Iowa State Cyclones’ guard Arianna Jackson (2), guard/forward Sydney Harris (25). forward Alisa Williams (3), and guard Reese Beaty (1) celebrate after a score during the second quarter in the Big-12 conference women’s basketball on Feb. 15, 2026, at Hilton Coliseum, in Ames, Iowa. © Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
AMES — Don’t call it a low point.
The Iowa State women’s 86-58 loss at Oklahoma State on Jan. 18 deepened a palpable sense of uncertainty that enshrouded Bill Fennelly’s team as it tried to navigate the Big 12 without injured stars Addy Brown and Arianna Jackson.
So the term “low point” doesn’t remotely cut it.
“It was, by far, the worst game we played all season for a lot of reasons — if you look at who played, who didn’t play, how well they played,” said Fennelly, whose team aims to turn the tables in Wednesday’s 6:30 p.m. rematch between the Cyclones (21-7, 9-7 Big 12) and the Cowgirls (21-8, 10-6) at Hilton Coliseum.
But that misery-laden loss also served as a turning point for ISU. Jackson returned earlier than expected the next game and the Cyclones strung together five straight wins. Now Brown’s entering her third game back in the lineup after missing 11 contests, so this ISU team bears little resemblance the one that suffered the blowout loss in Stillwater.
“There’s no question that we’re in a better place,” said Fennelly, whose team is 7-2 since the loss at Oklahoma State. “So I think we’re in a good spot and it’s senior night, which is always a cool deal.”
Even if there’s only one senior to send off: Forward Sydney Harris, who’s drained 42.9 percent of her 3-point attempts (102 of 240) in her two seasons as a Cyclone.
“We look forward to celebrating ‘Syd,’” Fennelly said.
ISU also looks forward to a potential payback win over the Cowgirls, which would put them in a sixth-place tie in the conference standings. Oklahoma State’s 3-3 in its past six games and is coming off a “low point” of its own — a 72-40 loss at No. 19 West Virginia. Senior guard Micah Gray leads five Cowgirls averaging double figures in scoring at 14.6 points per game, and beating them would not only enhance the Cyclones Big 12 seeding, but could have minor NCAA Tournament implications, as well. Oklahoma State is currently pegged as an eight seed by ESPN women’s bracketoligist Charlie Creme, while ISU’s currently considered a No. 9 seed.
“We have another opportunity, so, hopefully, we can make some changes and make it a much more competitive game,” backup point guard Reese Beaty said.
That’s the plan, anyway, as Brown works her way back to playing major minutes. The 6-3 junior guard/forward from Derby, Kan., is averaging 12.6 points, 8.8 rebounds and 5.6 assists. She’s up to 25 allotted minutes per game as she settles back into the starting lineup after battling a lower-body injury, and that number will increase as ISU’s medical and training staff sees fit.
“If we could, this week, inch that into the 25 to 30 range, that would be the ultimate goal for her,” Fennelly said of Brown, who played a team-high 31.9 points per game last season. “She hadn’t played a competitive game in six weeks, but so far (she’s) been really good.”
So have the Cyclones since that fateful defeat in Stillwater, so expect a far more competitive game on Wednesday night.
“This time of year, a lot of people are playing games because they have to, not because they want to,” Fennelly said. “Or they’re playing games that don’t mean anything. That’s not the case with us.”
