​KK Arnold #2 of the Connecticut Huskies shoots against Alex-Anne Bessette #10 of the Loyola Ramblers during the second half on November 12, 2025 in Storrs, Connecticut. | Joe Buglewicz/Getty Images Alex-Anne Bessette is arriving in Ames as one of the earliest and most notable transfers for this new Cyclone roster. She became the star of a Loyola squad that was projected to finish second to last and ended with a respectable 9-9 record in the A-10, one of the toughest mid-major conferences in the country. The 6-2 guard/forward enters Iowa State as a likely starter from the jump, and is certainly going to be a key piece in a faster, more fluid offensive identity. What does Bessette bring? Bessette is one of just five players on the roster that eclipse the six-foot mark, so she is adding size to a roster that is not particularly big. Even with her size, she is willing and able to knock it down from deep, averaging nearly four attempts per game from beyond the arc and was second on the team in total made triples. Shooting from distance can be improved though, as she averaged a sub-par 26.4% from distance. What she can do very consistently is drive to the hoop in any direction. If Iowa State needs to lean on someone to be a reliable scorer when other shots aren’t going in, Bessette is a great option to have. She led Loyola with 19 games in double-figures, and had five games over 20 points. Defensively, her 6-2 frame will be very important for a potentially undersized Cyclone squad. Over at Loyola, Bessette led the Huskies in blocks per game at 0.9. If she and Smyle are both on the court, opposing offenses will likely have to think twice before attempting to drive to the lane, which will help the guards defending on the perimeter. The defense will be using a lot more help from other defenders on the ball, moving into driving lanes, and rotating, so the size that she brings will certainly help when the ball moves towards the hoop. How will Bessette be used? If I’m creating the day 1 starting lineup, I am including Bessette without much debate. She is one of the only players that brings size to the court while also being a threat on both offense and defense, and while the roster has guards up and down the lineup, the front-court depth is on the leaner side. Expect her to run plenty of pick and rolls, cutting to the basket, or even just driving it herself. She already has some impressive tape of her getting to the basket with shifty footwork and rolling off defenders. Her position at the 4 is hers to lose, and I believe that she will become a very familiar face for Cyclone fans. With the introduction of the 5-for-5 rule, Bessette has four more years available to her. That should be incredibly exciting for Cyclone fans. Bessette is still developing, but I think that she has the potential to become a Cyclone great, and one of the most impactful transfers in Iowa State history.