Iowa State women’s basketball: Cyclones start week with easy win over USC Upstate

AMES – The past two weeks were a grind for the Iowa State women’s basketball team. The Cyclones faced two in-state opponents, took on the reigning national champions and participated in a tough trip to Florida.

This week offers a little bit of a let-up and a chance for the Cyclones to regroup.

The 19th-ranked Cyclones took care of the first bit of business by dominating USC Upstate in a 92-35 victory at Hilton Coliseum on Tuesday night. Iowa State improved to 7-2.

Audi Crooks finished with a double-double, tallying 15 points, 13 rebounds and five assists for the Cyclones. Iowa State’s Addy Brown added 14 points, six rebounds and three assists.

It was just what Iowa State needed after a two-week stretch that included a rough road loss at Northern Iowa, a close call with Drake and an ugly setback to South Carolina in the Fort Myers Tip-Off.

The losses sent the Cyclones, once a top-10 team in the Associated Press and USA TODAY Sports Network Coaches polls, tumbling in the rankings. Iowa State certainly looked like a top-tier team Tuesday, however.

The Cyclones were in complete control over USC Upstate, which fell to 2-8. Iowa State made it clear from the start that it was the dominant team, opening with a 7-0 run.

The lead blossomed into a 25-3 advantage after an 18-0 run by the Cyclones later in the quarter. Kelsey Joens, who finished with 11 points off the bench for Iowa State, highlighted the run with a pair of 3-pointers.

Iowa State led 32-11 after the first quarter. But that was just the start.

The Cyclones opened the second quarter with a 9-0 run to take a 41-11 lead. USC Upstate, which managed just two points in the quarter, shot 1-for-13 in the frame.

Iowa State’s lead morphed to 48-13 at halftime. Brown hit a 3-pointer at the end of the third quarter buzzer to give the Cyclones an 81-30 lead.

USC Upstate never got on track offensively. Iowa State’s defense suffocated the Spartans, who shot just 31.3% from the field.

Iowa State, which has now won three of its last four games, closes out the week on Sunday by playing Central Michigan at noon at Hilton Coliseum.

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 tbirch@dmreg.com or 515-284-8468