For the first time in nearly 30 years, Iowa State’s women’s basketball team did not make a shot from beyond the arc Tuesday. It ended the Cyclones’ 945-game NCAA-record streak for having at least one 3-pointer in a game.
Iowa State still beat Texas Tech 71-58 at Hilton Coliseum in Ames, but went 0 for 7 from long range. The streak dated to Feb. 19, 1995, at Colorado. That was in the Cyclones’ final season under coach Theresa Becker, when Iowa State was still in the Big Eight.
Coach Bill Fennelly took over the next season and has led the program to 22 NCAA tournament appearances and three Big 12 tournament titles, the most recent in 2023. Fennelly always has championed the 3-pointer as a staple of his offense, and under his guidance the Cyclones never played a game without making at least one — until Tuesday.
To put the streak in a women’s basketball historical perspective, the last time Iowa State didn’t make a 3-pointer, the WNBA didn’t exist (launched in 1997), UConn had not won any of its 11 NCAA titles (the first came later in 1995) and Team USA’s streak of eight consecutive Olympic gold medals had not started (began in 1996).
“We only shot seven of them, so we really didn’t care,” Fennelly said of how the Cyclones were more focused on getting points in the paint against Texas Tech than shooting 3’s. “If we were really worried about [the record] we probably would have run about 15 more plays to get one.
“I get it’s a big deal to some people, and it’s a big deal to us. I’m proud the streak was there. But it’s just like a kid getting a triple-double; I’m not leaving them in the game just to get stats. We ran two plays to get a 3, and both were in the first half.”
Forward Addy Brown and center Audi Crooks were a combined 19 of 31 from the field for 49 points to lead Iowa State. The Cyclones began the season ranked No. 8 but have fallen out of The Associated Press poll. They are now 13-6 overall and 4-2 in the Big 12.
The Cyclones are typically one of the top 3-point shooting teams in the Big 12 and the nation. This season, they are third in the league, with 151 3-pointers made. TCU leads with 177.
Ashley Joens, Iowa State’s all-time leading scorer, made a school-record 344 3-pointers in her career from 2018 to 2023. She played five years with the COVID-19 waiver. The four-year record at Iowa State is 287 3’s, shared by Megan Taylor (1997 to 2001) and Heather Ezell (2005 to 2009).
