There may be no better time to be an Iowa State women’s basketball fan and that’s saying something after Ashley Joens wrapped up her incredible career.
Just a couple of seasons after Joens played her final game for the Cyclones, coach Bill Fennelly has a team that appears primed to not just make a run to the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament but perhaps all the way to the Final Four.
Last year, buoyed by an incredible recruiting class, the Cyclones went 21-12 and reached the Big 12 Tournament championship game, where they lost to Texas.
While Iowa State only got to the second round of the NCAA Tournament, that first weekend was a coming-out party for center Audi Crooks, who got the nation talking after her incredible first-round performance.
Most of that terrific freshman class is back, along with senior guard Emily Ryan and a talented raft of transfers that could make the Cyclones even more dangerous.
Here’s a preview of the Iowa State Cyclones’ upcoming season.
Odds
Vegas Insider gave Iowa State +5000 odds to win the national championship. The Big 12 coaches voted the Cyclones second in the preseason poll behind Kansas State. They received six first-place votes and finished just two points behind the Wildcats.
Three Players to Watch
C Audi Crooks: She dropped 40 points on Maryland in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. That got everyone talking. But the All-Big 12 Freshman and first-team selection averaged 19.2 points and 7.8 rebounds a season ago.
F Abby Brown: Pressed into service as a point forward early last season, Brown responded with an All-Big 12 Freshman team campaign in which she averaged 13 points and showed a knack for well-timed 3-pointers.
G Kenzie Hare: The Marquette transfer is going to fit right into this offense after she shot 42.5% from the 3-point line last year. She averaged 14 points, 2.4 assists and 2.1 rebounds for the Big East program.
Biggest Strength
Scoring and Maturity. These Cyclones are experienced and are going to score points in bunches. Set aside Crooks, Brown and Hare. Ryan averaged double-digits last year and she missed the season’s first nine games. Iowa State also took in transfers like Oregon State’s Lily Hansford, who shot 45% from the 3-point line. TCU’s Syndey Harris nearly averaged double figures. UMass forward Lilly Taulelei averaged nearly eight points. All have experience on the offensive end. This team isn’t starting from scratch, as was the case a season ago.
Biggest Weakness
Frontcourt depth. We’re nit-picking a bit because the Cyclones look loaded. But, if you’re thinking about how injuries might impact this team then think about how Iowa State would perform without Crooks for an extended stretch? That’s worrisome. Taulelei only averaged three rebounds and she played 24 minutes a game. Brown is a solid rebounder, but she doesn’t have Crooks’ interior presence. The Cyclones have shooters all over the floor. But one injury to Crooks and this could be a one-dimensional team.
Season Prediction
The Big 12 poll is reflective of how coaches see this race, with the belief that Kansas State and Iowa State are the team’s best equipped to win the league. It’s hard to argue. Iowa State looks like it has everything it needs to make a deep run in March. The 3-point shooting is there, Crooks is one of the best centers in college basketball and Fennelly has a team built to compete with the elite programs in the nation. We’re projecting 23 to 25 wins by the time Iowa State gets to Hilton South for the Big 12 Tournament.
You can find Matthew Postins on Twitter @PostinsPostcard.
