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KANSAS CITY, Mo – Before Iowa State women’s basketball's practice on Tuesday, March 3, coach Bill Fennelly reminded his players of a valuable lesson they learned during the regular season.
After going through plenty of ups and downs during the Big 12 Conference season, the Cyclones had proven they could beat any team in the league, but also lose to anyone on any given night.
“The message was really simple that if we play the way we’re capable of playing, and I think we’ve already proven it, we can play with anyone in this tournament,” Fennelly said in an interview with The Des Moines Register on March 4. “But if we don’t do the things we’re supposed to do, whether it’s rebounding or scouting report defense or turning the ball over, you’re going to get beat.”
The possibilities are all over the place. Iowa State could be in store for a long stay at the Big 12 Conference Tournament, which runs through March 8, or an early exit. The journey begins when the 7-seed Cyclones play in the second round on March 5 against the winner of the Arizona/Arizona State game at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Mo.
“There’s no one here I would be like, ‘We can’t beat them,’” Fennelly said. “I mean, that’s happened in the past and there’s no one that we’re playing that’s like, ‘Oh man, if we show up, we’re going to win the game.’ There’s none of that either.”
Iowa State has already experienced a wide range of successes and failures this season. It began the year by matching the school record with 14-straight wins. The Cyclones followed that up with five straight losses and then rallied with five-straight wins. The inconsistencies, largely in part due to injuries to starters Addy Brown and Arianna Jackson, made them an unpredictable team.
More: Iowa State women 7-seed in Big 12 Tournament; here is Cyclones' path
Just look at the Big 12 campaign. The Cyclones nearly took down league champion TCU on the road on Feb. 22, went toe-to-toe with Big 12 powerhouse Baylor and almost won at home against Oklahoma State. On the flip side, Oklahoma State dominated Iowa State on the road, and Cincinnati, one of the worst teams in the league, also took down the Cyclones.
That's why Fennelly isn't overly confident or overly worried about his team's chances this week.
“I think we could win the whole thing and I think we could lose (Thursday),” Fennelly said. “I really do.”
The good news for the Cyclones is that they at least appear to be headed in the right direction. Jackson returned earlier this season and sparked the five game winning streak. Brown, one of the most versatile players in the nation, is back after missing 11 games. The two were instrumental in helping Iowa State nearly knock off TCU. That close call, along with a come-from-behind win at Kansas State to wrap up the regular season, was enough to make Fennelly feel confident about his team’s hopes in Kansas City.
“Our team is trending in the right direction with Addy back,” Fennelly said.
More: Evangelia Paulk injury update for Iowa State women's basketball at Big 12 tournament
Still, nothing is a guarantee, especially as Brown continues to get back into a rhythm after the long layoff. But her return certainly helps boost hopes for a team that began the season with high expectations and was picked to finish second in the Big 12. While that didn’t happen, the Cyclones can still make a run this March, beginning at the conference tournament.
“If we play really, really well, we could be here for a while,” Fennelly said. “And if you stumble once, no matter who it is (Thursday), you’re on a bus home on Friday.”
No one may have benefited more from the return of Brown than Iowa State star Audi Crooks, who struggled during stretches while Brown was out with a lower-body injury. The junior from Algona is back to playing some of her best basketball with her teammate on the court again. During Iowa State's win at Kansas State, Crooks poured in a game-high 41 points on 16-of-19 shooting.
More: Audi Crooks scores 41 points as Iowa State women beat K-State on road
Fennelly credited Brown with having a huge hand in Crooks' recent resurgence. Cooks was a unanimous first team All-Big 12 pick by the coaches, but Brown has helped her in a big way this season. Brown gives Iowa State another player to get the ball in the post to Crooks, something that has typically fallen on point guards Jada Williams and Reese Beaty.
With Brown back, the Cyclones have another option.
"Besides Audi physically putting the ball in the basket, probably most of it," Fennelly said when asked about Brown's impact on Crooks.
More: Audi Crooks, Jada Williams and Arianna Jackson take home Big 12 awards
Crooks and Williams both earned postseason accolades, being named to the All-Big 12 first team this week, but a major honor went to Jackson as well.
The guard was named the Big 12 Scholar-Athlete of the Year. According to the league, Jackson boasts a 4.0 GPA. She’s also averaged 6.9 points per game while shooting 44.8% from the field. Jackson is the second Iowa State player to earn the title in the past three years, joining Emily Ryan in 2024.
“She defines what that person is,” Fennelly said of Jackson.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Iowa State women's basketball ready for unpredictable Big 12 Tournament
Continue reading...
After going through plenty of ups and downs during the Big 12 Conference season, the Cyclones had proven they could beat any team in the league, but also lose to anyone on any given night.
“The message was really simple that if we play the way we’re capable of playing, and I think we’ve already proven it, we can play with anyone in this tournament,” Fennelly said in an interview with The Des Moines Register on March 4. “But if we don’t do the things we’re supposed to do, whether it’s rebounding or scouting report defense or turning the ball over, you’re going to get beat.”
The possibilities are all over the place. Iowa State could be in store for a long stay at the Big 12 Conference Tournament, which runs through March 8, or an early exit. The journey begins when the 7-seed Cyclones play in the second round on March 5 against the winner of the Arizona/Arizona State game at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Mo.
“There’s no one here I would be like, ‘We can’t beat them,’” Fennelly said. “I mean, that’s happened in the past and there’s no one that we’re playing that’s like, ‘Oh man, if we show up, we’re going to win the game.’ There’s none of that either.”
Iowa State has already experienced a wide range of successes and failures this season. It began the year by matching the school record with 14-straight wins. The Cyclones followed that up with five straight losses and then rallied with five-straight wins. The inconsistencies, largely in part due to injuries to starters Addy Brown and Arianna Jackson, made them an unpredictable team.
More: Iowa State women 7-seed in Big 12 Tournament; here is Cyclones' path
Just look at the Big 12 campaign. The Cyclones nearly took down league champion TCU on the road on Feb. 22, went toe-to-toe with Big 12 powerhouse Baylor and almost won at home against Oklahoma State. On the flip side, Oklahoma State dominated Iowa State on the road, and Cincinnati, one of the worst teams in the league, also took down the Cyclones.
That's why Fennelly isn't overly confident or overly worried about his team's chances this week.
“I think we could win the whole thing and I think we could lose (Thursday),” Fennelly said. “I really do.”
The good news for the Cyclones is that they at least appear to be headed in the right direction. Jackson returned earlier this season and sparked the five game winning streak. Brown, one of the most versatile players in the nation, is back after missing 11 games. The two were instrumental in helping Iowa State nearly knock off TCU. That close call, along with a come-from-behind win at Kansas State to wrap up the regular season, was enough to make Fennelly feel confident about his team’s hopes in Kansas City.
“Our team is trending in the right direction with Addy back,” Fennelly said.
More: Evangelia Paulk injury update for Iowa State women's basketball at Big 12 tournament
Still, nothing is a guarantee, especially as Brown continues to get back into a rhythm after the long layoff. But her return certainly helps boost hopes for a team that began the season with high expectations and was picked to finish second in the Big 12. While that didn’t happen, the Cyclones can still make a run this March, beginning at the conference tournament.
“If we play really, really well, we could be here for a while,” Fennelly said. “And if you stumble once, no matter who it is (Thursday), you’re on a bus home on Friday.”
The reason for Audi Crooks' recent resurgence? Addy Brown
No one may have benefited more from the return of Brown than Iowa State star Audi Crooks, who struggled during stretches while Brown was out with a lower-body injury. The junior from Algona is back to playing some of her best basketball with her teammate on the court again. During Iowa State's win at Kansas State, Crooks poured in a game-high 41 points on 16-of-19 shooting.
More: Audi Crooks scores 41 points as Iowa State women beat K-State on road
Fennelly credited Brown with having a huge hand in Crooks' recent resurgence. Cooks was a unanimous first team All-Big 12 pick by the coaches, but Brown has helped her in a big way this season. Brown gives Iowa State another player to get the ball in the post to Crooks, something that has typically fallen on point guards Jada Williams and Reese Beaty.
With Brown back, the Cyclones have another option.
"Besides Audi physically putting the ball in the basket, probably most of it," Fennelly said when asked about Brown's impact on Crooks.
More: Audi Crooks, Jada Williams and Arianna Jackson take home Big 12 awards
Arianna Jackson earns Big 12 league honor
Crooks and Williams both earned postseason accolades, being named to the All-Big 12 first team this week, but a major honor went to Jackson as well.
The guard was named the Big 12 Scholar-Athlete of the Year. According to the league, Jackson boasts a 4.0 GPA. She’s also averaged 6.9 points per game while shooting 44.8% from the field. Jackson is the second Iowa State player to earn the title in the past three years, joining Emily Ryan in 2024.
“She defines what that person is,” Fennelly said of Jackson.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Iowa State women's basketball ready for unpredictable Big 12 Tournament
Continue reading...
