Having a whole week off between games is just how it works sometimes during the nonconference season.

Iowa State will meet North Dakota on Sunday at Hilton Coliseum after having a break from competition since the previous Sunday in a season-opening win against Western Illinois.

“We took Tuesday off and [Wednesday] and [Thursday]; we’re adding some things,” said ISU coach Bill Fennelly about having a whole week in between games. “We’re trying to prepare game-to-game on a two-day rotation, because that’s what you have in the Big 12. There’s no rhyme or reason; we didn’t do that on purpose.”

When the Cyclones (1-0) go up against North Dakota (0-1), they will be facing a team with a first-year coach at the school and a different style of play where it was predominantly a zone team but is now a more fast and pressing team.

Iowa State will have to go mostly off last year’s stats when preparing for North Dakota, so it will try to just work on the things it can control during practice.

“Just continue to work on the same things we worked on last week,” said guard Emiah Bingley. “Just defensive intensity and taking care of the basketball and making sure we go through the plays that we need to.”

Iowa State will also be seeing a team with more size than any of the three teams it has played until this point in the season. North Dakota could be without junior center Allyssa Wall, however, which Fennelly said will make it tougher to prepare for.

“That’s one of those weird deals where, how do you prepare for someone’s best inside player and you’re not even sure they’re going to play?” Fennelly said. “It’s kind of like the exhibition games and early season games. You’re going on last year’s stats, and a limited amount of information this year.”

Forward Hallie Christofferson said that with a week off in between games, it has given the team time to see what it did well and what it didn’t do so well and correct those things in practice.

Of course, there will always be things the team will always strive to improve upon.

“I think it’s always going to come down to taking care of the ball and making our shots when we’re open,” Christofferson said. “Something we’ve struggled with in the past is making the open ones.”

Iowa State will mostly likely get point guard Nikki Moody back in the rotation after being out to start the season with a viral illness.

While in a starting role, Bingley said she learned a lot about court awareness and, with Moody back, won’t see her role change drastically, just in the amount of minutes per game.

“Of course the load will be lighter but still the same idea of taking care of the ball, and I’m still going to be one of the primary ball handlers like if I get a rebound, I don’t have to look to her, I can just take it myself,” Bingley said.

Tipoff between Iowa State and North Dakota will be at 1 p.m. Sunday at Hilton Coliseum.