Iowa State's role players combine for 45 points in commanding 72-52 win at Cincinnati

Iowa State head coach Bill Fennelly needed someone other than Addy Brown and Audi Crooks to score for his team.

He got it Wednesday at Cincinnati.

The Cyclones’ other rotational players — led by shooting guard Arianna Jackson — combined for 45 points and proceeded to trounce the Bearcats, 72-52, at Fifth Third Arena.

“We challenged our team (to) be collective, be competitive, be tough,” ISU head coach Bill Fennelly said on the Cyclone Radio Network after the game. “I thought we did that from start to finish.”

Crooks led ISU (16-9, 7-5) with 18 points. Jackson scored a career-high-tying 17 points on 4-for-8 3-point shooting, while doling out three assists to zero turnovers.

“(My defense) definitely fires me up and then I’m able to hit a shot a lot easier,” Jackson said. “I definitely think there was a team contribution and that was a goal coming into this game.”

Brown scored just seven points, but grabbed a game-high 12 rebounds while dishing out a game-high seven assists. Kelsey Joens notched 11 points and a career-high-tying nine rebounds as the Cyclones snapped a two-game skid.

“Moving the ball, getting other people to score, it was great,” Joens said.

Brown and Crooks combined to score 60 of ISU’s points in Sunday’s 82-69 home loss to No. 9 TCU and their teammates responded in a big way against the Bearcats.

ISU held Cincinnati (13-9, 5-6) to 29 percent shooting and will try to win its second straight game at 4 p.m. Saturday against Colorado at Hilton Coliseum.

“We’re right there with them in the standings, so if you can win the game it’s like winning two because you get the tiebreaker,” Fennelly said.

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