AMES, Iowa (AP) — Lexi Donarski scored 18 points, making six 3-pointers, Ashley Joens added 15 points and No. 12 Iowa State beat Omaha 65-38 on Tuesday in a season opener for both teams.
Donarski, the Big 12 freshman of the year last season, was 6 of 12 from distance and Joens, who led the conference and ranked fifth nationally with 24.2 points per game last season, went 3 for 9. Omaha didn’t make its first 3-pointer until early in the fourth and finished 2 for 10.
Iowa State trailed 12-11 after the first quarter but held Omaha to six points in the second quarter and nine points in the third to build a 45-27 lead.
Emily Ryan tied an Iowa State record with nine steals, joining Tracy Horvath’s mark set in the 1988-89 season. The Cyclones finished with 15 steals, and Omaha turned it over 22 times.
The Cyclones returned 69.8% of their scoring, 64.4% of their rebounding and 74.3% of their assists from last year’s team that advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
Mariah Murdie led Omaha with 15 points, eight rebounds and four blocks. The Mavericks were held to 33.3% shooting.
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