Still sitting in Bill Fennelly’s email is a 5-year-old message he once received from an ISU fan.

“The email said, ‘I am not a women’s basketball fan, but I don’t like Iowa; I hope you win,'” Fennelly said. “That’s what happens. You get people who don’t necessarily have an affinity for your sport, but they love your school.”

No. 22 Iowa State (5-0) will attempt to make that fan’s wish come true on Thursday when it takes on in-state rival Iowa (6-3) at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. It will be the 17th time Fennelly has taken on the Hawkeyes as coach of the women’s basketball team.

Playing on the road in this particular game won’t be an easy task for the Cyclones. Iowa is 14-6 all-time when the teams have played in Iowa City, Iowa.

“I remember what happened last time when we were there,” said center Anna Prins. “We definitely embarrassed ourselves.”

That was during the 2010-11 season, when the No. 16 Cyclones faced the No. 19 Hawkeyes. Iowa State trailed by only five points at halftime, but Iowa outscored it by 17 points in the second half for a 62-40 victory.

Fennelly said his team “got punched in the mouth” to start the game and never recovered. The Cyclones did bounce back with a victory at Hilton Coliseum last season.

The Cyclones have played three home games this season and two others on a neutral floor. But the Cyclones are back on the road now, in a difficult environment.

“It’s a very tough place to play, which it should be,” Fennelly said of Carver-Hawkeye Arena. “In this series — I hope it changes — but it’s been one lately that the home team has won and won fairly easily.”

The Cyclones may be without its leader in Chelsea Poppens, yet again. Fennelly said the senior forward is questionable. Poppens sustained a concussion Nov. 23 against Loyola Marymount and has missed the team’s last two games.

Without Poppens, others have stepped up, including junior forward Hallie Christofferson, who has averages of 19 points and 7.5 rebounds per game in the last two games.

Christofferson said playing and being successful in Iowa City is about playing with energy.

“You have to create your own energy when you’re there; you have to build off your teammates,” Christofferson said. “You don’t have the Hilton fans there to help you out. I just try to stick with the same routine; it’s just another game.”

Just like Fennelly with the email, the entire team is well aware of the rivalry it will encounter Thursday. They see it all the time on campus.

“When I say Iowa, the demeanor changes in their face,” Prins said. “Everyone knows that rivalry.”