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SOUTH BEND, Ind. – The Iowa State women’s basketball team’s season began with high hopes and huge expectations.
It ended with the Cyclones failing to meet any of them.
Iowa State’s once-promising season came to an early end Friday by getting bounced in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. The 11-seed Cyclones fell, 80-74, to 6-seed Michigan at Purcell Pavilion.
Audi Crooks scored 28 points in the loss and Iowa State wraps up the season with a 23-12 record. Addy Brown added eight points, nine rebounds and 10 assists.
It was far from the outcome many had hoped for from Iowa State. The Cyclones were the surprise team of the country a year ago, using their young class of freshmen to propel them to the Big 12 Conference Tournament title game and come a victory away from reaching the Sweet 16.
With the bulk of the roster returning, including Crooks, last season’s leading scorer, the Cyclones were expected to do even bigger things this season.
Iowa State was picked to finish second in the Big 12 and entered the year as a top 10 team in both major polls.
But things didn’t go according to plan as the team struggled early in the season, especially against ranked opponents, and could never get into much of a rhythm. Iowa State fell out of both polls and finished seventh in the Big 12.
The Cyclones then had to sweat out Selection Sunday. They eventually heard their name called in one of the First Four games of the NCAA Tournament.
Iowa State kicked it off by bouncing back from a 13-point deficit by beating 11-seed Princeton on Wednesday night. Thursday’s early game was just as entertaining as the Cyclones fell into an early deficit.
Michigan and its up-tempo offense controlled the pace early on. Iowa State couldn’t keep up, turning it over seven times in the first quarter and falling in a 19-13 deficit at the end of the frame.
The Cyclones eventually heated up, though.
A 6-0 run by Iowa State midway through the second quarter gave the Cyclones their first lead of the day. Brown’s layup put the Cyclones ahead, 27-26. It didn’t last long with Michigan reclaiming the lead on a 3-pointer.
But Iowa State answered back in a big way. The Cyclones hit four straight shots and went on a 10-0 run to take a 37-29 lead. Crooks had five points in the run. Freshman Aili Tanke, a lightly used reserve lately, connected on a big 3-pointer.
More: Audi Crooks dominates in first half of Iowa State women's basketball vs Michigan game
Michigan quickly got back into the game in the third quarter, hitting back-to-back 3s and going on an 8-0 run to pull within two. The Cyclones responded with a big 3-pointer by Emily Ryan and an easy layup by Alisa Williams.
The Wolverines hit three 3-pointers in an 11-3 run late in the third quarter to cut Iowa State's lead to 54-53. The Cyclones got a last-second bucket from Ryan to give Iowa State a three-point lead going into the fourth.
It wasn't enough. Michigan scored the first five points of the fourth quarter and took a 58-56 lead on a layup by Mila Holloway. The Wolverines nearly pulled away with an 8-2 run that put the Cyclones behind by seven.
Iowa State stayed within striking distance after back-to-back 3-pointers by Sydney Harris and Arianna Jackson. But Michigan heated up from beyond the arc, connecting on three-3-pointers in the fourth quarter to finish off the Cyclones
Tommy Birch, the Register's sports enterprise and features reporter, has been working at the newspaper since 2008. He's the 2018, 2020 and 2023 Iowa Sportswriter of the Year. Reach him at [email protected] or 515-284-8468
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Iowa State vs Michigan in 2025 March Madness: Cyclones' season ends
Continue reading...
It ended with the Cyclones failing to meet any of them.
Iowa State’s once-promising season came to an early end Friday by getting bounced in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. The 11-seed Cyclones fell, 80-74, to 6-seed Michigan at Purcell Pavilion.
Audi Crooks scored 28 points in the loss and Iowa State wraps up the season with a 23-12 record. Addy Brown added eight points, nine rebounds and 10 assists.
It was far from the outcome many had hoped for from Iowa State. The Cyclones were the surprise team of the country a year ago, using their young class of freshmen to propel them to the Big 12 Conference Tournament title game and come a victory away from reaching the Sweet 16.
With the bulk of the roster returning, including Crooks, last season’s leading scorer, the Cyclones were expected to do even bigger things this season.
Iowa State was picked to finish second in the Big 12 and entered the year as a top 10 team in both major polls.
But things didn’t go according to plan as the team struggled early in the season, especially against ranked opponents, and could never get into much of a rhythm. Iowa State fell out of both polls and finished seventh in the Big 12.
The Cyclones then had to sweat out Selection Sunday. They eventually heard their name called in one of the First Four games of the NCAA Tournament.
Iowa State kicked it off by bouncing back from a 13-point deficit by beating 11-seed Princeton on Wednesday night. Thursday’s early game was just as entertaining as the Cyclones fell into an early deficit.
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Michigan and its up-tempo offense controlled the pace early on. Iowa State couldn’t keep up, turning it over seven times in the first quarter and falling in a 19-13 deficit at the end of the frame.
The Cyclones eventually heated up, though.
A 6-0 run by Iowa State midway through the second quarter gave the Cyclones their first lead of the day. Brown’s layup put the Cyclones ahead, 27-26. It didn’t last long with Michigan reclaiming the lead on a 3-pointer.
But Iowa State answered back in a big way. The Cyclones hit four straight shots and went on a 10-0 run to take a 37-29 lead. Crooks had five points in the run. Freshman Aili Tanke, a lightly used reserve lately, connected on a big 3-pointer.
More: Audi Crooks dominates in first half of Iowa State women's basketball vs Michigan game
Michigan quickly got back into the game in the third quarter, hitting back-to-back 3s and going on an 8-0 run to pull within two. The Cyclones responded with a big 3-pointer by Emily Ryan and an easy layup by Alisa Williams.
The Wolverines hit three 3-pointers in an 11-3 run late in the third quarter to cut Iowa State's lead to 54-53. The Cyclones got a last-second bucket from Ryan to give Iowa State a three-point lead going into the fourth.
It wasn't enough. Michigan scored the first five points of the fourth quarter and took a 58-56 lead on a layup by Mila Holloway. The Wolverines nearly pulled away with an 8-2 run that put the Cyclones behind by seven.
Iowa State stayed within striking distance after back-to-back 3-pointers by Sydney Harris and Arianna Jackson. But Michigan heated up from beyond the arc, connecting on three-3-pointers in the fourth quarter to finish off the Cyclones
Tommy Birch, the Register's sports enterprise and features reporter, has been working at the newspaper since 2008. He's the 2018, 2020 and 2023 Iowa Sportswriter of the Year. Reach him at [email protected] or 515-284-8468
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Iowa State vs Michigan in 2025 March Madness: Cyclones' season ends
Continue reading...
