Emily Ryan Remains Iowa State’s ‘Calming Presence’
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Asked Iowa State coach Bill Fennelly about the meaning of Emily Ryan to the Cyclones and he needed a minute to collect himself.
After Iowa State’s 67-62 win over Baylor in the quarterfinals of the Big 12 Tournament, he was asked about Ryan setting the all-time assists record at Iowa State after dishing out 10 against the Bears.
Fennelly teared up and took nearly 30 seconds to form an answer.
“You don’t see it like I see it, but there is no one like her and there won’t be again,” Fennelly said of his senior point guard.
Ryan had what most Iowa State observers would consider a typical game on Saturday — 12 points and 10 assists. She did everything she could to set up her teammates, which is what she’s done her entire career.
This was supposed to be a season where Ryan would come to the forefront as a scorer with the departures of Ashley Joens and Lexi Donarski. But an injury in preseason kept Ryan from playing in the first nine games of the regular season.
Meanwhile, two true freshmen — Audi Crooks and Addy Brown — grew in to All-Big 12 caliber performers. Bot were pivotal in Saturday’s win.
Crooks had 23 points and Baylor coach Nicki Collen said her team did a terrible job defending the center in the first half. Brown had 16 points and 12 rebounds.
But when things got tough on Saturday, everyone knew who to turn to.
She wears No. 11 on the front and back of her jersey.
“She’s just a calming presence,” Crooks said. “I’ve been in the heat of the moment as a young kid and I get all fired up and she brings us down and keeps us cool.”
The Cyclones didn’t shoot a free throw in the first 36 minutes of Saturday’s game. When the Cyclones finally got there, it was Ryan who took most of them. The career 86.8% free throw shooter made all eight, all of which came down the stretch in a pivotal contest that helped the Cyclones reach 20 wins for the season.
“For her to step up to the line and stay calm, keep us calm while having to shoot those free throws, is huge,” Brown said. “I knew she was going to make because that’s what she does.”
Ryan’s career isn’t done yet. She announced last week that she would use her COVID waiver and return for one more season. Ryan’s 10 assists put her at the top of the ISU career rankings and she’ll get a season to make that record, perhaps, unreachable. She also reached 500 career rebounds and has more than 1,000 career points.
Yes, Fennelly says, Ryan may not see her name in the Hilton Coliseum rafters one day. But no one knows Ryan’s value to his team better than him.
He has the tears to prove it.
“Emily will never have her jersey retired or be viewed in some regards like some of the All-Americans we’ve had,” Fennelly said. “But there is no one that I ‘ve ever coached that loves her teammates, her school and her coaches more than her.”
You can find Matthew Postins on Twitter @PostinsPostcard.
