Despite being plagued with injuries, Oklahoma will come to Ames on Tuesday night to take on an ISU team that has only had two hiccups this season.

ISU coach Bill Fennelly said people have been talking about how much of an improvement this year’s Cyclone team (12-2, 3-1 Big 12) has made since last year’s 0-5 conference start. 

“We are off to a good start, better than last year,” Fennelly said. “But, it’s all about Tuesday. The next 40 minutes, the next 40 minutes, the next 40 minutes … we just have to be that way here. That’s what I’m about. That’s what our team’s about.”

Fennelly said he will always cherish the “grind” of his “Iowa State way” no matter how well the team is doing.

Coming off a road loss to No. 1 Baylor is almost completely out of the Cyclones’ minds. A convincing victory at home against TCU proved that on Saturday.

To continue the kind of conference grind the Cyclones are putting on in the Big 12, point guard Nikki Moody said it will be just as important as the week prior to keep beating conference opponents.

“[Oklahoma] is up there [in the standings] just like we are, and if we beat them at home, we have a better advantage of going back to their place and taking a win there,” Moody said. “It’s an important game.”

The importance of winning in the Big 12 was stressed by freshman guard Kidd Blaskowsky. She said protecting their house is a bonus.

“Getting a win in the Big 12 is always big,” Blaskowsky said. “This one will be really big for our school, and after what happened with Baylor, it would be awesome to not only beat TCU, but beat OU at our place.”

While the coaches come up with a strategy to defend a high-percentage shooting OU offense (14-2, 4-0 Big 12), Blaskowsky said she’s taking into account the amount of injuries with which their opponent is faced.

“We’re going to get to the point where we’re going to have more numbers than them, and they’re going to get tired faster,” Blaskowsky said. “So, we’re going to take advantage of that and take in what the scouting report says.”

The Cyclones tip off at home against the Sooners Tuesday night at 7 p.m.