The final two weeks of the Big 12 volleyball season begin on Wednesday night, and Iowa State starts the home stretch with a true road test as it takes on Missouri in Columbia.

The Cyclones (15-11, 9-7 Big 12) had a tough time putting the Tigers away when they faced off in Ames on Sept. 22, going to five games (27-30, 30-24, 30-26, 26-30, 16-14) before defeating a team that was struggling to get its first Big 12 win.

But since their 0-4 conference start, the Tigers (15-10, 8-8) have won eight of their last 12, and currently sit sixth in the Big 12 standings, just one game behind the Cyclones.

“They’re playing with a lot of confidence right now,” said coach Christy Johnson. “Halfway through the season, they settled on a lineup that works for them, and I really expect them to go after us.”

Last year, when the two teams met at the Hearnes Center in Columbia, the Cyclones toppled then-No. 21 Missouri 3-1, avenging a 3-0 sweep from the Tigers earlier in the season. It was the first time since 1996 that Iowa State beat the Tigers on the road.

“Playing down at Missouri is not the easiest thing to do,” said junior Jen Malcom. “We’re looking at a team that nearly beat Nebraska a few weeks ago. They’re a lot better than the last time we played them, and they’re going to be ready for us.”

Preseason All-Big 12 outside hitter Na Yang leads the Missouri offense with 4.48 kills per game, and returning Big 12 Libero of the Year Tatum Ailes anchors the defense, ranking second in the conference with 4.80 digs per game.

Missouri’s recent success has come despite losing a significant member of their team before Big 12 play even began, when sophomore Julianna Klein was sidelined for the season with a knee injury. Klein was averaging 4.44 kills per game through the first seven matches before her injury.

This figures to be one of several important matches down the stretch for Iowa State, as the program is vying for its second-straight NCAA Tournament bid. The Cyclones need just one more win to become eligible for an at-large berth to the tournament.

The Big 12 had six teams in the tournament last season, including Iowa State and Missouri, with all six teams advancing to the second round. Missouri was the sixth and final team to qualify, and did so with an 11-9 conference record.

“We need to be on a mission the next two weeks,” Johnson said. “But we can’t press about it, and we have to just take care of what’s happening on our side of the net. We can’t worry so much about external factors and what other teams are doing, so we just have to make sure we take care of ourselves.”

The match against Missouri will be televised on FSN Midwest, which can be found on Channel 40 for those with Mediacom cable.

Scouting the Tigers

Record: 15-10, 8-8 Big 12

Good wins: No. 22 Oklahoma (3-2)

Bad losses: Florida International (3-2), Kansas (3-2)

Player to watch: Junior OH Na Yang (4.48 kills per game, .281 hitting percentage)

Notes: After starting 0-4 in the conference, Missouri has won eight of its last 12 matches. Sophomore setter Kaylee Manns needs just four assists to move up to fifth on the all-time Iowa State list, and freshman Ashley Mass is 12 digs shy of cracking the single-season top 10 list. The Cyclones won the first meeting between these two 3-2 in Ames on Sept. 22, but Missouri leads the all-time series 34-28.