Ashley Joens notches 50th double-double in Iowa State women’s basketball season-opening rout

AMES — She’s already Iowa State’s all-time leading scorer, the first back-to-back winner of the Cheryl Miller Award and a top-seven scorer in Big 12 Conference history.

Cyclone star Ashley Joens’ list of accolades runs long and deep — but in Monday’s season-opening, 87-54, rout of Cleveland State, she reached another one by notching her 50th career double-double.

“It means a lot,” said Joens, who scored 28 points, grabbed 11 rebounds and had five assists. “Obviously not something you necessarily keep track of, but I wouldn’t be able to do what I do without my teammates and without (head coach) Bill Fennelly. It’s a team effort, really.”

No. 8 ISU (1-0) rolled to a 56-20 halftime lead and limited the Vikings (0-1) to 17.6 percent shooting in the first 20 minutes. The Cyclones notched 12 steals, led by 6-foot-6 newcomer Stephanie Soares, who snared four while also posting a double-double (15 points, 14 rebounds) in just 20 minutes of court time.

“I don’t care who you’re playing, but if you’re a Division I athlete and you play in a Division I game and you get 25 and 14 in 20 minutes, you’re doing something,” Fennelly said.

So did several other ISU players, including sophomore guard Denae Fritz, who narrowly missed posting a double-double in her first game after sitting out most of last season with a knee injury. She finished with nine points and 10 rebounds — and two of her baskets came after offensive rebounds.

“I just like to keep the ball alive on offense and try to get in there when I can on defense and obviously trying to get stops when they miss and rebound it,” Fritz said. “Just help out the team as much as I can.”

Fennelly said the Cyclones played about as well as they possibly could in the first half. And despite shooting just 43.8 percent and losing 16 turnovers, his team’s ability to adapt was on full display against a talented Cleveland State team expected to challenge for the Horizon League title.

“I don’t know where this is gonna go, but (ISU) is a group that’s embraced what they can be,” Fennelly said. “Now that we’ve started, now they can get into a rhythm.”

Joens has been in a groove ever since stepping on campus as a freshman in 2018 after a storied career at Iowa City High. So the beat goes on as the plaudits continue to pile up.

“I don’t envy you guys trying to figure out what you’re gonna write about Ashley Joens,” Fennelly said. “Another this, another that, another this, another that. She’s a kid that loves to compete, loves to play.”

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