Last Time Out

Iowa State traveled to Texas Tech last weekend in a matchup that featured teams from the top and bottom of the conference. Cyclones were able to handle the Lady Raiders due to some hot shooting. ISU shot 55.2% from the field and 55.6% from three, so yeah, pretty pretty good. Iowa State was also +9 in rebounding in their 86-65 win.

Emily Ryan led the way in scoring, pouring in 20 points, going 4-4 from long range to go with 7 assists and a pair of steals. Lexi Donarski added 19 points of her own, snagging 4 rebounds and dishing out 4 assists. Ashley Joens had 16 points in just 23 minutes, while Ny Diew and Beatriz Jordao both scored double-digits in solid minutes off the bench.

About Kansas State

The 25th-ranked Wildcats come in at 16-5, 6-3 in conference play. Just a game back from our beloved Cyclones, K-State has a chance to shake up the Big 12 standings tonight. The Cats have won 3 out of their last 4 after back-to-back losses early in the Big 12 season. I’m not sure what happened against Texas Tech for Kansas State, but they lost to one of the doormats by 19 just a few weeks ago.

The Lady Cats average over 70 points per game, ranking 76th in the country. That doesn’t sound great, but out of 356 teams, that’s not too bad. They give up 57 points per game, ranking 40th in the country. One thing that is pretty interesting is that they score over 70 points per game on just 70 possessions per game. That’s 178th in the country. Does that mean they stink? No, what a stupid observation, nerd. They play some efficient basketball, mainly through the frontrunner of Big 12 POY, which brings me to my next point.

Opponent Player to Watch

Ayoka. Frickin. Lee. If you live under a rock, she’s one of the best players in college basketball. She’s 2nd in the country in scoring, at 25 points per game. Her near 11 rebounds per game ranks in the top 25, and she shoots at nearly a 60% clip. In the first game against the Cyclones this year, Lee scored 38 points and had 11 rebounds. Since then, she set the women’s college basketball record with 61 points against Oklahoma. She’ll give the Cyclones all they can handle down low.

What Will Happen

Neva eva bet against Bill Fennelly at home. Ayoka Lee gets hers but the guards prove to be too much for Kansas State. “K-State? More like L-State. Clones in fo’.”

Iowa State University - 74

Kansas State University - 67

Pick Three

1. Ayoka Lee and Ashley Joens give us one of the best games of the year.
2. Cyclones outscore the Cats off the bench.
3. Emily Ryan and Lexi Donarski have 6+ threes combined.

Game Notes

The Matchup: No. 11 Iowa State (18-3, 7-2 Big 12) vs. Kansas State (16-5, 6-3 Big 12)

Where: Hilton Coliseum - Ames, Iowa

When: Wednesday, Feb. 2 at 6:30 p.m.

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

Radio: Cyclone Radio Network/Varsity Radio App Talent: Noah Wolf, Jamie Steyer Johnson

Live Stats: Cyclonestats.com