Iowa State snapped a two-game losing streak with a commanding 72-52 win over Cincinnati on the road Wednesday night.

The Cyclones improved to 16-9 and picked up a much-needed win after a gauntlet of a week. With two games against top-15 opponents in the past week, the Cyclones were battle-tested, and they looked the part Wednesday night. The win keeps Iowa State above the Bearcats in the Big 12 standings and gives the Cyclones’ next game against Colorado a little more weight.

Iowa State was without junior guard/forward Sydney Harris due to illness, someone who had appeared in all 24 games. Harris averages 7.5 points per game and is the Cyclones’ top 3-point shooter at 47%.

To start the game, Cincinnati gave Iowa State all the looks they wanted from deep, and the Cyclones capitalized on it. The Cyclones shot 4-for-10 from deep in the first quarter, more attempts than the entire game against TCU. Sophomore center Audi Crooks began to warm up in the second quarter, adding six points and four rebounds, helping Iowa State take a 35-23 lead at halftime.

The second half was the very opposite of the past game. Five players scored five or more points in the half, and collectively, the Cyclones shot 48%. Additionally, Iowa State took great care of the ball and turned it over just four times in the second half. The Cyclones closed the game out and won 72-52.

Joens and Jackson step up

Against TCU, Crooks and sophomore forward Addy Brown scored 60 of the Cyclones’ 69 points and were definitely a point of emphasis heading into the next few games to get some others more involved. 

Sophomore guards Arianna Jackson and Kelsey Joens played what may have been both of their best performances all season.

Jackson had 17 points on 5-for-9 shooting, including 4-for-8 from deep. She tied her career-high with 17 points and added five rebounds and three assists. 

Joens was one rebound shy of a double-double, including three offensive rebounds. Joens tied her season-high with 11 points and shot 50% from the field.

To spark some second-chance opportunities for the Cyclones in the first half, Joens was running everywhere and creating shot chances for Iowa State.

“I’m gonna shout out Kelsey Joens, she was all over the floor tonight,” Crooks said. “It’s just little things like that that are really gonna put us over the edge.”

Crooks’ efficient shooting

Crooks ended the night with 18 points and six rebounds, extending her streak of 10 or more points in a game to 57. The only time she did not reach that mark was the first game of her collegiate career. 

Although 18 points were her third-lowest mark in conference play, she showed some improvements in the efficiency area. 

Crooks scored 29 points against TCU but did it on 12-of-26 shooting, something head coach Bill Fennelly mentioned in the post-game conference. With 7-of-12 shooting and a perfect 4-for-4 from the line, Crooks reached 18 points without needing 20 shot attempts. 

Cyclone defense slows Cincinnati

Iowa State gave up just 52 points against the Bearcats, the lowest amount the Cyclones have allowed to a Big 12 opponent this season, and they did it on the road. 

This was not because of injuries either. Despite having two players out, the Bearcats’ top five scorers were all healthy and playing. 

The game plan for Iowa State worked successfully, knowing Cincinnati is the worst 3-point shooting team in the Big 12, it was not super worried about getting out to contest every single look. The Bearcats shot a mere 29% from the field but actually shot better than their season average from deep with 32%.

After the tough week against then-No. 11 Kansas State and No. 9 TCU, the Cyclones wanted to improve on the defensive end, which could have pushed them to a win against one of those teams a week prior. 

“That was a focal point for us, honestly,” Crooks said. “That’s been kind of one of our weaker areas in the past couple of weeks. We lost a couple of close games, and our defense was the reason for that.”

The Cyclones are back in action against Colorado at 4 p.m. Saturday following the men’s game. The game is at Hilton Coliseum and will be on ESPN+.