Longhorns take advantage of Cyclones’ absent sisters

NO. 15 TEXAS 66, NO. 7 IOWA STATE 48

AMES, Iowa — DeYona Gaston scored 14 points and No. 15 Texas rolled to a 66-48 victory over shorthanded No. 7 Iowa State on Wednesday night.

The Cyclones were missing sisters Aubrey and Ashley Joens due to Big 12 health and safety protocols. Ashley Joens is Iowa State’s leading scorer, with 20.3 points per game, and rebounder with 9.5 per game. Aubrey contributes 9.4 points and 6.9 rebounds.

Texas (13-3, 3-2) took advantage, holding the Cyclones (162, 5-1) to 28% shooting. Gaston hit six of nine shots and also grabbed five rebounds.

“My first thoughts to go Aubrey and Ashley. I hope they’re OK” Texas Coach Vic Schaefer said. “This is part of college athletics, right now. We’ve gone through it.”

Emily Ryan led Iowa State with 19 points. Lexi Donarski added 14 points.

The Cyclones struggled early, hitting one of their first nine shots, eventually slumping to 3-of-17 shooting.

Donarski kept Iowa State close in the first half with a trio of three-pointers.

“It was definitely challenging,” Donarski said of missing the Joens sisters. “But we were prepared for this game, and we just didn’t execute in the way that we know we could. And that’s the frustrating part.”

Rori Harmon and Gaston each hit a pair of jumpers and Texas pulled out to a 28-20 lead in the second quarter. The Longhorns led 39-30 at the break.

Texas opened the second half with a 7-0 run. Iowa State went more than six minutes without scoring during the third quarter.

“It really couldn’t have gone worse,” Cyclone Coach Bill Fennelly said. “In the third quarter we just could not make anything. We couldn’t execute anything.”

In other women’s Top 25 games Wednesday, Madi Williams scored 23 points, Taylor Robertson added 22 and No. 14 Oklahoma broke the game open in the third quarter en route to an 88-76 victory over West Virginia. The Sooners trailed 46-44 at halftime but took the lead for good with a 7-0 run and closed the third quarter with 10-consecutive points, taking a 72-58 lead on Robertson’s three-pointer. Skylar Vann scored 15 points for Oklahoma (16-2, 5-1 Big 12), which won its eight consecutive road game and is off to its best start since the 2006-07 team went 17-1. Esmery Martinez scored a career-high 26 points and had 10 rebounds to lead West Virginia (8-7, 1-4). … Queen Egbo scored 19 points, NaLyssa Smith had 16 points and 13 rebounds and No. 15 Baylor defeated Oklahoma State 67-49. Egbo had 10 points in the first quarter when the Bears took an 18-12 lead and had 17 points by halftime, when Baylor was up 34-26. Jordan Lewis added 13 points and seven assists for the Bears (12-4, 2-2 Big 12). … Kerstie Phills scored a season-high 23 points and grabbed nine rebounds to help No. 24 Florida Gulf Coast (16-1, 5-0 ASUN) cruise by Stetson 78-41. Tatiana Streun scored 12 points and Kiya Turner added 10 for Stetson (8-10, 1-4).