Iowa State Cyclones’ forward Addy Brown (24), center Audi Crooks (55) and guard Emily Ryan (11) celebrates during a timeout in the fourth quarter against Texas Tech of the Big-12 women’s basketball showdown at Hilton Coliseum on Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025, in Ames, Iowa. © Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
AMES — Click through the first seven statistical categories the Big 12 features on its women’s basketball site.
One team stands atop each one: No. 11 Kansas State.
“Their numbers are borderline ridiculous,” said Iowa State head coach Bill Fennelly, whose team (15-7, 6-3) will face the Wildcats (19-2, 7-1) at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at Bramlage Coliseum in Manhattan. “And I think there are a lot of things that go into that.”
One of those things — star seventh-year center Ayoka Lee — can no longer fuel Kansas State’s burgeoning success for the foreseeable future. The 6-6 All-American fractured a bone in her foot 10 days ago in an 81-69 win over Arizona State, and is out indefinitely. The Wildcats then saw their 14-game winning streak snapped Saturday at Colorado, but they’ve played well without Lee in the past, and Fennelly expects they’ll do the same on Thursday and beyond.
That’s because Kansas State can lean more heavily into standout senior guard Serena Sundell’s impressive production. She’s led the Wildcats in scoring in three of the past five games and ranks second to Lee in points per game (13.0) Sundell also averaged 17.5 points per game in a pair of close losses to the Cyclones last season, and is among the conference’s most versatile and skilled players.
“I don’t think there’s any question Sundell will be one of the finalists for (Big 12) player of the year,” said Fennelly, whose team has won seven of the past eight meetings in the series. “I’m a huge fan of hers. She’s gonna be a great pro, I think. But they play the game the right way. They don’t beat themselves and it’s always a good environment when we play there.”
Fennelly said he’ll adopt an all-hands-on-deck approach to guarding Sundell rather than tasking one of his top defenders, such as Arianna Jackson, exclusively with that challenge. And if too many resources are spent in an effort to contain Sundell, several other Wildcats can take over offensively, including forward Temira Poindexter (12.7 points) and guard Jaelyn Glenn (9.4 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.9 assists). Both seniors shoot 40 percent or better from 3-point range, which helps explain how Kansas State leads the conference in almost every major offensive statistical measure.
“They have a well-rounded team,” said senior ISU guard Emily Ryan, who averaged 11.5 points, seven rebounds and 10.5 assists in her team’s wins over the Wildcats last season. “It’s not just (Lee). Everybody around her is really talented, so it’s next man up for them and that’s what they’re doing. Super-talented team that’s gonna come ready to go, regardless of who they have on the court and who’s not on the court.”
Lee’s absence could help the Cyclones’ star sophomore center Audi Crooks put together another dominant offensive performance. Crooks ranks sixth nationally in scoring at 22.2 points per game, but will likely see an array of creative and disruptive defensive tactics (again) deployed to lessen her impact on the game.
“Right now, it’s kind of, you front her and limit her touches, or when she catches it, you come and get it,” Fennelly said. “Those are two completely different styles. So we have to practice them both basically every day and hopefully we’re getting a little better.”
The stats show that they are. ISU’s won six of its last seven games to solidify a foothold among the top-third tier in the league — and a first ranked win of the season would likely move the Cyclones’ off the NCAA Tournament bubble.
“I think we’ve found somewhat of a rhythm,” Ryan said. “Everyone knows their role and they’re embracing it.”