AMES – With every game early in this season, Iowa State women’s basketball coach Bill Fennelly has targeted a specific area he’s wanted his team to improve in. One game it was shot selection. Another game it was free-throw shooting.
In the Cyclones‘ next game, the focus will be on Iowa State’s foul troubles.
Advertisement
The 15th-ranked Cyclones will try to cut down on fouling when Iowa State (6-0) hosts Mercyhurst (0-4) on Nov. 23 at Hilton Coliseum at 1 p.m.
“At times, we lose our discipline a little bit,” Fennelly said.
Fouling has been a problem at times this season, and it was an issue again during Iowa State’s last game. During an 87-60 win over Drake at the Knapp Center on Nov. 20, the Cyclones were whistled for 25 fouls.
That led to 23 free-throw attempts from the Bulldogs. Drake connected on 19. Those trips to the line helped Drake outscore Iowa State 29-16 in the third quarter.
It was the one area that the Cyclones struggled in during their dominant road win. So it’s the area of focus as Iowa State prepares for its next non-conference foe.
Advertisement
“That’s got to get better,” Fennelly said.
Here are three things to watch when Iowa State plays Mercyhurst.
Iowa State’s Addy Brown (24) looks to pass to a teammate on Nov. 20, 2025, at the Knapp Center in Des Moines.
Addy Brown will fill the stat sheet again.
Sunday’s game is another opportunity for Addy Brown to do some damage.
The Iowa State junior tallied the program’s first triple-double since 2014 two games ago. She followed that with another big performance at Drake, scoring 12 points, grabbing 15 rebounds and handing out seven assists.
Iowa State’s Audi Crooks (55) catches a pass on Nov. 20, 2025, at the Knapp Center in Des Moines.
Iowa State can add to its strong start.
With another victory, Iowa State can improve to 7-0 for the first time since the 2021-22 season.
That squad ended up winning 28 games and went to the Sweet 16.
Advertisement
While the schedule gets significantly more difficult after Sunday’s game, Iowa State could have a chance to go 8-0 for the first time since the 2013-14 season when the Cyclones rattled off 14 wins to begin the year.
Iowa State’s Jada Williams (8) shoots the ball on Nov. 20, 2025, at the Knapp Center in Des Moines.
This is tune-up time for the Cyclones.
Sunday’s game is perhaps the last of the easy non-conference opponents for the Cyclones.
Iowa State follows it up with a trip to the Coconut Hoops event in Fort Myers, Fla., next week. The Cyclones will start off by facing Marquette on Nov. 28. They’ll then face either Indiana or Gonzaga.
Iowa State comes home after that and faces Northern Illinois on Dec. 7. The non-conference schedule wraps up with in-state rivalry games against Iowa and Northern Iowa. Sunday’s game is a chance to work on things and fine-tune whatever needs fixing.
Advertisement
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: What to watch when Iowa State women’s basketball hosts Mercyhurst
