AMES, Iowa — In a dominant performance on Thursday night, the No. 8 Iowa State Cyclones secured an 80-47 victory over St. Thomas of Minnesota. Audi Crooks led the charge with an impressive tally of 26 points and eight rebounds, while Sydney Harris contributed 13 points, maintaining her role as a key bench player for the team. Crooks shot an efficient 12 of 17 from the field and exited the match shortly into the fourth quarter after extending the Cyclones’ lead to 27 points. Her scoring streak now stands at 36 consecutive games with double-digit points.
Harris has emerged as a consistent scorer off the bench, marking her third straight game with double figures for the Cyclones, who now boast a perfect 4-0 record this season. Additionally, Emily Ryan shone with her playmaking ability, dishing out 13 assists—the highest in Division I basketball this season—alongside her four points and three rebounds. Addy Brown also made a solid contribution, adding 10 points to the team’s total.
On the other side, Amber Scalia led the Tommies with 11 points, while both Jade Hill and Sammy Opichka chipped in with eight points each. It was a tough night for St. Thomas, which had previously averaged 86 points per game in their first three outings. The Tommies struggled considerably, shooting only 17-of-65 from the field for a meager 26.2%, including a disappointing 3 of 20 from beyond the arc.
Iowa State dominated the scoring in the paint, racking up a season-high 46 points in that area compared to just 22 for St. Thomas. The Cyclones had a strong start, making 10 of their 15 shot attempts in the first quarter, ending the period with a 22-10 lead. This advantage only increased, as they held a 40-22 lead at halftime, ultimately stretching their lead to a staggering 33 points late in the contest.
A significant moment in the game came when Iowa State executed a 9-0 run during the first quarter, effectively taking control of the match with a swift 20-4 lead. Notably, Jade Hill, who averages 21.7 points per game for the Tommies, struggled and managed to score only eight points while hitting 1 of 8 from the field, although she remained perfect from the free-throw line.
Looking ahead, St. Thomas is set to face Wichita State this Saturday, while Iowa State will take on UNI the following Wednesday night.