Kansas Natives Ryan & Brown Light Up March Madness

In the drama-filled frenzy of March Madness, two Kansas natives took center stage, captivating the nation with their electrifying performances for the Iowa State Cyclones women’s basketball team. Emily Ryan from Claflin and Addy Brown from Derby nearly pulled off an epic upset against the mighty Stanford Cardinal in the second round of the NCAA tournament.

Facing a daunting challenge against the winningest coach in college basketball history, Tara VanDerveer, on Stanford’s home floor, the stakes were high. But Ryan and Brown rose to the occasion, combining for a staggering 54 points in a rollercoaster battle that had fans on the edge of their seats.

The hard-court heroics of these Kansas phenoms were a testament to their grit, skill, and unwavering determination forged on the playgrounds and gymnasiums across the Sunflower State. Their performances were a source of immense pride for their hometowns and the entire Kansan basketball community.

Ryan, a former three-time state champion at Central Plains High School, where she amassed an incredible 104-0 record and set state records for steals and field goal percentage, was the catalyst for Iowa State’s offensive onslaught. The 5-foot-11 guard poured in a career-high 36 points, including several clutch baskets that kept the Cyclones in the hunt against the second-seeded Cardinal.

“It’s something you dream of as a kid,” Ryan said after the heart-stopping affair. “To have that opportunity and to do it at Iowa State is something I’ll cherish forever.”

Her compatriot, Brown, a McDonald’s All-American out of Derby High School, was no mere sidekick in this drama. The highly-touted freshman showed why she was one of the nation’s most coveted recruits, scoring 18 points and grabbing 5 rebounds, seemingly unfazed by the bright lights of the big stage.

Together, Ryan and Brown waged an epic battle, trading blows with the Cardinal in a seesaw contest that had the nation’s basketball fans glued to their screens. Down the stretch, they orchestrated a stunning comeback, erasing a five-point deficit in the fourth quarter with a series of clutch shots, including a rainbow three-pointer from Ryan that gave Iowa State a 64-61 lead with just over three minutes remaining.

As the game teetered on the brink of an upset for the ages, it was Brown who stepped up and delivered a critical driving layup to tie the score at 66 with just over a minute left in regulation, ultimately forcing overtime.

In the extra period, the Kansas duo continued their onslaught, draining back-to-back threes to open the scoring. Ryan sank a pair of free throws to knot the score at 78, while Brown drained a go-ahead triple that gave Iowa State an 81-80 lead with 31 ticks remaining on the clock.

Alas, their Herculean efforts would fall just short, as Stanford’s Brooke Demetre answered with a dagger three-pointer of her own, and the Cardinal managed to hang on for an 87-81 victory, punching their ticket to the Sweet Sixteen.

Still, the performances of Ryan and Brown left an indelible mark on the tournament, a shining example of the talent that hails from the Sunflower State. Their fearlessness in the face of adversity, their refusal to wilt under the searing pressure of March Madness, encapsulated the very essence of what makes this annual spectacle so captivating.

“We knew we could compete with that team,” Brown said defiantly in the aftermath. “It’s next-play mentality. They make a shot, okay, fine. Next play. We’re going to go down, run our offense, hit our shot as well.”

For Ryan, a senior who plans to return for a fifth year in Ames, the