KANSAS CITY, MO -- March 9th, 2024
Iowa State (19-10, 13-6 Big 12) downed No. 17 Baylor (24-7, 12-7 Big 12) in the quarterfinals of the Phillips 66 Big 12 Basketball Championship Saturday by a final score of 67-62.
The Cyclones hit five of their last six shots of the first half to lead 36-31, but would find themselves behind as late as 1:28 in the final quarter. Emily Ryan then changed the game, stepping to the free throw line to begin a run of eight to cement the victory and advance the Cyclones to the semifinals.
Ryan not only made it a memorable game by being a game changer, the senior broke the Iowa State all-time assist record with her final assist of the game as she totaled 10. Ryan now holds the record with 746 on her career. Ryan came three rebounds shy of a triple-double with 12 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds.
Audi Crooks and Addy Brown matched each other with nine first-half points as Crooks went on to total 23 and Brown 16. Crooks had her 28th-straight double figure outing and her 14th 20-plus game while Brown had her 21st 10-plus point game this season.
How it Happened
Brown brought the Cyclones up 4-1 to start, and after a 4-4 tie Brown answered with a 3. Baylor would go on to grab its first lead of 9-7 at 6:11 as the sides remained within three of each other. With the Bears up 17-14 with just under two minutes to play, Crooks and Hannah Belanger went back-to-back with 3-pointers to put ISU up 20-17. Baylor would bring it back to a tie at the end of the first.
Both teams hit a cold shooting streak as Baylor held the slim lead of 25-24 midway through the second. Out of the media timeout, Arianna Jackson hit a 3 while Crooks followed with a layup to send the score to 29-25, ISU. Baylor would follow with a layup, but Kelsey Joens would hit another Cyclone triple to make it 32-27 with 2:09 left in the half. With four seconds on the clock, Ryan sent in a jumper to take the Cyclones into halftime with a five-point lead of 36-31.
Crooks opened scoring in the second half to enter double figures and went on to total Iowa State's first six points of the half as ISU led 42-35. Baylor would claw back to take a lead at 45-44 at 2:32 and end the quarter up narrowly 50-48.
Brown hit a big shot from deep to put the Cyclones back up 53-32 at 8:29, while Baylor answered with a 3 of their own. After a run of six, the Bears would extend a lead of five (58-53) as Iowa State called a timeout. With Baylor remaining ahead by five (61-56), Ryan drew the foul and sent in a pair from the charity stripe and on ISU's next trip down the court Brown made a layup to come back within two. With 1:45 to go and Baylor ahead 62-59, Ryan was fouled and proceeded to make another pair of free throws while Crooks followed with a layup to retake the lead (63-62). That layup was assisted by Ryan to break the Iowa State record.
Twenty seconds remained as Ryan was fouled again and made it a three-point lead. Baylor was forced to foul once more, sending Ryan to make her sixth-straight free throw. That would end the game at 67-62 to send the Cyclones to the semifinals.
Top Performance
Emily Ryan's six-straight free throws were crucial in the final moments of the game as Ryan would go on to total 12 points, 10 assists, seven rebounds and two blocks. It was Ryan's 10th double-figure game and her fourth 10-plus assist game this season. Ryan now totals 62 double-figure point and 16 double-figure assist games on her career.
Notes
Iowa State women's basketball's all-time record moved to 846-663 (.561) and 333-351 (.487) all-time in conference games.
Head coach Bill Fennelly's career record moved to 775-364 (.680). His Iowa State record is now 609-311 (.662) overall.
The Cyclones are 33-37 all-time in the single elimination format of the conference tournament and 32-24 in the Fennelly era.
Iowa State has won each of its last four games against Baylor including each of the previous two Big 12 quarterfinals.
With Addy Brown's 3-pointer in the first quarter, Iowa State has now recorded a triple in an NCAA women's basketball record 923 consecutive games.
Iowa State outrebounded Baylor, 45-38. It is the 25th time the Cyclones have outrebounded their opponent this season.
Emily Ryan has recorded an assist in every collegiate game she has played in. Today, she finished with 10 assists, moving her career total to 746. She has posted five or more assists in a single game 14 times this season and 82 times in her career.
With her assist total, Ryan is now the Iowa State record holder for career assists. She reached the mark in her 115th game.
Ryan also finished with a double-double with 12 points on a perfect 8-of-8 from the free throw line and 10 assists.
Addy Brown finished with 16 points and 12 rebounds for her 10th career double-double.