done it. So it’s kind of like literally watching your grandkids open presents at Christmas because it’s new, it’s exciting for them.”
Emily Ryan is one of the few on the team that were playing during the 2023 championship.
She’s used Iowa State’s latest run to gain some perspective about just what it means.
“It’s just super special to experience it last year and now kind of getting to experience it through the freshmen’s lens,” Ryan said. “They’re going through it for the first time and it’s super special to experience it through the eyes of them and kind of lead them through it as much as I can and kind of enjoying the process. It’s really cool to do it with this group because they have been through a lot and it hasn’t been easy and I’m just grateful I get to show up with the coaching staff I get to show up with and the team that I get to show up with every day. And nothing more that I would ask for than showing up for a championship game tomorrow.”
The Cyclones have gotten used to that this season.
With 10 players, including five freshman, that had never played power conference basketball, the team has had a steep learning curve to get over.
Granted, the Cyclones found their way to a 12-6 record in Big 12 play, securing the No. 4 seed and punching a ticket to the championship in the midst of a six-game win streak.
“That’s been the case pretty much every game we’ve walked into this year is that it’s the first time and they have embraced every challenge really well and I have no doubt they will do the same thing tomorrow,” Ryan said. “I think the big thing for us is just to approach it like we do any other game, do what we need to do and take care of ourselves and then let the outcome take care of itself. The big I think is to stay in the moment and not try to do anything we haven’t done before, just keep doing what we’re doing.”
It goes back to Fennelly’s mantra: playing ‘the Iowa State way.’
The Cyclones know their strengths, and have utilized them throughout recent weeks, taking games one possession at a time and seeing increasingly stronger performances from players that average less minutes.
The system will be put to the test – undoubtedly – on Tuesday against Texas, but there’s no shortage of momentum behind the group in cardinal and gold.
