Last Time Out

Iowa State unofficially tipped off the 2022-23 campaign in a tune-up exhibition against Winona State, winning 104-47. The Cyclones shot an impressive 41% from downtown, going 16-39. Iowa State shot 50% from the field as well. Long story short, Bill Fennelly and the gals took care of business as expected.

Stephanie Soares was as advertised in her debut, dropping 26 points and 6 rebounds in just 19 minutes. Ashley Joens and Nyamier Diew each added 13 points. Emily Ryan did her thing and had 9 points to go with 7 assists. Morgan Kane notched a double-double, scoring 11 points and snagging 10 boards.

About Cleveland State

The Vikings are coming off of a very impressive 23-9 campaign in the 2021-22 season, although they did not face a Power 5 opponent. Coach Chris Kielsmeier, an Iowa State grad, enters his 5th season at the helm. Cleveland State has won 20+ games in 2 of the last 3 seasons, seeing back-to-back appearances post-season appearances.

Cleveland State returns 9 letter-winners from a Horizon League championship game squad. They were picked to finished 3rd in the league, but Destiny Leo is very capable of elevating this team to a regular season title.

It’s hard to look at stats before game one, so I’ll leave you with one stat that was interesting: the Vikings attempted more free throws (457) than their opponents attempted (344)!

Opponent Player to Watch

As I said before, Destiny Leo was the Horizon League Preseason Player of the Year. A year ago, Leo played over 35 minutes a game en route to averaging 18.3 points per game to lead Cleveland State and the Horizon League. Shooting 68-179 (38%) from downtown, she is a very effective shooter. Worth noting, she shot 90.2% from the charity stripe.

Leo is quick all the way around, whether it’s off the dribble, getting open without the ball, or on the defensive end. Here’s a quick highlight reel!

What Will Happen

Cyclones take care of business without any issues. “Cleveland, this isn’t for you. Clones in fo’.”

Iowa State University - 88

Cleveland State University - 42

Pick Three

1. Stephanie Soares leads the team in points.
2. Ashley Joens still scores 20.
3. Cyclones roll 10 deep.

Game Notes

The Matchup: Iowa State (#8) (0-0, 0-0 Big 12) vs. Cleveland State (0-0, 0-0 Horizon)

Where: Hilton Coliseum - Ames, Iowa

When: Monday, November 7 at 11 a.m.

TV: Big 12 Now on ESPN+ Talent: Alex Cohen, Chelsea Poppins

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

Live Stats: Cyclone Stats