How tough a time did the Arizona women’s basketball team have at Iowa State on Saturday?
By the end of the game, UA had only four available players.
Five Wildcats fouled out, and guard Tanyuel Welch got injured, leaving Arizona shorthanded. Even with a full complement of players, the Wildcats would have struggled to beat the Cyclones.
As it was, Iowa State rolled to a 90-65 victory at Hilton Coliseum in Ames. Arizona lost its fourth in a row to drop to 10-9, 1-7 in the Big 12.
The Cyclones’ 90 points were the most by a UA opponent this season. Iowa State (16-5, 4-5) led 53-27 at halftime and shot 71.4% from the field in the opening 20 minutes.
“It was the first half. If we defended like we did in the second half, we'd have been sitting probably right about our average,” UA coach Becky Burke said. “They were making shots. We were fouling. They shot 31 free throws. We can't continue to put teams in the bonus the way that we do. We're in complete control of that.”
Arizona guard Sumayah Sugapong looks to drive during the Wildcats' game against Iowa State on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, in Ames, Iowa. Sugapong finished with 13 points.
The Wildcats’ 31 fouls were the second most they’ve committed this season. The Cyclones’ 31 free-throw attempts were the second most by a UA opponent.
"We have a fouling problem right now," said Burke, whose team was whistled for 29 fouls earlier in the week vs. Kansas. "It's a discipline thing, and we're not being disciplined defenders. It's been kind of haunting us a little bit thus far this season.
"We're a little bit smaller, a little bit less athletic, and so we tend to want to use our hands and foul when we shouldn't. We paid the price for it today."
Guard Noelani Cornfield led Arizona with 19 points, her highest scoring output since Dec. 10. Cornfield fouled out with 3:07 remaining.
Freshman forward Daniah Trammell replaced her and played the rest of the way. Trammell, who has started 14 games, hadn’t played up to that point.
Freshman guard Molly Ladwig started in Trammell’s spot, played a season-high 29 minutes and scored a career-high 10 points. Fellow guard Kamryn Kitchen played 30 minutes, one shy of her season high.
Iowa State guard Jada Williams dribbles the ball up the court while Arizona guard Noelani Cornfield defends during the Cyclones' 90-65 victory over the Wildcats on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, in Ames, Iowa.
Regarding those lineup decisions, Burke said: “They came out in a zone. We're pretty one-dimensional with certain players. We've got the kids that can shoot it, and if they’re in man, they're not as effective. And then we've got the ones that beat you off the bounce. But if they're in zone, those ones aren't as effective.
“So it's really the flow of the game and what the defensive look is from the other team. They were mixing it up. Just felt more comfortable with Molly and Kam in this one.”
Welch, who started, did not play in the second half until 4:08 remained. She suffered an ankle injury after snaring a rebound of her own missed shot with 2:40 left. Welch had to be carried off the court.
“I know she rolled it, and I know she was in a lot of pain,” Burke said. “Ankles, when you roll them, it's excruciating for those first few minutes and first couple hours. So we'll probably re-evaluate her later tonight.”
Already missing leading scorer Mickayla Perdue (wrist), the Wildcats could be without Welch, as well, when they visit Arizona State on Wednesday.
Former Wildcat Jada Williams led the Cyclones with 19 points on 8-of-11 shooting, to go along with seven assists. Williams also had seven turnovers in her first game against her former team. Williams spent her first two seasons at Arizona before transferring to Iowa State last year.
Williams' status was in question after she missed shootaround because of an illness.
"She's a tough kid," ISU coach Bill Fennelly said. "She loves to play. She's a baller. We talk about it all the time: When you're a college athlete, there's no guarantees. There's only a finite number of games you get to play. And if you can play, you wanna play."
Fennelly earned his 296th Big 12 victory, matching Kim Mulkey (Baylor) for the most in league history.
ISU star center Audi Crooks, the leading scorer in the nation, had 17 points on 7-of-9 shooting in 18 foul-plagued minutes.
