Peterson: Monday was a night to remember for Iowa State women's basketball, despite losing to Baylor

AMES — Second-largest home crowd in Iowa State women’s basketball history. Largest crowd for a Cyclones women's regular season game inside Hilton Coliseum.

Iowa State fans, you never cease to amaze, but get this:

Nearly all the 13,907 in attendance Monday night hung around for postgame Senior Night speeches by the seniors. It’s a very neat tradition that Iowa State does. As soon as Maddie Frederick, the first senior to speak, began, I doubt any of the fans even cared that Baylor won the game, 87-62.

They were homed in on what the seniors said.

They gave each the standing ovation the players richly deserved.

“We got beat really soundly, and a lot of them sat there and listened to our seniors talk,” Cyclones head coach Bill Fennelly said. “Who does that? No one.

“Our fans have always had an emotional attachment to our kids, whether we’ve won or whether we’ve lost.”

It’s not the end of the world, that Iowa State lost against a Baylor team Fennelly says certainly is talented enough to play in the Final Four. There’s still a chance to at least tie for the Big 12 Conference title. The Cyclones still hosting the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament.

More: With chance to clinch a Big 12 title, Iowa State women's basketball loses to Baylor

Losing at Hilton Coliseum Monday night against the Bears isn’t a sin. It’s the way things go when you’re facing a program against whom you’re now 9-33. It’s especially sometimes the way things go when refs let ‘em play, or, in other words, everything goes under the basket.

Baylor is built for that style. Iowa State is more finesse, although Fennelly’s team can deliver an aggressive bump or two, also.

The Cyclones are a game behind the Bears with one game remaining. The regular-season finish has Iowa State at West Virginia, and Baylor at home against Texas Tech.

Advantage Baylor (maybe?), but look at it like this:

There’s always the Big 12 tournament, and then there’s the women's Selection Monday, during which it will become official that Fennelly’s team will open the 2022 NCAA Tournament seeded No. 2 or No. 3, and it’ll play at Hilton.

Iowa State was a 2-seed Monday on the “reveal” that aired on ESPN during the Cyclones-Bears halftime. That seems about right, for a team that came into Monday at No. 8 in the NET ratings.

So, they’re hosting. Plan on it.

Also plan on Iowa State probably not facing a team that plays like Baylor, once March Madness starts. The Bears were the aggressor inside and out. Sometimes the refs called it. Most times not. It’s the contrasting styles of play that made Monday night’s game interesting.

More: Peterson: Iowa State’s Bill Fennelly will have a banner at Hilton. It’s just a matter of when.

The large crowd hooted and hollered throughout. It was a wonderful atmosphere inside the building that’s been hosting Iowa State games 50 seasons. That’s the way things roll in a place that’s been home to a lot of big-time games and big-time players.

Add Monday night to that list. Rarely, likely never, have the Cyclones women faced a top-seven opponent with the Big 12’s regular-season championship at stake this deep into the season.

Even as the point-margin widened, fans cheered like it was a 0-0 score. That’s what they do here. The 24-5 women and 20-9 men have given the loyal fans a very hearty 1-2 punch. A couple weeks ago, even, they played a Hilton double-header against Oklahoma on a Saturday. The men won by 21. The women won by 22.

The combined attendance?

A big-time 25,067, many, many of whom attended both games.

That’s Iowa State fans for you, and so’s this:

The women’s season average of 10,023 is second nationally, to only South Carolina’s 12,714.

“Everyone on our roster, everyone who represents Iowa State, they do it with a great amount of dignity and class,” Fennelly said. “Our fans embrace how hard our kids play. Our fans like the way they represent their school. Certainly, winning once in a while helps, but I think overall, it’s about how (fans) see the people represent Iowa State university.

“When you’re a young person and want to go some place and play, you want to play in front of fans — fans who appreciate your effort.”

Crafty point guard Emily Ryan put it best:

“It’s something we don’t take for granted.”

Iowa State columnist Randy Peterson embarked on his 50th year of writing sports for the Des Moines Register in December 2021. Reach him at rpeterson@dmreg.com, 515-284-8132, and on Twitter at @RandyPete.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Iowa State women's basketball can hold heads high despite Baylor loss