For the first time in program history, the Toledo women’s basketball team will play Iowa State.
And what a matchup it is. Not only is it an NCAA tournament game, but there are storylines galore, with Iowa State head coach Bill Fennelly’s connection to Toledo, as well as assistant coaches Jodi Steyer, Latoja Schaben, and Billy Fennelly.
It’ll be a reunion of sorts for the four of them and Toledo head coach Tricia Cullop, who regularly communicates with the Iowa State staff.
The game will take place in Knoxville, Tenn., at Thompson-Boling Arena, one of the most historic women’s college basketball venues.
Will the result be historic for the Rockets?
Tommy Birch, who covers Iowa State women’s basketball for the Des Moines Register, is here to inform readers about UT’s NCAA tournament opponent.
Question: The 5-12 matchup is dangerous for 5-seeds. In seven of the past 10 tournaments, at least one 12-seed has pulled off the upset. Is Iowa State in a vulnerable position this year?
Answer: Every spot is for Iowa State this season. The Cyclones have been wildly unpredictable. They were picked to finish first in the league, suffered some key injuries, got back on track, struggled again, and then won the Big 12 tournament title. Consistency, until this last weekend in Kansas City, is something the Cyclones have sorely been missing most of the season.
Q: Stephanie Soares was having a dominant season for Iowa State prior to her season-ending knee injury. The Cyclones' defense was particularly impressive with Soares on the court. How different are they without her on the court?
A: They’ve had to go back to their old ways of mixing and matching inside on defense and then riding whoever the hot hand is on offense. That’s meant some different lineups and sometimes using a very small rotation. Offensively, Iowa State’s game plan is to shoot the 3, attack the hoop, and try to get to the free-throw line. That’s been tougher to do with Soares out and with Iowa State’s bench being limited because of her injuries and another to post player Beatriz Jordao.
Q: Iowa State had a three-game losing streak in February and lost five of eight games. But the Cyclones turned it on at the Big 12 tournament, beating the top two seeds en route to the championship. What's been the impetus in their turnaround?
A: They’ve gotten tons of extra help. You know what you’re going to get from Ashley Joens, Lexi Donarski, and Emily Ryan. But they’ve needed someone else to step up. Throughout the Big 12 tournament, others emerged including Morgan Kane, Nyamer Diew, and Denae Fritz. The big question moving forward is, can one of them, or maybe more, step up in the NCAA tournament?
Q: Ashley Joens is one of the best players in the county, and she's coming off a tremendous performance in the Big 12 tournament. How much of a matchup nightmare will she be for Toledo?
A: She can do it all. Joens began her career as more of a spot-up shooter but has expanded her game and even improved parts of it lately. After her freshman year, she began attacking the hoop more and getting to the free throw line often. That’s been the bread and butter of Bill Fennelly’s teams. He just has to have someone that can do it. It has been Joens the last few years. When Joens got feedback from WNBA teams that she needed to improve her 3-point shooting, she worked on that and became more dangerous from beyond the arc. She can bring the ball up the court, shoot the 3, and post up down low making her so hard to defend.
A: Iowa State went to the Sweet 16 a year ago. They returned several key pieces from that team. Despite losing Soares, the Cyclones are rounding into form at the right time. Is this a team that's primed to make a deep NCAA tournament run?
A: They very well could. They’re coming off perhaps their best stretch of the season. But the Cyclones have been so inconsistent at times this season as well. Without Soares and Jordao, their bench is short. And cold shooting nights have come and gone for the team that relies on the 3-point shot so much. Iowa State still has a track record of superstar scorers and one of the best backcourts probably in the entire nation.
First Published March 15, 2023, 6:46 p.m.
