No. 25 Iowa State (20-7, 8-5) at Texas Tech (15-12, 5-8)

Where: Lubbock, Texas

When: 8 p.m., Feb. 28

When Alison Lacey faced off against Texas Tech last season, the Red Raiders could do little to stop the junior guard from scoring. Shooting 11-for-23 from the field, Lacey poured in her second highest career point total, 32.

“I hope they’ve forgotten about that,” Lacey said with a grin.

That game may still be on the minds of the Red Raiders when they meet the Cyclones Saturday, but it won’t be the only reason Lacey’s name will be bulleted on Texas Tech’s game plan.

With her early season offensive struggles seemingly miles behind her, Lacey has once again emerged as one of Iowa State’s primary scoring threats.

Two weeks ago, Lacey’s scoring average sat at 9.6 points per game – down from 14.3 ppg at this point last season. Four games later, however, Lacey appears to have returned to form as she is averaging 17.2 ppg in that stretch.

“I think what she’s done the last couple of games, more than she did all year, is that she’s looking for contact, where earlier in the year she was getting into the lane and avoiding it,” coach Bill Fennelly said.

A player’s willingness to draw contact can be measured in some degree by the amount of times a player can draw the foul and head to the free throw line.

“The number I kept pointing out to her was that her free throw attempts were way down from last year. Some of that is the score. Some of it is the pace. But some of it is you’re not being aggressive and creating contact and I think she’s done a lot more of that.”

Prior to Iowa State’s Feb. 15 showdown with Texas, Lacey, a career 80-percent free throw shooter, was 13 attempts off her pace from last season.  With the help of 19 attempts in her last four games – a span in which she has missed only once – she now only six shy of her 66 attempts from this time a year ago.

Lacey’s ability to challenge defenders was on full display Wednesday against Colorado. Several times throughout the game, with the shot clock dwindling, Lacey drove head-on into the awaiting defenders. The move paid dividends for Lacey as drew a number of fouls, which allowed her to go a career-high 10-10 from the free throw line.

“That’s the point guards responsibility. If the offense hasn’t worked as well as it could have then it’s your job to get something happening for the team,” Lacey said.

With Texas Tech fully aware of the numbers Lacey is capable of putting up, Fennelly expects the Red Raiders to constantly switch defenders on Lacey.

 “She’s going to have to handle a short quick on the ball defender and then all of a sudden there’s 6-2 long arm kid in front of her,” Fennelly said. “It becomes a decision making process, with patience involved.”

Patience may ultimately decide whether or not this becomes another game Texas Tech may want to forget.