While sophomore center Anna Prins didn’t get to go home for the holidays, she will get that chance this weekend, as Iowa State plays Colorado at 5 p.m. Saturday in Boulder, Colo.

The game serves as a homecoming for Prins. She grew up in Broomfield, Colo., just a short drive from Boulder.

Prins, who is averaging 18 points and nine rebounds during the past three games, is excited to get back home and play in front of familiar faces.

“Last year my sister had a game that day,” Prins said. “My sister didn’t even get to come. This year there is no conflict so she is going to be there to see me play.”

While Prins is going to have some extra motivation, the Cyclones’ focus defensively is going to be on stopping the Buffaloes’ two dynamic scorers. Senior forward Brittany Spears and sophomore guard Chucky Jeffery have accounted for the majority of the Buffaloes’ offense this season.

Spears is averaging 18 points and eight rebounds per game while Jeffery is putting up 15 points, nine rebounds and five assists per game.

“They have one of the best players in the conference in Brittany Spears,” said ISU senior shooting guard Kelsey Bolte. “She’s been good all four years. Knowing what she likes to do and frustrating her a little bit are going to be some of our focuses.”

Bolte has also been playing well as of late, particularly in the second half. During the last two games, she is averaging 18.5 points in the second half, where the Cyclones have been doing the majority of their work. In the team’s first two conference games, Iowa State has been outscoring opponents by 14 points in the second half.

While the team’s second half ability is reassuring, they know that they have to put two good halves together to have a chance of winning as the season goes on. Bolte isn’t quite sure what is to blame for the slow starts, just that it needs fixing.

“We want to start much better than we have the last two games,” Bolte said. “I think now that everyone on the team knows that we need to, hopefully we can do some things differently.”

Saturday’s game will mark the Cyclones’ final one in Boulder, as Colorado will leave for the new Pac-12 next season. Iowa State has won the past five meetings between the two teams.

They are under the direction of first-year coach Linda Lappe, a Burlington, Iowa, native. With a new coach, coach Bill Fennelly is anticipating some changes in the way they play, despite the roster remaining largely the same as last year.

“They have players that can take over games on both offense and defense,” Fennelly said. “They’ve added a couple new pieces and any time there is a new coach, there is renewed effort and enthusiasm.”