The Iowa State women’s basketball team’s first game of the Elevance Health Women’s Fort Myers Tip-Off offered the Cyclones an early-season opportunity to take down one of the best teams in the country.
South Carolina quickly made sure there wouldn’t be an upset Thursday.
The fifth-ranked Gamecocks thoroughly dominated No. 15 Iowa State from start to finish during a 76-36 victory over the Cyclones at Suncoast Credit Union Arena.
Iowa State, which has lost two of its last three games, fell to 5-2 with the loss to the reigning national champions.
The Cyclones’ latest setback wasn’t even close. South Carolina, which suffered its first loss and saw its 43-game winning streak come to an end last week at UCLA, got back on track against coach Bill Fennelly’s team.
The Gamecocks put the game away early, going on a 32-0 run in the first half to pull away. Iowa State tallied just three first-quarter points on only one made field goal. The Cyclones finished with just nine first-half points and trailed by 26 at halftime.
Iowa State’s Addy Brown, who entered the game averaging 16.2 points per game, was held scoreless, shooting 0-for-7 from the field. Even Cyclones star point guard Emily Ryan struggled, tallying one assist while turning it over five times. Audi Crooks finished with a team-high 13 points on 5-of-11 shooting for the Cyclones.
Iowa State finished 4-of-23 from beyond the 3-point arc. One bright spot for the Cyclones − they matched the Gamecocks in the third quarter at 18 points apiece.
Iowa State returns to the court at 12:30 p.m. CT Saturday to take on Middle Tennessee in its next game at the Florida event.
