Last Time Out

The Cyclones were 17-11 (12-6) in a weird COVID season. Big wins over Baylor in Waco and West Virginia were the highlights of the season going into the NCAA Tournament. Iowa State defeated Michigan State in the 1st round but came up just short against Texas A&M with a spot to the Sweet 16 on the line. In terms of individual accomplishments, Ashley Joens racked up the Cheryl Miller Award for the best small forward in the country as well as All-Big 12 and All-American honors, Lexi Donarski went home with the Big 12 Freshman of The Year along with an All-Freshman team nod with Emily Ryan, and Kristin Scott was All-Big 12 2nd Team.

About Omaha

The Mavericks are coming off a 7-13 (4-8 Summit) season that saw a lot of ups and downs. They return a lot of the same team from last year, which should bode well for a senior-driven team. Although they had a rough season in 2020, there is a lot of reason for optimism in 2021-22.

Opponent Player to Watch

Elena Pilakouta led Omaha in scoring last year, and I expect her to do the same this season. The 6 foot 3 inch senior averaged 12.5 points per game and grabbed 4 boards a game. She seems to run the show for Omaha, and the offense runs through her.

Iowa State is typically not great against taller players, so hopefully, we get a nice warmup here.

What Will Happen

This shouldn’t be close. The Twister Sisters beat Omaha 69-43 in last year’s season opener. Both teams return similar squads to last year, so Clones by a lot. Ashley Joens is questionable so things could get weird, but not too weird.

Iowa State University - 75

University of Nebraska - Omaha - 38

Pick Three

1. Iowa State lights it up from three.
2. The sophomores carry the scoring load.
3. ISU plays elite defense.

Game Notes

The Matchup: No. 12 Iowa State (0-0, 0-0 Big 12) vs Omaha (0-0, 0-0 Summit)

Where: Hilton Coliseum - Ames, Iowa

When: Tuesday, November 9, 2021 - 11 am (CST)

TV: Big 12 Now on ESPN+ Talent: John Walters, Molly Parrott

Radio: Cyclone Radio Network/Learfield Talent: Noah Wolf, Jamie Steyer

Live Stats: cyclonestats.com