PRIMER: Iowa State vs. Cincinnati

Who: Iowa State (14-5, 2-5 Big 12) vs. Cincinnati (7-12, 2-5 Big 12)

Where: Hilton Coliseum – Ames, Iowa

When: Wednesday, January 21, 2026 – 6:30 p.m. CT

The Links

WATCH: ESPN+ (PxP: BJ Schaben, Analyst: Molly Parrott, Reporter: Shannon Ehrhardt)

LISTEN: Cyclone Radio Network (PxP: Noah Wolf, Analyst: Jamie Steyer Johnson)

Iowa State returns to Hilton Coliseum for the first time in 10 days to take on Cincinnati. It marks the second time the Cyclones and Bearcats will matchup this season and the first time ISU has faced an opponent for the second time this season.

FOUR THINGS

3 – Iowa State has the third-ranked assisting team nationally, averaging 21.3 dimes per contest. The Cyclones also rank third with a 1.68 assist/turnover ratio. Both marks lead the Big 12 Conference.

4 – Iowa State junior Addy Brown recorded the fourth triple-double in program history against Norfolk State (Nov. 16), tallying 11 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists. It marks the first time in over a decade that a Cyclone achieved the feat.

9 – The Cyclones have the ninth-best field goal percentage in NCAA Division I women's basketball, connecting on 49.1 percent of attempts from the floor.

85 – Audi Crooks has scored in double figures in 85 straight games. It marks the longest streak by a Cyclone women's basketball player and longest active streak in NCAA women's basketball. Crooks also holds the longest streak by a Big 12 women's basketball player since Brittney Griner's 116-game run from 2010-2013.

SERIES NOTES

Iowa State and Cincinnati meet for the third time in Hilton Coliseum and sixth time overall on Wednesday. ISU and Cincinnati have faced off already this season, a 68-63 Cyclone loss in Fifth Third Arena two weeks ago. The Cyclones won the first four matchups in series history by an average margin of victory of 25.8 points per game.

LAST TIME OUT

Iowa State dropped an 86-58 contest at Oklahoma State on Sunday. Audi Crooks and Jada Williams led ISU with 15 points apiece. Evangelia Paulk added nine points on 4-of-6 shooting from the floor. Crooks led Iowa State with seven rebounds while Williams passed out a team-high seven assists.

CYCLONES GARNER PRESEASON ATTENTION

Iowa State's trio of Addy Brown, Audi Crooks and Jada Williams has received national attention in the preseason, appearing on several watch lists and collecting preseason honors. Brown and Crooks were voted to the All-Big 12 Preseason Team and appeared on the Naismith Trophy Preseason, USBWA Ann Meyers Drysdale Award and Wooden Award watch lists. When the Naismith Starting 5 award watch lists were announced, Williams (Nancy Lieberman Award), Brown (Katrina McClain Award) and Crooks (Lisa Leslie Award) were all three selected to their respective position 20-woman watch lists.

CHANGING OF THE (POINT) GUARD

Following the graduation of five-year starting point guard Emily Ryan, Iowa State signed Arizona transfer Jada Williams to direct the Cyclone offense in 2025-26. Williams arrives in Ames following two seasons with the Wildcats where she averaged 12.7 points per game as a sophomore, increasing her average to 13.4 points per contest during conference play.

Through 19 games as a Cyclone, the Kansas City, Missouri native has averaged 12.0 points, 3.3 rebounds and 7.6 assists per contest. Her assist rate has increased by nearly five dimes per game from last season (2.9 apg) and she has passed her 2024-25 assist total by nearly 50 dimes. She knocked down a career-high six 3-pointers en route to a career-high 28 points against Baylor (Jan. 4) in Hilton Coliseum, the seventh 20-plus point game of her career. Williams tallied 16 points and a career-high 14 assists at Houston for her sixth double-double of the season. She ranks 49th in NCAA DI women's basketball with her double-double count this season and is fourth in the Big 12. Williams had not recorded a double-double in her collegiate career prior to this season.

LEADING AT THE LINE

Iowa State is historically one of the best free throw shooting teams in women's basketball. The Cyclones have made free throws a point of emphasis in recent years, improving from 72.5 percent in 2023-24 to 72.9 in 2024-25 and now to 75.3 percent through 19 games in 2025-26. Audi Crooks, who has taken the majority of attempts at the line over the last three seasons, has greatly improved her clip at the charity stripe as well, improving from 65.5 percent (114- 174) during her freshman season to 68.3 percent (84-123) this season. Iowa State ranks 39th nationally in free throws made per game (15.8) and 50th in free throw percentage this season, ranking third in the Big 12 with the mark.

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Players Mentioned

Addy Brown

Audi Crooks

Evangelia Paulk

Jada Williams

Sponsors

Iowa State University Athletics