Yahoo Sports Iowa State women's basketball ends record 3-point streak at 945 games in win over Texas Tech
The Cyclones went nearly three full decades making at least one 3-pointer in every game
Iowa State’s remarkable streak finally ended on Tuesday night.
For the first time in nearly 30 years, the Iowa State women’s basketball team failed to make a 3-pointer in a game. The Cyclones shot a combined 0-of-7 from behind the arc in their 71-58 win over Texas Tech at Hilton Coliseum on Tuesday night, which ended their NCAA-record streak of 945 consecutive games with a made 3-pointer.
That stretch dated back to Feb. 19, 1995, when the team was still playing in the Big Eight and was led by coach Theresa Becker. Bill Fennelly took over the next season, and he has been there ever since.
"Sorry, but also not," Iowa State star Audi Crooks said after the game, via the Des Moines Register’s Tommy Birch. "The streak is cool. But at the same time, we're able to win basketball games by scoring only in the paint and from the free throw line.
"I also do understand the tradition and the value in the streak, so we do apologize. But the paint was working tonight."
By comparison, UNLV holds the men’s record with a made 3-pointer in 1,243 consecutive games. Duke is one game behind them. Chattanooga is now the active leader on the women’s side with 790 consecutive games.
For context, the Cyclones’ streak dated back to before the WNBA was formed. Bill Clinton was about three years into his first term as President, and the UConn women’s basketball team was in the middle of what would become its first-ever NCAA championship campaign under coach Geno Auriemma.
Iowa State had made 7,666 3-pointers during the streak, and the Cyclones had hit 200 or more 3-pointers in a single season in 21 consecutive campaigns — which is also an NCAA record.
"We only shot seven of them, so we really didn't care," Fennelly said, via ESPN’s Michael Voepel. "If we were really worried about [the record] we probably would have run about 15 more plays to get one.
"I get it's a big deal to some people, and it's a big deal to us. I'm proud the streak was there. But it's just like a kid getting a triple-double; I'm not leaving them in the game just to get stats. We ran two plays to get a 3, and both were in the first half."
Crooks led the Cyclones with 28 points and nine rebounds while shooting 11-of-20 from the field against Texas Tech. Addy Brown finished with 21 points and seven rebounds. The Cyclones, despite not making a 3-pointer, still shot 50% from the field as a team.
Iowa State now sits at 13-6 on the season after Tuesday’s win, which marked its third straight. It’ll travel to No. 20 West Virginia next on Sunday.
“I did not know how long it would go for, but it’s pretty impressive how long it lasted,” Tara Gunderson, who hit the first 3-pointer in the streak for the Cyclones almost three decades ago, told the Des Moines Register.
