🏀 GAME PREVIEW: at Iowa State

LAWRENCE, Kan. – Looking for its second Big 12 win of the season, Kansas women’s basketball travels to Ames, Iowa for its first meeting with Iowa State on Saturday, Jan. 25 at 2 p.m., inside James H. Hilton Coliseum.

GAME INFORMATION:

Kansas vs. Iowa State

Date/Time: Saturday, Jan. 25  at 2 p.m. (CT)

Where: James H. Hilton Coliseum (Ames, Iowa)

Listen: Jayhawk Radio Network with Jimmy Chavez

Watch: Cyclones TV (Subscription needed) with Dave Sprau and Molly Parrott calling the game.

TIP-OFF

  • The match-up between the Jayhawks and Cyclones will be the 87th meeting. Kansas leads the all-time series against Iowa State 47-39 but fell in the last meeting in the second round of the Big 12 Championship, 58-75.
  • Iowa State is 11-6 on the year and 3-3 in Big 12 play. The Cyclones are 7-4 when playing inside James H. Hilton Coliseum and are riding a two-game win streak.
  • On the year, KU averages 71.2 points per game with a +7.1 scoring margin over its opponents.
  • Kansas is the only team in the Big 12 to feature six players averaging double-figures in points. Leading the way is sophomore Aniya Thomas with 12.4 points per game. She is followed by Brooklyn Mitchell (10.9), Holly Kersgieter (10.9), Mariane De Carvalho (10.7),  Zakiyah Franklin (10.7) and  Tina Stephens (10.5).
  • Against Texas, Kansas forced 21 turnovers marking the most the team has forced this season in conference play.
  •  Thomas poured in a career-high 21 points against Texas. Thomas shot 8-of-17 (47.1%) from the field along with four coming from the 3-point line.
  • Stephens has scored in double-figures in the last two contests after sitting out for three games. Stephens finished with 11 points against Texas on 5-of-11 (45.4%) from the field and led the team in rebounding with seven.

SCOUTING THE CYCLONES

Head coach Bill Fennelly is in his 25th year with Iowa State and has a record of 516-268 with the program. Last season, Fennelly lead the Cyclones to a 26-9 record and made it to the second round of the NCAA Tournament where it fell to Missouri State, 69-60.

 

ISU comes into the game averaging 76.2 points on 44.6% shooting from the field and 34.0% from the 3-point line. The Cyclones average 41.5 rebounds per game and outrebound its opponents by an average of 9.7.

 

Leading Iowa State has been sophomore Ashley Joens who leads the Big 12 in points per game with 23.0 and collects 10.7 rebounds. Following behind is junior Kristin Scott averaging 14.0 points on 45.9% shooting from the field and 1.9 blocks.

 

The Cyclones are 7-4 when playing at home and 4-2 on the road. ISU has won its last two matchups against Oklahoma State, 64-63, and Kansas State, 73-59. Iowa State is 11-6 on the season and 3-3 in Big 12 play.

LAST TIME OUT

Kansas fell to Texas, 85-77, inside the Frank Erwin Center Wednesday night.

 

Thomas poured in a career-high 21 points on 8-of-17 (47.1%) shooting from the field and matched her career-high for 3-pointers made in a game with four.

 

With 10-straight points over the span of 2:34 by Thomas, Kansas led Texas 23-19 entering the second quarter. The Longhorns would go on to outscore the Jayhawks 18-9 and take a 37-32 lead into the half.

 

UT got its largest lead at 15 points in the third, but KU used a 16-5 run late in the fourth quarter to bring it within five points.

UP NEXT

Kansas State logo

Kansas returns home, Wednesday, Jan. 29,  to welcome Kansas State for the Dillons Sunflower Showdown. It’s primetime for the Jayhawks with tipoff slated for 8 p.m. CT and will be televised on Fox Sports.