No. 13 Iowa State showed flashes of resilience with a makeshift lineup, but too many turnovers and a rough third quarter proved costly in an 83-70 loss to West Virginia on Saturday.
Playing without starters Addy Brown and Arianna Jackson, the Cyclones turned to a new starting five — Audi Crooks, Jada Williams, Kenzie Hare, Reese Beaty and Sydney Harris — and got off to a sharper start than in their previous outing at Cincinnati.
Crooks set the tone early with six quick points as Iowa State grabbed an 11-10 lead midway through the first quarter.
Beaty provided an early spark off the energy front, contributing two points, two assists and a steal in the opening stretch. But West Virginia closed the quarter with a buzzer-beating 3 to take a 24-23 lead, part of a late 10-2 run that swung momentum.
Despite the short bench, Iowa State stayed competitive in the second quarter behind timely shooting from Wilson, who knocked down a pair of big 3-pointers. Crooks returned late in the half to score on a layup that trimmed the deficit to 40-39 at the break.
The game turned quickly after halftime.
West Virginia opened the third quarter on a 9-0 run, forcing Iowa State into an early timeout as the Mountaineers stretched the lead to 49-39. Turnovers plagued the Cyclones throughout the quarter, including a misfired cross-court pass from Crooks that marked their 15th giveaway of the afternoon.
Still, Iowa State found ways to compete. Wilson continued her strong showing and Crooks was nearly unstoppable inside, finishing the day a perfect 8-for-8 from the field and piling up 22 points to keep the Cyclones within striking distance.
A late layup sent West Virginia into the fourth quarter with a 59-50 advantage, and Iowa State was fortunate to trail by only nine after a third period in which it shot just 1-for-8 from the floor and committed 10 turnovers.
The Mountaineers maintained control in the final quarter, pushing the lead to double digits and never allowing the Cyclones to mount a serious comeback. Iowa State pulled within 12 in the final minutes, but West Virginia closed the door at the free-throw line.
Crooks led all scorers with 22 points, while Wilson added nine in a valuable performance off the bench. Iowa State, however, couldn’t overcome the 20-plus turnovers and the decisive third-quarter surge by West Virginia.
The loss is the third straight for the Cyclones, who fall to 14-3 overall and 2-3 in Big 12 play — a tough stretch made even tougher by injuries, but one that still revealed flashes of depth and fight in a shorthanded lineup.
