Iowa State Cyclones’ forward Addy Brown (24) drives with the ball around Colorado Buffaloes’s forward Nyamer Diew (11) during the first quarter in the Big-12 women’s basketball at Hilton Coliseum on Saturday, Feb. 8, 2025, in Ames, Iowa. © Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
AMES — One measly rebound.
That’s all Iowa State sophomore standout Addy Brown needed in Saturday’s 93-80 win at Kansas to record her first triple-double as a Cyclone.
“It’s always like, ‘Dang, one rebound and I could have had it,’” said Brown, who will showcase her wide-ranging abilities again in Wednesday’s 6:30 p.m. matchup with Houston at Hilton Coliseum. “But life goes on. We have plenty more games left and I’m just gonna try to get it another game, I guess, but it would have been pretty cool to snag it there at Kansas.”
Brown and fellow native Kansan Emily Ryan both shined in Lawrence, combining for 37 points, 11 rebounds and 16 assists. ISU (18-9, 9-5) won its third consecutive game and cemented itself in the top half of the Big 12. The Cyclones also enhanced their once-tenuous NCAA Tournament hopes — and with a win over the Cougars (5-20, 1-13) they’d carve out their first four-game win streak in conference play this season.
“Our team has a lot to play for,” said ISU head coach Bill Fennelly, who has hedged ISU to the tournament 22 times in his 29-plus seasons. “Hopefully we understand that and that’s the way we play moving forward.”
Oh, they’re well aware.
Brown and Ryan are playing their best basketball as the final four games of the regular season loom. Two of those games will feature ranked foes as the Cyclones travel to No. 19 Baylor on Saturday, then face 12th-ranked Kansas State eight days later in their regular season finale at home.
“Keep working hard and take care of the little things,” said Brown, who’s averaging 15 points, 7.4 rebounds and 5.1 assists. “Those are the things that really matter this time of year. The plan is that you peak in February and March, and so far that’s what we’re doing.”
Houston — which has dropped eight straight games — is unlikely to disturb ISU’s groove. But the Cougars’ one conference win came against No. 24 Oklahoma State, so it would be unwise to take the Cougars lightly.
“They beat Oklahoma State (and) we didn’t,” Fennelly said. “We’ve all seen what could happen, and that’s why I’ve always been next 40 minutes, nameless, faceless opponent — I bore you guys to tears. … I mean, anyone that thinks we’re overlooking anyone at this time of year, playing at home, they don’t deserve to wear our uniform. If that’s on their mind then we haven’t done our job.”
So all Fennelly asks of his players is to do theirs. He knows Audi Crooks (23 points, 7.6 rebounds) will continue to be a mismatch nightmare in the post. He knows Brown and Ryan will continue to perform at a high level — and he’s increasingly convinced several other ISU players such as Arianna Jackson and Kelsey Joens will continue to shine on both ends of the floor, as well.
“I think (the team) has done the best they could do on a daily basis, and that’s all I can ask of them,” Fennelly said. “I’m proud of that fact. I’m proud of my staff. And hopefully there (are) a few good moments left for them and we can do some good things.”
So Brown’s triple-double will likely come, but it won’t be manufactured or conjured into existence. It must emerge organically, just like the Cyclones’ current late-season surge.
“It is what it is,” she said. “We’ll try to get it another game.”
