Iowa State women’s basketball: Cyclones coach Bill Fennelly gives update on Emily Ryan

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AMES – The Iowa State women’s basketball team will return to its home court Wednesday night at Hilton Coliseum, and so could one of its biggest stars.

Iowa State coach Bill Fennelly said Tuesday he’s “hopeful” that starting point guard Emily Ryan will be back on the floor when the Cyclones host BYU on Wednesday at 6:30 p.m.

Ryan, a fifth-year senior for the Cyclones, didn’t play during Iowa State’s 82-68 loss at West Virginia on Sunday. Fennelly said Ryan was dealing with an illness.

“She’s going to try and practice today,” Fennelly said Tuesday. “(She) did not practice yesterday (Monday). She’ll practice a little bit today. If she feels OK, then she’ll give it a shot tomorrow. The good news is she’s going to give it a shot today and she feels a lot better. So we’re definitely trending in the right direction. So we’re definitely hopeful she’ll go.”

Iowa State Cyclones’ guard Emily Ryan (11) reacts after a three-point play against Texas Tech during the third quarter in the Big-12 women’s basketball showdown at Hilton Coliseum on Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025, in Ames, Iowa.

Ryan made the trip with the team to Morgantown, W. Va., but didn’t suit up. She was sorely missed. With Ryan unable to play, West Virginia’s intense defense rattled the Cyclones, scoring 26 points off 25 Iowa State turnovers.

Ryan, Iowa State’s all-time assists leader, certainly would have helped cut down on those numbers. Iowa State used multiple players at the point guard spot Sunday, including freshman Reagan Wilson and sophomore Arianna Jackson.

“It obviously kind of showed that we needed her calming presence against West Virginia,” said Iowa State forward Addy Brown. “We kind of got sped up pretty easily. She definitely would have helped some of that.”

The Cyclones have relied heavily on Ryan, Brown and Audi Crooks this season. Ryan is averaging 9.6 points, 6.4 assists and 4.2 rebounds per game. But with Ryan on the bench the entire game, the Cyclones struggled. Her return would give Iowa State a…

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Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/iowa-state-womens-basketball-cyclones-184035771.html

Author : The Des Moines Register

Publish date : 2025-01-21 18:40:00

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