SOUTH BEND, INDIANA – MARCH 21: Emily Ryan #11 of the Iowa State Cyclones dribbles against Brooke Daniels #5 of the Michigan Wolverines during the first half in the first round of the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament at Purcell Pavilion at the Joyce Center on March 21, 2025 in South Bend, Indiana. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
SOUTH BEND – “It’s one of those things that you realize is going to happen, but you never want it to.”
Those were Emily Ryan’s words following her final game in an Iowa State uniform – an 80-74 loss to Michigan in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Friday.
The Cyclones held a 10-point lead in the third quarter, and dominated the momentum for most of third frame. They had all of the makings of completing an upset, until Michigan started to make shots at an increased clip.
“We were playing well on offense and on defense,” Ryan said. “That’s just kind of basketball. It’s a game of runs and it’s a team sport – everyone has to do their jobs and I’ll take full credit for this one, I didn’t do my job today. It’s just not easy feeling that way, but it’s something you’ve got to take accountability for. I couldn’t be more proud of how everyone came out and gave everything they had. That’s something we can take with us and be proud of.”
Michigan connected on three 3-pointers in the final 2:14 of the third quarter, and literally shot its way back into the lead during a three-minute stretch in the fourth quarter.
“When you come in, I told myself I was going to leave everything in it and have no regrets,” Ryan said. “So, that’s what I kind of tried to do. I just hope that I was able to do enough for this program and do my part and left it in a better place that I found it.”
It took some time for Iowa State to get settled in, with both Addy Brown and Audi Crooks picking up two fouls in the first quarter.
But Iowa State started to attack Michigan’s five-guard lineup, which stayed out there most of the game after post Yulia Grabovskaia was taken out of the game with three fouls.
The ball was going to the interior with ease, and Audi Crooks was putting her shots in. She finished 13-18 with 28 points and seven rebounds.
Addy Brown quietly collected a near-triple-double with eight points, nine rebounds and 10 assists, and was integral in finding Crooks on the interior.
“I’m not going to harp on too much that we would have done, could have, should have done because that’s over,” Crooks said. “That’s not going to help us in any way, shape or form.”
Michigan’s onslaught just proved too much to overcome, ending Iowa State’s season.
“Basically, the message that we give our team every game is (that) you want to walk out of the building, (with) no excuses, no regrets,” coach Bill Fennelly said. “And we don’t have any.”
The Cyclones finish the year at 23-12, having qualified for 23 of the last 30 NCAA Tournaments under Fennelly including each of the last six.
“My evaluation is obviously going to be very different than most people,” Fennelly said. “But I thought our team did everything right. They sort of joked, but they showed up. I think showing up is a skill in life. They showed up every day. They did things the right way.
“I really could not be more proud of our team,” Fennelly said. “Obviously disappointed in the result of one game, but this team has done so much for our school, I think for women’s basketball, for the Big 12. And probably, more importantly, that he have done a lot for me.”
Fennelly and his staff will prepared for the NCAA Transfer Portal, which opens on Tuesday, March 25.
They’ll start season 31 of the Fennelly era without Ryan on the floor, but she’s as confident as anyone in the group she’ll leave behind.
“I couldn’t be more excited for the future and for all the guys in that locker room,” Ryan said. “All of them have another opportunity to come back and get after it, they’re going to be hungry and they have the right mindset. They have a lot of talent. I’m jut really excited to watch them and be their biggest cheerleader from here on out.”
