Iowa State Opens Season with 90-61 Win vs. Grambling State

Monday, November 2

Ames, Iowa

6:30 PM

Iowa State

1-0,0-0Big 12

Grambling State

0-1,0-0SWAC

Team	1	2	3	4	F
Grambling	12	11	20	18	61
Iowa St.	27	26	19	18	90

11.02.2026 | Women's Basketball

Box Score Stats Fennelly Post-Game WBB Players Post-Game Photo Gallery

AMES, Iowa – Iowa State (1-0, 0-0 Big 12) opened the season with a 90-61 victory over Grambling State (0-1, 0-0 SWAC) Monday night for ISU's 32nd-straight opening day win, an active NCAA women's basketball record.

Iowa State had four double-digit scorers led by Tjasa Turnsek with 19 points shooting at 78 percent. Mya Babbitt made her Cyclone debut memorable with an outstanding performance of 17 points. Babbitt had four 3s in the first half and went on to total five off the bench. Xiao Zhang scored 13 shooting at 5-of-6 from the field, while Gift Ezekiel was the fourth scoring 10-plus totaling 13 after five shots without a miss.

Arianna Jackson and Alex-Anne Bessette led with eight rebounds apiece, while Sienna Harvey led the game with nine assists.

How it Happened

After a 4-4 tie, Bessette checked in and made a jumper that would spark a 19-0 run spanning five minutes of play. Iowa State would close the first quarter with a lead of 27-12 after a buzzer-beating bucket by Zhang.

Babbitt kept the Cyclones rolling with her second 3-pointer on as many shots for the second quarter's first points. With just under eight minutes to play, Zhang put in a pair of free throws to grow ISU's lead to 20 (34-14). Babbitt's triples continued to fall as the senior made her third with 6:47 on the clock, entering double figures. Turnsek joined scoring in double figures as the frame came to a close, and Iowa State entered halftime up 53-23.

Turnsek had back-to-back buckets in the early goings of the third to make it a 35-point Cyclone advantage. Grambling State answered with two 3-pointers, while Babbitt stopped the run delivering her fifth triple at the 6:34 mark (61-29).

Iowa State entered the final quarter in front 72-43, and with just over eight minutes remaining Zhang crossed over 10 points. Zhang then made a second-straight basket as ISU led by 30 (78-48). ISU cruised on to the season-opening 90-61 win.

Next Up

Iowa State is back in Hilton Thursday, Nov. 5 to host Nicholls at 6:30 p.m. on ESPN+.