Emily Ryan's historic night for Iowa State women's basketball moves her into elite company
AMES — Iowa State point guard Emily Ryan had no idea how high she was climbing up the school’s record book or how close she really was to a triple-double until after Sunday's game.
That’s when Josh Carper, the program’s director of basketball operations, tapped Ryan on the shoulder and told her what she’d done. Ryan had come up just one rebound short of a triple-double and tied an Iowa State single-game record with 16 assists.
“I don’t know where they all came from,” Ryan said. “People must have been hitting a bunch of shots.”
Ryan was on her game as well. The Iowa State sophomore scored 10 points and grabbed nine rebounds to go along with her 16 assists in the 14th-ranked Cyclones’ 88-72 victory over West Virginia at Hilton Coliseum Sunday. Ryan’s 16 assists were the highlight of the day, matching the program’s single-game school record set by Lyndsey (Medders) Fennelly against IPFW on Dec. 30, 2005.
“That’s just a testament to my teammates and the shots they were hitting,” Ryan said. “They were able to finish the tough shots they were getting. Huge shoutout for them.”
Ryan deserves plenty of credit as well. The second-year starter has become a star for the Cyclones and one of the best point guards not only in the Big 12 Conference but in the entire nation. Ryan, who ranked second in the Big 12 in assists last season as a freshman, has taken her game to another level. Her 7.5 assists per game and 3.2 assist/turnover ratio both rank first in the Big 12. She began the day ranked fifth in the nation among Division I players in assists.
It’s no big surprise to Iowa State coach Bill Fennelly, who has marveled about Ryan’s work ethic since she got to Ames. That hasn't changed. But Fennelly believes a year in Iowa State's system and the trust she's gained from her teammates have helped make her even better.
“The kid’s a winner,” Fennelly said. “I think if you’re the point guard on any team, you’re the quarterback, you’re the best starting pitcher (or) you’re leadoff hitter. Whatever it is, there’s certain people that you look at that have to do their job to make everyone else’s job better and Emily Ryan does it as well as anyone.”
More: Iowa State women open Big 12 play with win
She has been all season. Ryan nearly got to the record in Iowa State's last game on Dec. 19 when she tallied 15 assists. She finally reached it Sunday when Maggie Espenmiller-McGraw knocked down a 3-pointer late in the fourth quarter. She had a chance to break it but multiple missed shots off passes didn't go in. But it was still a historic night. That's why Lyndsey (Medders) Fennelly was waiting for Ryan after the game to shake hands with her and congratulate the point guard on tying her record.
"It was a fun night," Ryan said.
Here are some thoughts from Sunday's game:
Let's not forget about the near triple-double
Lost in the chaos of Ryan's historic night was how close Ryan was to reaching a triple-double. Ryan stacked the stat sheet but needed just one more rebound to become the fourth player in Iowa State history to reach the mark. The last was by Nikki Moody against Wyoming on Nov. 28, 2014.
"I've got to talk to the stat people to get her an extra rebound," Fennelly joked after the game.
What a start for Iowa State
The Cyclones have had a nearly flawless start to the season. Sunday's win was the fifth-straight and improved Iowa State to 12-1 on the season. They're now 1-0 in Big 12 play. The last setback for the Cyclones came back on Dec. 2 at Louisiana State. Things are looking pretty promising for an Iowa State team picked to finish tied for second in the Big 12.
"Our record's pretty good," Fennelly said. "We are 1-0 in the Big 12. We won our in-state games. For the most part, compared to most people in the country, we're relatively healthy."
Iowa State's post play was exceptional
West Virginia was shorthanded due to COVID-19 and injuries. The Cyclones took advantage of that, especially in the post. That was an area of concern for Iowa State heading into the season but it's turned into a strong suit at times. Beatriz Jordao and Morgan Kane combined for 24 points and five rebounds.
"We always get together before the games and we focus on what we need to do and we help each other out," Jordao said.
Tommy Birch, the Register's sports enterprise and features reporter, has been working at the newspaper since 2008. He's the 2018 and 2020 Iowa Sportswriter of the Year. Reach him at tbirch@dmreg.com or 515-284-8468. Follow him on Twitter @TommyBirch.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Emily Ryan turning into an elite point guard for Iowa State basketball
