As the Iowa State women’s basketball team prepared to take on Kansas State in Hilton Coliseum last week, ISU coach Bill Fennelly was looking for anything to spark the slumping Cyclone team.

So it was no surprise when Nicole “Kidd” Blaskowsky stepped onto the court to make her first start of the season Saturday.

Leading the team in 3-point shots made, Blaskowsky is the high-energy guard that can score in bunches. Against the Wildcats, she did just that while making four 3-pointers in the first half to help the Cyclones run to a 45-19 halftime lead.

“It was awesome,” Blaskowsky said of her first start this season. “The opportunity given to me to start, you just have to take advantage of it. Any way I can help my team, that’s my goal.”

The sophomore finished with 13 points Saturday and hit four 3-pointers in a game for the fourth time this season. After a stretch of games with the offense running on fumes, Blaskowsky ignited a fire that helped the Cyclones score 80 points in regulation for the first time since December.

The start may have come at a good time for Blaskowsky as Iowa State prepares to take on TCU in Ames this Wednesday. Blaskowsky had perhaps the best game of her career against the Horned Frogs earlier this season, tallying 24 points and nine rebounds.

Even more impressive were her seven 3-pointers made while going 8-of-16 from the field. She said she likes playing against zone defenses like TCU’s as senior Hallie Christofferson often pulls defenders from the perimeter allowing her to get open outside looks.

“Shooting percentage is a key focus for me,” Blaskowsky said. “We’re going to have to feed the post and open the floor. Hopefully we come out with the win.”

Blaskowsky provided a spark the Cyclones needed offensively, but as a role player, she isn’t always the one needed the most. Freshman Jadda Buckley has proven herself as one of the team’s best defenders and her 1.45 assist-to-turnover ratio makes her one of the best ball handlers on the team.

Junior guard Brynn Williamson also provides a different set of skills, being a long defender that can block shots as well as shoot from the perimeter. Blaskowsky said all three players are happy with sharing minutes and want whatever is best for the team.

“Jadda, Kidd and Brynn will rotate and whoever is hot will get to play,” Fennelly said. “If they are zoning us, you go with Kidd a little more since she can stretch the defense. If they are getting out and pressuring us more you got to go with Jadda a little bit. If defensively we are having issues, Brynn’s length helps.

“It’s good that we have a little more versatility, it’s just trying to figure out which one will be ready to go on that given night.”

The Cyclones will take on the Horned Frogs at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Hilton Coliseum.