Completed Event: Women's Basketball at Oklahoma State on January 18, 2026 , Loss , 58, to, 86
Final
Women's Basketball
58
Oklahoma State
86
Iowa State University Athletics
Carleton Ends Dazzling WNBA Season in Finals
10.21.2024 | Women's Basketball
Iowa State women's basketball alum Bridget Carleton (2016-19) became the first Cyclone in program history to compete in the WNBA finals. The No. 2-seed Minnesota Lynx took No. 1 New York Liberty to the deciding Game 5 of the Finals series but fell short of the title in overtime Sunday night.
Carleton's role grew into a starting spot this season for the Lynx, named the team's most improved player in September. Throughout the 2023 regular season, she averaged 15 minutes, 3.2 points, 2.3 rebounds and 0.9 assists per game. In 2024, she upped her regular season averages to 29.9 minutes, 9.6 points, 3.8 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game while starting all but three of the contests in which she played.
During the Lynx's chase for a sixth league title, Carleton started and played in all 12 playoff games, while averaging 33.8 minutes per contest. She was the hero of the Finals Series' Game 4, using the hustle and grit Cyclone fans fell in love with over her four-year Iowa State career. A tied game with the clock winding down, the Lynx took a shot with a deep jumper that bounced out. But Carleton elevated to grab the rebound and drew a shooting foul as she made the effort for a mid-air putback. To no surprise, she sank both free throws and gave the Lynx the 82-80 edge with just two seconds remaining and did the work on the defensive end, forcing New York's Sabrina Ionescu to heave a 35-foot last-second attempt that was off the mark.
Over the course of 12 playoff games, Carleton averaged 33.8 minutes, 9.3 points and 3.8 rebounds per game. She also shot over 43 percent from the field, nearly 34 percent from 3-point range and was 18-of-19 (.947) from the free throw line.
Carleton will get a break before playing overseas this offseason following a full WNBA summer slate and a trip to the 2024 Paris Olympics with Canada Basketball. She signed a two-year deal with Minnesota ahead of the 2024 season. A link to her full bio and stats can be found here.
The WNBA is expanding to 13 teams next season, adding the Golden State Valkyries to a league with rising popularity around the country. The league will hold an expansion draft on December 6 for the Valkyries as the team begins to build its inaugural roster. Golden State will have the ability to select from a designated pool of available players as designated by each of the current 12 teams. Each existing team will have the opportunity to designate up to six "Protected Players" they are guaranteed to retain for 2025.
The 2025 WNBA Draft is set to take place on Monday, April 14, 2025. Â
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