AMES, Iowa (AP) — Lexi Donarski scored 22 points and No. 8 Iowa State pulled away from Southern 79-55 on Thursday night.
The Cyclones (2-0) trailed early, 10-8, after hitting just three of their first 14 shots. Iowa State missed its first nine attempts from 3-point range.
Donarski hit eight of 16 shots, including five of 13 from 3-point range. Emily Ryan added 19 points and Ashley Joens had 15 points and 14 rebounds, recording the 51st double-double of her career.
Aleighyah Fontenot led Southern (0-2) with 18 points.
Southern made nine of its first 16 shots and began 4 of 6 on 3s.
Donarski hit a 3 that gave Iowa State a 40-29 lead at halftime.
BIG PICTURE
Iowa State won a day after signing its highest rated recruiting class in school history. The Cyclones’ five-player class is ranked No. 10 nationally by ESPNw/HoopGirlz. The list includes 6-foot-2 forwards Addy Brown of Derby, Kansas, and Jalynn Bristow of Wichita Falls, Texas (ranked No. 31 and No. 47, individually).
UP NEXT
Southern: The schedule doesn’t ease up for the Jaguars, who play No. 20 Oregon on Monday. Southern lost its opener at Iowa, 87-34.
Iowa State: Plays its first road game Wednesday at rival Northern Iowa. The Cyclones escaped last year’s meeting, 70-69.
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AP women’s college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/womens-college-basketball and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-womens-college-basketball-poll and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25
