The only direction they can go from here is up.

For the first time in the Bill Fennelly-coached era, the Cyclones are 0-4 to start Big 12 play. Even Fennelly doesn’t know if they can turn it around in time to make the NCAA tournament.

“I really don’t know,” Fennelly said. “If I knew for sure, I would certainly answer. We certainly have our challenges. The schedule doesn’t get any easier and we have to play better and we have to coach better.”

The Cyclones head to Austin, Texas, to face Texas, who will be their fifth straight conference opponent. The Longhorns’ (11-5, 1-3 Big 12) only win in conference play came against an Aggie squad that just finished dismantling Iowa State at Hilton Coliseum on Saturday. 

The Longhorns boast three players who average double-digit points per game, including sophomore Chassidy Fussel, who is averaging more than 16 points per game, which is good for seventh in the Big 12 in scoring. Against the Aggies, Texas managed to nearly shoot 50 percent from the field and 45 percent from 3-point range. 

Texas also is tough defensively. The Longhorns rank third in the Big 12 in opposing team’s field goal percentage. They also are third in the Big 12 in blocks per game. 

The Longhorns may not be No. 1 Baylor or defending national champion Texas A&M, but once you start Big 12 play, the taxing schedule makes every game a challenge.

“There’s no breaks,” Fennelly said. “There’s no open date in the Big 12. We’re coming up on some Sunday-Wednesday-Saturday schedules, and as a coach you want to practice, practice, practice and you’ve got to save their legs too, so you balance it.”

One thing Iowa State is trying to mesh is its offense. Against the Aggies, who are last in the Big 12 in opposing field goal percentage, the Cyclones put up not only the worst scoring effort of the season, they also tied the fewest amount of points scored in the Fennelly-coached era. 

Freshman Nikki Moody had one of her worst games as a point guard, amassing 10 turnovers for the game. That doesn’t mean she’s not ready to rebound against Texas. 

“We need to be more of a defensive-minded team,” Moody said. “Shots will come off of our defense if we create off of it. 

“Everybody has tough times when you lose games, but I feel like us not winning these games is bringing us together as a team. Knowing that this happens, we can bounce back from this and it’s not too late.” 

With an 0-4 start in Big 12 play, the question is not whether the team can bounce back into the NCAA tournament, but also host the first and second rounds. 

“That’s the goal of every team,” Fennelly said. “We’ve done it five times in a row and we’ve done it a few times here, so hopefully that’s built into the fabric of what this team’s about on a yearly basis. You don’t make it, you don’t deserve to make it.”