Credit Source: Iowa State University Athletics
AMES, Iowa – Iowa State (14-8, 10-5 Big 12) rallied in the fourth quarter to get past Kansas (7-12, 3-10 Big 12) 84-82 Wednesday night at Allen Fieldhouse. Bill Fennelly’s Cyclones have gotten to 10 conference wins for the third-straight season and the 12th time during his administration.
Leading the way for ISU was Ashley Joens, who got her 10th double-double of the season with 24 points and 12 rebounds. During the contest, Joens became the 11th player in Iowa State history to surpass 1,500 career points. Lexi Donarski had her second-straight 20-point effort with 20, while Kristin Scott also reached double figures in a fourth-straight contest with 18.
How It Happened
Rae Johnson’s 3-pointer to make it 10-7 gave ISU its first big push ahead in the contest. The Jayhawks served up some physical play in the first period, committing eight fouls which Iowa State was able to take advantage of to the tune of 8-of-9 shooting at the charity stripe. Lexi Donarski made four free throws in the final minute of the period to give ISU a 20-14 lead after one.
The Cyclones continued to roll early in the second, with Donarski converting two more at the charity stripe to push the Cyclone advantage to double figures at 25-14. Down 12, Kansas took advantage of some ISU turnovers to go on an 11-0 run to get back within one. The Jayhawks tied it at 31-31, but Emily Ryan was able to lay one in to get ISU back ahead 38-34 at the break.
Kansas came out of the locker room stronger, with Ioanna Chatzileonti notching their first seven points of the half, capping it with KU’s first lead at 41-40. The Jayhawks hit six of their first seven shots to move ahead by six at 51-45 before ISU was able to reel KU back in and get back ahead on a Johnson 3-pointer at 55-54. But Kansas continued to make their shots, going 11-of-15 from the field in the third. Back-to-back Zakiyah Franklin 3-pointers got KU back ahead, but Donarski got a lay-in in the final seconds to make it 66-64 KU heading to the fourth.
Franklin got a lay-in for the first points of the quarter, but the shots finally stopped falling for the Jayhawks, as they went on to miss five-straight. ISU took advantage with a 9-0 run, capped by a Kristin Scott 3-pointer to move back ahead 73-68. Kansas was able to right their ship and get back within one possession at 82-80, but ISU went to the well again as Ashley Joens converted a second-chance bucket with 11 seconds left to put the Cyclones ahead 84-80. Chatziloneti got a layup with 1.6 seconds left to make it a two-point contest again, but ISU was able to get the in-bound in safely as time expired to wrap up the win.
Players of Note
Lexi Donarski continued her outstanding run of form. The Cyclone freshman finished with 20 points, scoring over 20 in consecutive games for the first time in her ISU career. She did a lot of her work at the line, converting 9-of-10 from the charity stripe.
Ashley Joens got her 10th double-double of the season and 28th of her career with 24 points and 12 rebounds. Likewise, a lot of her point scoring came at the free throw line, where she finished 11-of-11. Joens became the 11th player in ISU history to reach 1,500 career points in the contest, now sitting on 1,521 for her ISU career.
Up Next
Iowa State’s road swing continues at Oklahoma State on Saturday at 1 p.m. on Big 12 Now on ESPN+.
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