AMES — After losing a nail-biter at home to the Wildcats just a few weeks ago, Iowa State (9-13, 3-8) will be in Manhattan, Kan. tonight looking for revenge against Kansas State (12-10, 4-7).
“Never be surprised when you’re open.”
That was the mantra of head coach Bill Fennelly during Friday’s press conference, following a game where the Cyclones struggled to score, shooting a lowly 34 percent from the field.
Fennelly said that while receiving a boost from a third player would be nice, it will anyone on the roster from three to 10 to make an impact in order for this team to reach the next level. When looking at this Cyclones roster, we’ve seen flashes from different players, which shows some promise moving forward.
Rae Johnson looks like she can be that point guard of the future. Adriana Camber has hit some clutch shots. Kristin Scott has become a very good rebounder in a short amount of time.
But it all comes down to producing consistently. This young squad needs to help Bridget Carleton if it wants to win some games.
A road trip to Kansas State looks to be an evenly matched contest in which Iowa State can put those things together.
Bride Kennedy-Hopoate had one of her best games as a Cyclone the last time out against the Wildcats, but will be unavailable to play as she is still recovering from a foot injury. Without her, the ‘Clones will lean on junior Claire Ricketts again to grab boards on both sides of the ball.
While the offense has become stagnant as of late, senior Emily Durr showed no signs of slowing down offensively, averaging 18 points over her last four games. In her final month of the season, she’s proving that she wants to finish on a strong note.
Fennelly wants the rest of the team to follow suit.
“There’s a quality in finishing things. I’m a firm believer that anyone can start something. That takes no talent, no skill, no commitment,” Fennelly said. “The people that finish are the ones that are special. We only have one month to go in the season and you want to do everything you can, and whatever happens, happens.”
