As the final buzzer sounded in Hilton Coliseum on Saturday, the ISU women’s basketball team found itself on the opposite side of a close game — and it was a good thing.

The Cyclones took down Kansas after trailing by 11 in the first half, to put them tied for fifth place in the Big 12.

However, Iowa State will not get a break as it is set to travel to No. 6 Baylor to take on one of the nation’s hottest teams. Led by the nation’s leading scorer Odyssey Sims at 30.3 points per game, the Lady Bears bring a firepower the Cyclones haven’t seen all season.

Sims, the preseason Big 12 Player of the Year candidate, has lived up to the expectations, taking over a team previously dominated by WNBA star Brittney Griner. Like all other opponents this season, Iowa State is trying to figure out how to handle Sims.

“The thing with Odyssey that’s unique is because she has the ball so much, it’s impossible to keep her from shooting,” said ISU coach Bill Fennelly. “You want to be creative, you want to try and give your kids a chance, you want to do some things to maybe minimize it and for me, I think you’ve got to keep her off the free throw line.”

Keeping Sims from shooting free throws is easier said than done as she averages more than eight free throw attempts per game — two more than any ISU player. Shooting more than 80 percent from the free throw line, she averages nearly seven points per game from the charity stripe.

Kansas effectively executed the same strategy Iowa State hopes to use, holding Sims to five free throw attempts. Sims still reeled in a 31-point performance, but did not control the game from the line as she had done many times all season.

Junior guard Brynn Williamson has played against Sims and knows the challenges she brings to the floor. Much like her coach, Williamson knows trying to stop Sims is not a good defensive strategy.

“She’s bound to score a lot of points,” Williamson said. “You can’t shut her out. You’re not going to not allow her to score. It’s just controlling her because that will control their offense.”

The Lady Bears won’t stop at just Sims, either. The team has five players shooting 50 percent or better from the field and four players, not including Sims, that are averaging six or more points per game.

Baylor is playing like a national championship contender at this point in the season, so a loss would likely not hurt the Cyclones. A win, however, would be a resume booster and give Iowa State a signature win in Big 12 play.

Players like Williamson are ready for the challenge Baylor brings and will try to play the role of spoiler in Waco on Wednesday. 

“We need to go in bringing the same kind of energy and momentum that we brought in the other night [against Kansas],” Williamson said. “Any team in this league is beatable. … I think going in there with that mindset, even though it might be a little bit different than past years, but we will see if we have a chance to win.”

Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. Wednesday in Waco, Texas.