Same old story: Iowa defends Carver for the 9th straight time vs. ISU

IOWA CITY — It’s not complex, why Iowa held serve — again — in this women’s basketball rivalry.

“First of all, the opponent is really good,” Iowa State Coach Bill Fennelly said. “A lot of people come in here and struggle.

“It’s just something we haven’t been able to overcome.”

Lucy Olsen scored 25 points, Sydney Affolter played her best game of the season and 21st-ranked Iowa rallied late to fight past No. 18 Iowa State, 75-69, in a non-conference women’s basketball game before a sellout crowd of 14,998 Wednesday night at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

The Hawkeyes (9-1) beat Iowa State for the eighth time in the last nine years, and have prevailed at Carver nine straight times.

ISU’s last win here was Nov. 30, 2006.

“It was really fun,” said Olsen, who transferred from Villanova and got her first real taste of Carver noise. “There were times I couldn’t hear screens being called.”

Iowa State (8-3) led 56-46 late in the third quarter, but couldn’t hold it. Still trailing 61-58 midway through the fourth, Iowa assembled a 15-2 run to flip it.

Hannah Stuelke’s basket — on a feed from Affolter — put Iowa in front for good, 62-61. The dagger came on a 3-pointer from Aaliyah Guyton that made it 71-63 with a minute to go.

A key member of Iowa’s stretch run last year (a Big Ten tournament title, the NCAA championship game), Affolter was slow out of the gate this year after undergoing an offseason knee scope.

Wednesday, she added 16 points.

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“I was being hesitant (earlier this season),” Affolter said. “I knew when I was open, I needed to knock down those shots.”

The Hawkeyes’ rally began with back-to-back 3-pointers by Kylie Feuerbach and Affolter, helping cut the deficit to 56-53 heading into the fateful fourth quarter.

“We were down for a lot of the game, but we weren’t out,” Affolter said. “We never thought we were going to lose this game.”

Stuelke registered 13 points and nine rebounds, and the Hawkeyes overcame a 31-point, 10-rebound effort from Iowa State post Audi Crooks.

“I tell you, Audi’s so big and strong,” Jensen said. “I didn’t go into this game we were going to hold her under 30. We didn’t put a double(-team) into the game plan, and it wasn’t out of disrespect.”

Crooks was 14 of 22 from the field, but just 3 of 10 from the free-throw line.

ISU was 6 of 16 from the stripe.

“You’ve got to give credit to Iowa,” Fennelly said. “They didn’t guard the free-throw line, but it sure looked like they were.”

Addy Brown added 13 points, but played just 18 minutes due to early foul trouble.

Brown was hot early, helping ISU to a quick 12-2 lead. Iowa was within 39-36 by halftime.

The Cyclones finished with 21 turnovers, Iowa nine.

“Iowa’s defense is very, very physical, especially on the perimeter,” Fennelly said. “They have length at every (position). They really get into you and make it hard to run your offense.”

Iowa opens Big Ten play at 11 a.m. (CT) Sunday at No. 17 Michigan State.

Iowa State hosts Eastern Illinois at 5 p.m. Sunday.

Iowa 75, Iowa State 69

At Iowa City

IOWA STATE (69): Addy Brown 5-8 0-0 13, Audi Crooks 14-22 3-10 31, Arianna Jackson 0-3 0-0 0, Emily Ryan 4-8 1-2 9, Kelsey Joens 2-3 0-0 5, Alisa Williams 0-0 2-2 2, Aili Tanke 1-2 0-0 3, Lily Hansford 1-5 0-0 3, Sydney Harris 1-2 0-0 3, Reagan Wilson 0-1 0-2 0. Totals 28-54 6-16 69.

IOWA (75): Hannah Stuelke 4-4 5-8 13, Addison O’Grady 1-5 0-0 2, Sydney Affolter 6-11 1-2 16, Kylie Feuerbach 2-9 0-0 6, Lucy Olsen 9-22 7-9 25, Taylor McCabe 0-2 1-3 1, Ava Heiden 0-0 0-0 0, Taylor Stremlow 2-4 1-1 6, Teagan Mallegni 0-2 0-2 0, Aaliyah Guyton 2-2 0-0 6. Totals 26-61 15-25 75.

Iowa State 20 19 17 13 — 69

Iowa 17 19 17 22 — 75

3-pointers: ISU 7-15 (Brown 3-4, Crooks 0-1, Jackson 0-2, Ryan 0-1, Joens 1-1, Tanke 1-1, Hansford 1-3, Harris 1-2), Iowa 8-25 (Affolter 3-6, Feuerbach 2-8, Olsen 0-4, McCabe 0-2, Stremlow 1-2, Mallegni 0-1, Guyton 2-2). Team fouls: ISU 25, Iowa 17. Fouled out: none. Rebounds: ISU 37 (Crooks 10), Iowa 33 (Stuelke 9). Assists: ISU 22 (Ryan 7), Iowa 16 (Olsen 5). Steals: ISU 5 (five with 1), Iowa 12 (Stuelke 4). Turnovers: ISU 21, Iowa 9.

Attendance: 14,998.

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com