The young Iowa State women's basketball team faces a unique challenge this season: Fatigue
AMES – It was this time a year ago that the five freshmen on the Iowa State women’s basketball team were preparing for the end of their high school season.
This season is far from over for them, though.
The young Cyclones are preparing for the biggest stretch in the longest season of their young careers, which will finally hit the midway point of Big 12 Conference play after they play at No. 23 West Virginia on Saturday at 1 p.m.
“It’s never-ending,” said Iowa State freshman Kelsey Joens.
The season may certainly feel that way for Iowa State’s five freshmen: Joens, Jalynn Bristow, Addy Brown, Arianna Jackson and Audi Crooks. The five have contributed in giant ways during their inaugural collegiate seasons, gulping up a bulk of the playing time.
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Crooks and Brown are the team’s top two scorers. Meanwhile, Jackson has been a steady starter for the Cyclones and a strong defensive weapon. Joens has become a big-time rebounder and knocked down several timely shots. Bristow is coming off one of her best games.
The contributions were to be expected after Iowa State’s roster underwent a giant makeover in the offseason. But the success of the Cyclones, who have turned into one of the biggest surprise stories in the Big 12 as a contender for the conference crown, was not expected.
But if the Cyclones are to stay in the hunt for a regular season title, the five freshmen will have to continue playing at a high level, longer than they had to in high school.
“This is the first time they’ve ever done this,” said Iowa State coach Bill Fennelly.
Iowa State still has 10 conference games remaining in the schedule, including Saturday’s showdown at West Virginia. The Cyclones also have the Big 12 Tournament in Kansas City, Mo., and if all goes well, a trip to the NCAA Tournament.
To reach the NCAA Tournament, there's still work to do. The top task now is navigating through the end of the season. Opponents aren’t their only concern. Fatigue is one of Fennelly's worries with many of his freshmen wrapping up their entire senior season by mid-February.
Crooks’ Bishop Garrigan squad finished its 27-game schedule with a state title on March 4. That means many on this year’s team will not only be playing more games but playing later into the season.
“It is a concern,” Fennelly said.
Fennelly is doing whatever he can to make sure his players still have enough energy by the end of the season. He said he’s cut down on practice time and spent more of their workouts doing walk-throughs and watching film.
Thursday’s practice, for instance, included about 30 minutes of video work and another half hour of walk-through. The Cyclones wrapped up with some light shooting.
“The only person that had a high heart rate (Thursday) was me,” Fennelly said.
Will it work? Fennelly concedes it hasn't gotten him the results he's wanted recently with losses in their last two games at Texas Tech and then at Kansas. He also said some of the recent woes may stem from Iowa State's long absence from home. Iowa State's last home game, a Jan. 20 contest against Texas Christian, was canceled due to the Horned Frogs not having enough players.
That has meant an extended stay on the road for the Cyclones. It's another unique challenge during what has turned into a very unique season for Iowa State's inexperienced squad that is still getting adjusted to college.
"You have to find that new gear and be like, 'We're not done, we're just getting started,'" Joens said.
Tommy Birch, the Register's sports enterprise and features reporter, has been working at the newspaper since 2008. He's the 2018, 2020 and 2023 Iowa Sportswriter of the Year. Reach him at tbirch@dmreg.com or 515-284-8468
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: The young Iowa State women's basketball team preps for longer season
