No. 11 Iowa State uses "really good" third quarter to beat 25th-ranked Kansas State, 70-55

AMES — A blocked shot. Two turnovers. A tenuous four-point lead.

That’s how No. 11 Iowa State’s third quarter against 25th-ranked Kansas State began Wednesday, but it ended with a sustained flourish — and included achieving a whistle-based goal they set for the onset of each half.

“We had three really ugly possessions,” said ISU head coach Bill Fennelly, whose team’s 24-8 third quarter fueled a convincing 70-55 win over the Wildcats at Hilton Coliseum. “But we talk about make the other team call the first time out. That's kind of a go-to for us (because) that means we're off to a good start.”

The Cyclones (19-3, 8-2 Big 12) actually forced Kansas State head coach Jeff Mittie to call the first time out in both halves, which meant they were pretty good from start to finish.

Emily Ryan and Lexi Donarski scored 15 points apiece to pace balanced ISU, which led for all but 21 seconds of the game. Coincidentally, that’s how long the Cyclones’ held the advantage in the meeting with the Wildcats in Manhattan, but it was the right 21 seconds — the final moments of a 73-70 triumph.

Fennelly considers that comeback win from 11 points down one of the most important wins of the season. This victory matched that one, especially since ISU clamped down on Kansas State’s star post player Ayoka Lee, who entered the game second nationally in scoring behind Iowa’s Caitlin Clark at 25.0 points per game.

Lee — who notched an NCAA-record 62 points in a blowout win over Oklahoma — eked out just 12 points on 6-for-16 shooting Wednesday and looked uncomfortable all night.

“Lee has been the answer for us,” Mittie said after his team fell to 16-6 overall and 6-4 in Big 12 play. “So when we've struggled, we've been able to find ways to get it in there and she has been our answer. But that’s, look, we need some other players to play better."

ISU notched its fourth consecutive win over the Wildcats, matching its longest string of success in series history. The Cyclones are off to the second-best start in program history — and Wednesday, they shined on both ends of the floor.

Kansas State shot just 19.4 percent combined in the first and third quarters and 35.9 percent overall. The Cyclones drained 56 percent of its shots in the final three quarters and 49.2 percent overall.

Star ISU forward Ashley Joens had what some would consider an “off night” — 11 points, 12 rebounds — but she was efficient and effective, hitting five of 10 shots and dishing out four assists while drawing constant double teams as usual.

“When they do double her, she makes great decisions and is able to get it to her teammates,” said Ryan, who dished out a game-high eight assists. “She’s just super unselfish when it comes to that.”

Three of Joens’s four assists came during that dominant third quarter, which started “ugly” but ended beautifully for the Cyclones, who are 8-2 to start conference play for the first time since the 2004-05 season.

“The third quarter we were really good,” Fennelly said. “I mean, really good at both ends. When you outscore someone by 16 in the third quarter, you feel pretty good about your chances.”

Comments: robgray18@icloud.com