Ford Griffith, Sports Reporter
Iowa State will be a semi-final exit with a loss to Oklahoma State
Round two: Iowa State 83, Arizona State 70
Once again, the Cyclones are matched up with the Sun Devils. This time, the stakes are a little higher. On Wednesday, No. 15 Arizona State beat No. 10 Cincinnati 82-75, a game that Cincinnati was favored to win.
The last time the Cyclones played the Sun Devils, they came out on top with a 90-83 victory. It was a game that ended a little closer than Iowa State had hoped. At that point in the season, both teams were 2-2 in Big 12 play, so it seemed like an even matchup.
However, at this point, Iowa State has been on a tear, and the Sun Devils have not. Winning six of their last seven games, I think the Cyclones have improved to another level that Arizona State has not hit this season.
I believe sophomore center Audi Crooks will be dominant and the experience that the Cyclone starters have playing in Big 12 tournament games will be too much for the Sun Devils.
Quarter finals: Iowa State 61, Baylor 56
I think the next round against Baylor will be all about defense and being able to get buckets in tough situations. The Cyclones lost to Baylor in Waco, Texas, but the environment will play a big role in how this game turns out.
The Cyclones shot quite poorly in that matchup, and I think that won’t happen again. With Baylor not playing in five days, Iowa State will be more fresh and jump out to a faster start than the Bears.
After jumping to an early lead, Iowa State will need to continue scoring while slowing down the well-rounded Baylor offense. This could be a big sophomore forward Addy Brown and Crooks two-man game, pulling off a big upset.
Semi finals: Oklahoma State 79, Iowa State 71
Despite the impressive run, I think many teams are overlooking the skill that Oklahoma State possesses. Similar to Iowa State, the Cowgirls won six of their last seven games and have only lost five games all year.
With two games being played already for Iowa State, this might be where the Cyclones run out of gas. Oklahoma State has quietly been one of the most consistent teams not only in the Big 12, but in the nation.
Oklahoma State holds its opponents to just under 60 points per game, and Iowa State might be unable to piece together a third straight impressive performance. Unfortunately, this is where the road ends for Iowa State in the Big 12 Tournament.
Championship: TCU 75, Oklahoma State 67
TCU has been super impressive all year and has limited how many fluke games they have played. With Hailey Van Lith and Sedona Prince, it might be too much for Oklahoma State to stop.
With three Big 12 First Team players, TCU will take control late and secure a two seed in March Madness.
Kayde Sheaffer, Sports Reporter
Iowa State will beat Arizona State, but fall to Baylor
Round two: Iowa State 76, Arizona State 62
After achieving its first ranked win of the season before entering the Big 12 Tournament, Iowa State has the potential to advance to the quarterfinals, where they will meet Baylor in Kansas City.
As seen throughout the season, Crooks is essential for the Cyclones’ success. After having one of her best games this season, tallying up a new season high of 36 points against now-No. 20 Kansas State, Crooks averages 23 points per game and is the key factor for the Cyclones to secure a win.
This being said, Crooks is a large target for many teams moving forward, as she is one of the top-scoring leaders in the Big 12 and can dominate in all the minutes she is on the court. Therefore, Iowa State’s success moving forward is going to be based on how the team uses Crooks and the team’s ability to send her clean, easy passes in the paint.
Starting in the second round, I believe Iowa State will dominate Arizona State in a 12-point win. Although the Sun Devils came to play against Cincinnati, they have a very weak defensive structure and will be unable to limit the Cyclones offensively.
Despite a close win during the last meeting against Arizona State with a 90-83 win, to contribute to the Sun Devils’ 10-21 overall record, Iowa State has evolved so much as a team that I think the Cyclones will blow this game out of the park.
Quarter finals: Baylor 77, Iowa State 68
Predicting they move to the quarterfinals, I believe Iowa State’s time with Baylor will be a tough watch. The Cyclones will put up a tough fight, but Baylor is brutal with its defense, and Iowa State will ultimately head home after losing in a close game.
Baylor’s star player, junior guard/forward Darianna Littlepage-Buggs, who averages 14.3 points per game, missed the last four games with Baylor due to an injury. If the slim odds she comes back to play, I don’t believe Baylor will put her in until they make it to the semifinals.
Because the Bears have already beaten Iowa State 67-52, there is no need to rush Littlepage-Buggs back in until desperately needed.
This being said, senior center Aaronette Vonleh and other players, such as senior guards Jada Walker and Yaya Felder, who both average in the 40% range from the field, are going to pick up the slack from missing Littlepage-Buggs, which has been presented strongly in their last games. However, Vonleh is one of Crooks’ biggest weaknesses going into the Big 12, as she has a history of giving Crooks trouble inside the paint due to her 6-foot 3-inch stature and her long length.
With Crooks being a hot commodity, many other players will need to step up, specifically from behind the arc. However, that is always risky, as the Cyclones can be a hit or miss from deep.
Although Crooks has the ability to undermine many players, her points can still be minimized, so it’s all going to come down to how well Iowa State can play as a team when it counts.
Championship: TCU 73, Baylor 66
As Iowa State will be out by the quarterfinals, I believe Baylor and TCU will face off in the finals, with TCU eventually taking home another conference title.
