NOTRE DAME, Ind. — Iowa State (23-11, 12-6 Big 12) took down Princeton (21-8, 12-2 Ivy) by a final score of 68-63 in the NCAA Tournament First Four Wednesday night. With the win, Head Coach Bill Fennelly earns the 800th of his career, with 634 coming at Iowa State.
After being outscored 27-7 in the second quarter, Iowa State took a 19-5 run in the third to retake the lead and hold it until the final buzzer. It is the second-largest comeback in Iowa State history, only behind last season’s 16-point comeback vs. Maryland in the First Round.
Audi Crooks extended her school record to 66 straight games scoring in double figures with a game-leading 27 points while Addy Brown scored 22, her highest total in an NCAA Tournament game. Two Cyclones with 20-plus points makes for the fourth instance of such, and first since 2022 (Ashley Joens (36), Emily Ryan (20)).
Brown also made for the fourth time in program history for a Cyclone to total 20-plus points, five-plus rebounds and five-plus assists in an NCAA Tournament game as her final line stood at 22 points, eight assists and seven rebounds.
Emily Ryan played a huge role in the second-half resurgence as she ended her night with nine points, six assists, six rebounds, four steals and two blocks. Ryan brought her career total to 988 assists to become the Big 12 all-time assist leader, breaking the record of 987. With Brown and Ryan’s assist totals, the duo put up the third game in tournament history for two Cyclones to total six or more.
How it Happened
Kelsey Joens put the Cyclones on the board with a 3-pointer at the 8:22 mark making it 3-2, while multiple lead changes followed. With just over five minutes to play in the first, Sydney Harris stole the ball away and delivered the basket next as ISU began to build a lead. Brown kept things rolling tallying her seventh early point on a shot from deep as the scoreboard read 16-9, and the first frame would end at 18-11.
Four minutes into the second, Princeton brought it back to a tie at 20s after ISU turnovers, and the Tigers would take the lead on a jumper with 5:40 to play. The lead came back to the Cyclones with a Brown layup as sophomore entered double figures, but that lead was not safe as the Tigers went ahead by 13 (38-25) ending the half on a 14-0 run.
Back-to-back 3-pointers by Brown and Arianna Jackson set the Cyclones on their way to cut the deficit, while ISU made it a three-point game (42-39) after a steal by Ryan and jumper by Kelsey Joens prompting a Princeton timeout. Ryan put in a bucket through contact and made her free throw to keep the run alive at 13-0 and Iowa State would go back in front at 46-42. At the buzzer, Ryan muscled in another tough bucket as ISU entered the fourth ahead 52-47.
Crooks went 4-for-4 from the field in the first two minutes of the fourth quarter as the Cyclones went up seven (60-53). Ryan followed with her fourth steal, driving up the court to make her layup and put the score at 62-55. With Princeton back within four with under a minute remaining, Ryan continued her heroics sending in yet another underhanded bucket, as the Cyclones went on to win it 68-63.
Top Performers
Addy Brown put together her 11th 20-plus point game of the season and 16th of her career with 22 points while Audi Crooks had the 23rd of her season and 40th of career with 27.
All of Emily Ryan’s points came in the second half, with each one crucial in getting the Cyclones back in it. Ryan did everything with nine points, six rebounds, six assists, four steals and two blocks. Her steal total ties her NCAA Tournament career high.
