Third-Quarter Collapse Costs Utah Women in Hard-Fought Loss to Iowa State
SALT LAKE CITY - For two and a half quarters, Utah looked like a team searching for answers. By the time they found a rhythm, Iowa State had already built a mountain too steep to climb.
The Utes fell 79-72 at home, undone by a third quarter that saw the Cyclones catch fire and Utah go ice cold. Outscored 30-18 in that frame, Utah struggled to string together stops or buckets, while Iowa State shot a blistering 59% from the field and knocked down four threes to break open what had been a tight contest.
It was a stretch where everything that could go wrong, did. On offense, Utah looked hesitant, out of sync, and shot just 28% from the floor. On defense, miscommunications and blown coverages gave Iowa State too many clean looks - and the Cyclones made them pay.
“We were disconnected,” head coach Gavin Petersen said. “Whether it was pick-and-roll coverage, doubling from the wrong spot, or just not rotating, we gave them momentum.”
That momentum swung the game. Utah tried to claw back in the fourth, outscoring Iowa State 27-16, but the damage had already been done. The Cyclones’ lead, at one point as large as 19, proved just enough to hold off the late surge.
Defensive Plan Starts Strong, But Cyclones Adjust
Utah actually opened with a solid defensive plan. Iowa State’s star center Audi Crooks was bottled up in the first half, held to just two points thanks to a steady double-team in the post. But that pressure came at a cost.
With Utah sending extra help to contain Crooks, the Cyclones responded by kicking the ball out and letting their shooters go to work. They hit six threes in the first half - many of them wide-open looks - as Utah struggled to rotate and recover.
“We weren’t supposed to double on one play, and we did anyway,” Petersen said. “They kicked it out, and that’s when (Arianna) Jackson got going.
Then (Sydney) Harris got going. We just didn’t stay connected.”
Jackson and Harris combined for eight of Iowa State’s 10 made threes, each finishing with 12 points. Their shooting stretched the floor and forced Utah to adjust - but the Utes never quite regained control.
Crooks, meanwhile, found her groove in the second half. With the defense stretched and the double-teams less effective, she went to work inside, finishing with a game-high 26 points and eight rebounds. After a 1-for-6 start, she dominated the paint down the stretch.
“They did a good job keeping her from getting deep position early,” Iowa State head coach Bill Fennelly said. “But once we started hitting shots, that changed everything. The double-teams weren’t as effective, and she was able to settle in.”
Offensive Inconsistency Haunts Utes
Utah shot 38% from the field and hit 10 threes, but it took 32 attempts to get there - a sign of how reliant the offense became on outside shooting. Senior Lani White turned in a strong performance with 19 points and four made threes, while Reese Ross led the way with 22 points and 12 rebounds, her fifth double-double of the season.
But beyond those two, the Utes couldn’t find much help. No other player scored in double digits, and several looked hesitant to shoot even when open. That tentativeness was a sticking point for Petersen.
“I keep telling them - be shot ready,” he said. “You’ve got to be ready to let it fly when the opportunity is there.”
Ross echoed the sentiment, pointing to a lack of confidence after a few early misses.
“We got away from Utah basketball - inside-out threes,” she said. “And when those shots don’t fall early, the rim starts to feel smaller. But we’ve got to let our defense fuel our offense, not the other way around.”
A Missed Opportunity, But Lessons to Build On
This was a game Utah could’ve had - and maybe should’ve. But one bad quarter, against a team as talented and disciplined as Iowa State, can be the difference between a statement win and a frustrating loss.
To their credit, the Utes didn’t fold. They kept fighting, kept pushing, and nearly pulled off a comeback that would’ve erased the third-quarter collapse. That resilience matters, especially in a Big 12 race that’s still wide open.
“I thought we played great,” Fennelly said. “Utah’s a really good team - hard to guard, well-coached, and tough at home.
This is a huge road win for us. But I don’t think anyone’s going to want to see them come tournament time.”
And he’s not wrong. Utah has the pieces.
They’ve shown the fight. Now it’s about putting it all together - for four full quarters.