The 13th-ranked Iowa State Cyclones travel to Stillwater, Oklahoma to take on the 21st-ranked Oklahoma State Cowgirls on Wednesday at 8pm ET only on FCS Central. This is the first time they face off this season as they prepare for probably one of the toughest Big 12 Tournament in recent years as seven teams are ranked in the top 25 and nine of the 12 teams having winning records.
Iowa State (22-5, 10-4) has won six of its last seven games and looks to continue their three game winning streak. The Cyclones are led by Australian senior Alison Lacey, who leads the team in points (17.1 ppg), assists (6.5 per game, 7th best in the nation), free throw percentage (88.9%, best in the conference), and assist/turnover ratio, in which she leads the nation with a 3.21 ratio. ISU also has Kelsey Bolte, who averages 12.1 ppg while shooting 43.7% from beyond the arc. Coach Bill Fennelly, in his fifteen years since being named coach of the Cyclones in 1995, has guided ISU to the second best overall record since the founding of the Big 12 Conference.
Defensively, Iowa State is 8th nationally and 1st in the conference in scoring defense, in which they allow only 52.4 ppg, are 2nd in the conference in FG percentage defense (35.9%), and are first in the conference in rebound margin (+9.8 which is 5th best in the nation). The Cyclones biggest strength though is its 3-point shooting in which they are 4th in the nation in 3-point FG percentage, shooting 39.7%, which is best in the conference and they make a league best 7.85 3-pointers per game.
Oklahoma State (20-8, 8-6) has been one streaky team as they have been on an 11 game winning streak and a five game losing streak, but have won their last two games. The Cowgirls have one of the nation's top players in Andrea Riley, averaging 25.3 ppg which is 5th in the nation and 1st in the Big 12. Riley also leads the conference in assists per game (6.8 apg), which is 4th best in the nation.
The Cowgirls also are led by Tegan Cunningham, who is second on the team with 16.7 ppg and 7.3 boards per game while shooting 41% beyond the arc. OSU averages a league-best 13.5 turnovers per game, which is 5th best in the nation and also grabs a league best 14.79 offensive rebounds per game. Oklahoma State is 13-3 at Gallagher-IBA Arena and was undefeated at home until Feb. 6.
Overall Oklahoma State leads the series 24-21 over Iowa State, however, Iowa State has won the last two meetings between the teams last beating OSU 63-55 at Iowa State on Jan. 10, 2009.
Don't forget to catch all the action between these teams on Wednesday March 3 at 8pm ET only on FCS Central.
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