Last Time Out

Iowa State passed its first test of the season, beating UNI 88-85 in Cedar Falls. The Cyclones survived a 15-0 Panther run in the 4th quarter.

Ashley Joens poured in 26 points on 9-18 shooting, including 6-13 from long range. She also grabbed 9 rebounds. Stephanie Soares proved that she is a threat, scoring 23 points on 9-11 shooting while hitting every three-pointer she shot (three attempts). Emily Ryan added 14 points and 5 assists, Denae Fritz had 14 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists, and Lexi Donarski rounded things out with 10 points and 6 assists.

About Columbia

The Lions come in at 3-1, with wins over Memphis, Delaware, and Seton Hall. Their lone loss was to Vanderbilt, which they struggled on defense. Columbia is fresh off of a program-record 25 wins a season ago and were picked to finish 2nd in the Ivy League this season.

Offensively, they rank in the top third in most statistics. Which is good, relatively speaking. They’re currently shooting 36.5% from beyond the arc, good for 58th in the country (ISU is currently 150th). What has been the key for Columbia is its defense. Realistically, they were probably the best defensive team statistically speaking outside of the Power 5 last year. They defend shots well and don’t give up many second-chance points. That might be an issue today though, as they do not have anyone over 6-foot-1.

Opponent Player to Watch

The trio of Abbey Hsu, Kaitlyn Davis, and Hannah Pratt have all been impressive thus far, but I think Kaitlyn Davis is going to have the most impact today. She averages 14.8 points per game and grabs 9.5 rebounds per game, both leading the team. She was a First Team All-Ivy League selection a season ago and she’ll make an impact in every game Columbia plays this year. We’ll see if her rebounding efforts are enough to keep the Lions in this one.

What Will Happen

“Lions, tigers, bears, don’t matta. Clones in fo’.”

Iowa State University - 86

Columbia University - 54

Pick Three

1. Iowa State wins the rebounding battle by 20+.
2. Ashley Joens hit 5+ threes.
3. This is a relaxing win.

Game Notes

The Matchup: Iowa State (#7) (2-0, 0-0 Big 12) vs. Columbia (3-1, 0-0 Ivy League)

Where: Hilton Coliseum - Ames, Iowa

When: Sunday, November 20 at 11 a.m.

TV: Big 12 Now on ESPN+ Talent: B.J. Schaben, Molly Parrott

Radio: Cyclone Radio Network/Varsity Radio App Talent: Noah Wolf, Jamie Steyer

Live Stats: CycloneStats