Last Time Out

Iowa State had one of its most impressive showings of the 2022-23 campaign, defeating then-No. 14 Oklahoma 86-78.

Ashley Joens led the way with a 32-point, 7-rebound performance to pass OU’s Courtney Paris (2006-09) for the third-most points in the history of the Big 12. That included 18 points in the second quarter alone.

Lexi Donarski had 15 points of her own, while Denae Fritz and Emily Ryan each added 14. Emily Ryan also dished out 8 assists while snagging 7 boards. Morgan Kane continued her stretch of great basketball as she had 11 points and 9 rebounds. For those mathematicians, that equals zero bench points. Wild.

About Kansas State

The purple kitties have had a rough go of things in Big 12 play, sitting at just 2-7. Their offense has remained pretty steady throughout the season, but their defense has struggled as of late.

Statistically, they have a top-100 offense. Which, on the surface doesn’t sound like much but there are 361 teams in Division I, so it’s not bad. They average 71.5 points per game, up a full five points from a year ago. They are extremely average in every other stat. Realistically, they would have a decent record if they played in any other league besides the Big 12.

Defensively, it’s no-so-good. Not a single defensive-scoring stat even sniffs the top 100. They give up a lot of everything. Points, shots, free throws, you name it. They also struggle to rebound, ranking around 300th in the country in rebounds given up per game.

The last time these teams matched up was on January 11th, when the Cyclones really didn’t play that well due to a solid defensive effort from K-State. Ashley Joens, Lexi Donarski, Emily Ryan, and Denae Fritz all scored 14 points. The Clonies shot just 37% in a 67-56 victory. Jaelyn Glenn was the most impressive Wildcat, notching a 17-point, 10-rebound double-double.

Opponent Player to Watch

The Cyclones locked up Gabby Gregory when she came to Ames, scoring just 9 points while going 3-14 from the field. Averaging 19.3 points per game, she is second in the Big 12 in scoring, Ashley Joens the leader. She’s scored double figures in four straight games, including a 25-point performance in their last Sunday losing to Kansas. The offense runs through Gregory and she will be a handful for Iowa State on the defensive end.

What Will Happen

Clonies win their 5th straight game with ease. “Manhattan is Ames Lite. Clones in fo’.”

Iowa State University - 73

Kansas State - 58

Pick Three

1. Morgan Kane hits a three.
2. Ashley Joens wins the battle of her vs. Gregory.
3. Denae Fritz stays hot.

Game Notes

The Matchup: No. 12 Iowa State (15-4, 7-2 Big 12) @ Kansas State (13-9, 2-7 Big 12)

Where: Bramlage Coliseum – Manhattan, Kansas

When: Wednesday, February 1st, 2023 - 6:30 PM

TV: Big 12 Now on ESPN+ Talent: Brian Smoller, Missy Heidrick

Radio: Cyclone Radio Network/Varsity Radio App Talent: Noah Wolf, Brett Cooper

Live Stats: StatBroadcast

The Series: Kansas State leads 53-47