OSU women's basketball: Lexi Donarski scores 23 points to lead No. 9 Iowa State past Cowgirls

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Donarski scores 23, No. 9 Iowa State tops Oklahoma State

Lexi Donarski scored 23 points and No. 9 Iowa State rolled past Oklahoma State 74-60 on Saturday in Stillwater.

Morgan Kane had 15 points and 10 rebounds, Emily Ryan scored 13 points, and Ashley Joens added 12 points for Iowa State (16-1, 5-0 Big 12), which won its ninth straight and remained the only undefeated team in league play.

Joens had averaged 20.8 points per game, but she made just 4 of 13 shots. Iowa State coach Bill Fennelly said he was glad to see other players step forward while his biggest star struggled.

“Luckily, it doesn’t happen very often," he said. “But when it does, other people have figured out a way to score. And when you do that on the road, it’s even more valuable.”

Oklahoma State coach Jim Littell said the Cyclones are exceptional because they can adjust.

“They’re very good," Littell said. “They’re very deserving of their ninth rank in the country. Probably one of the most efficient teams offensively in the country. They can score five positions and really, really shoot the basketball, both from the perimeter and the free-throw line.”

The Cyclones won both games in their first week as a top-10 team since 2002. Fennelly said he appreciates the recognition, but he's more concerned with the team's overall approach.

“Any time Iowa State is viewed upon in a positive light, any sport, anything, it’s a good thing," Fennelly said. "It’s a good thing for our school. Certainly, it’s great for our basketball program. But it’s about more than that.”

Taylen Collins scored a career-high 21 points and Macie James added 14 for Oklahoma State (6-8, 1-4).

Lauren Fields, who came in averaging 16.8 points for the Cowgirls, scored 10 on 4-for-15 shooting while being guarded primarily by Donarski.

“I thought Lexi Donarski had one of her better games,” Fennelly said. “We always talk about two-way players. She was a two-way player today.”

Iowa State led 24-8 at the end of the first quarter. Kane, a forward who had averaged 8.1 points per game this season, scored seven in the first seven minutes. Oklahoma State made just 4 of 19 shots in the period.

“I told them at the end of the first quarter, it’s nothing you’re doing wrong," Littell said. “We’ve just got to step up and make those shots. We’re getting incredible looks at the basket that you can’t draw up any better. It didn’t go in at first, but our kids kept playing and and hung in there.”

Donarski scored eight points in the second quarter to help the Cyclones take a 43-27 lead at the break, and Iowa State remained in control throughout the second half.

Women's roundup

NO. 10 UCONN 78, XAVIER 41: Freshman Caroline Ducharme scored 20 points, Christyn Williams added 19 and UConn routed Xavier to win its 165th straight conference game.

Men's roundup

NO. 2 GONZAGA 115, SANTA CLARA 83: Drew Timme scored 32 points and Andrew Nembhard had 19 as Gonzaga routed Santa Clara on Saturday for its 24th consecutive West Coast Conference victory

NO. 8 DUKE 88, NORTH CAROLINA STATE 73: Mark Williams had 19 points, 11 rebounds and eight blocks as Duke dominated inside with Hall of Fame coach Mike Krzyzewski back on the sideline after missing a game due to illness. Paolo Banchero had a team-high 21 points for the Blue Devils

NO. 9 KANSAS 85, WEST VIRGINIA 59: David McCormack had 19 points and 15 rebounds, Jalen Wilson added 23 points and eight boards, and Kansas overcame a sluggish first half to rout defensive-minded West Virginia. Ochai Agbaji also had 20 points and seven rebounds for the Jayhawks (14-2, 3-1), who led just 33-31 at halftime but blitzed through the second half.

NORTHWESTERN 64, NO. 10 MICHIGAN STATE 62: Ryan Young had 18 points and eight rebounds, helping Northwestern hold on to beat Michigan State for its first road win over a top 10 team in nearly five years.

Jan 15, 2022; Manhattan, Kansas, USA;  Kansas State Wildcats guard Mark Smith (13) reacts to a play during the second half against the Texas Tech Red Raiders at Bramlage Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Scott Sewell-USA TODAY Sports ORG XMIT: IMAGN-462420 ORIG FILE ID:  20220115_jla_as4_107.jpg
Jan 15, 2022; Manhattan, Kansas, USA; Kansas State Wildcats guard Mark Smith (13) reacts to a play during the second half against the Texas Tech Red Raiders at Bramlage Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Scott Sewell-USA TODAY Sports ORG XMIT: IMAGN-462420 ORIG FILE ID: 20220115_jla_as4_107.jpg

ARKANSAS 65, NO. 12 LSU 58: Jaylin Williams hit a tiebreaking 3-pointer with slightly more than a minute to play, sending Arkansas over LSU. The Razorbacks (12-5, 2-3 Southeastern Conference) ended the game on a 17-2 run in the final nine minutes. Williams, who had 11 points and 13 rebounds, made a wide-open 3 for a 61-58 lead.

NO. 15 IOWA STATE 79, NO. 21 TEXAS 70: Gabe Kalscheur scored 22 points as Iowa State held on to beat Texas. Kalscheur hit 6 of 12 attempts from 3-point range, including a pair of long-range shots in the second half that helped the Cyclones (14-3, 2-3 Big 12) hold off a late charge by the Longhorns (13-4, 3-2).

NO. 17 XAVIER 80, CREIGHTON 73: Colby Jones scored 14 of his 16 points in the second half as No. 17 Xavier rallied to defeat Creighton. Xavier (13-3, 3-2 Big East) had six players in double figures scoring.

NO. 18 KENTUCKY 107, NO. 22 TENNESSEE 79: Freshman TyTy Washington Jr. scored a career-high 28 points, Sahvir Wheeler returned from injury to add 21 points and Kentucky shot a season-high 68% percent to blow out Tennessee. The Wildcats (14-3, 4-1 Southeastern Conference) rolled the Volunteers on an emotional day that began with news of the death of former Kentucky coach Joe B. Hall at 93.

KANSAS STATE 62, NO. 19 TEXAS TECH 51: Nijel Pack scored 14 points, Mark Smith made a key 3-pointer with just over a minute left, and Kansas State ended a four-game losing streak. Smith finished with 12 points and Mike McGuirl had 10 for the Wildcats (9-7, 1-4 Big 12).

MARQUETTE 73, NO. 20 SETON HALL 72: Greg Elliott made a tiebreaking free throw with 1.7 seconds left and Marquette withstood a long second-half drought to beat Seton Hall on Saturday for its fourth straight victory.

TEXAS A&M 67, MISSOURI 64: Henry Coleman III scored 18 points, Hassan Diarra made two free throws with three seconds left and Texas A&M rallied to beat Missouri. Texas A&M missed its first 13 shots, trailed for the first 35 minutes and never led by more than two until the final minute.

Wire reports

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Oklahoma State vs. Iowa State women's basketball score, game recap