Iowa State’s Reagan Wilson (22) takes a three-point shot over central College Jasmyn Williams (3) during the first quarter in an exhibition game at Hilton Coliseum on Wednesdays, Oct. 30, 2024, in Ames, Iowa. © Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
AMES – Iowa State coach Bill Fennelly didn’t waste any time trying out different rotations in the Cyclones 105-53 exhibition game win over Central Wednesday.
All 11 players saw action on the floor in the first quarter, and Fennelly rolled out a lineup entirely of newcomers to the floor before the first quarter media timeout.
“We did kind of what we wanted to do in the game – play everyone 16-20 minutes,” Fennelly said. “We got combinations in that we wanted and we felt it was a really good day for us.”
It was mostly business-as-usual for a top 10 ranked Iowa State group expected to have no problem with a division 3 team, but a pair of Cyclones made their presences felt for the first time at Hilton Coliseum.
Iowa State got an extremely efficient game out of post Alisa Williams, who recorded a 13-point, 10-rebound double-double.
“I told her to get out there and be a monster tonight and look for her own,” forward Addy Brown Brown said of her teammate. “Sometimes she likes to play a little selfish and look for the pass first. I thought she was a monster tonight.”
The LSU transfer sat out last season, but has got some extra time on the floor with UMass transfer Lily Taulelei sitting out with an injury.
From the sounds of it, she’s made the most of it in practice, too.
“She was rotating in with (Taulelei) when LT got hurt,” Fennelly said. “To her credit, she saw an opening and flew through it… She might be the most surprising, positive thing for our team since we started practice. The last two weeks, she’s been really, really good.”
So far, Williams had just spent time at the No. 5 spot in the post, but Fennelly says they will experiment with her at the No. 4 spot moving forward.
“She’s going to impact our team,” Fennelly said of Williams. “We’re going to have to be creative and find other ways to get her in the game besides subbing for Audi (Crooks). We haven’t tried her at the No. 4 spot yet, but we’re going to do that. She deserves to play more, and the goal is to get your best five players in the game at any given time. And, I think it’d be hard to say she’s not one of our best five players at certain times.”
Iowa State’s got another point guard on its roster, too, in Noblesville, Indiana’s Reagan Wilson.
The true freshman made the most of her time on the floor, showing off plenty of speed and agility while running the point.
The point guard took advantage of a (just barely) team-high 21 minutes on the floor, scoring nine points on three triples with four assists and two boards.
“She’s more than made the case,” Fennelly said of Wilson. “She’s going to play. I think what you saw tonight from her, and (fellow freshman Aili Tanke). They know what they’re doing – they’re very smart… I think Reagan has the best role model in Emily Ryan… What you saw tonight is what we see in practice.”
While Wilson was running the point, Tanke finished with three triples of her own, and looked comfortable in her first game in a Cyclone uniform.
If there was anything the returning players showed the most improvement at, it would be with ball movement.
The Cyclones assisted on 31 of their 42 made field goals with sophomore Addy Brown finding seven of the passes.
It won’t be as seamless against better competition, but all things considered, it’s a good sign for any team.
Iowa State officially opens the season Monday, as it faces Chicago State (11 a.m. ESPN+) for its annual school-day game.
