There have been some thrillers in Hilton Coliseum, but few have lived up to Jan. 14, 2004 – Iowa State vs. Texas Tech.

Anne O’Neil buried a 3-pointer with .2 seconds left on the clock, and the ISU women’s basketball team came away with a stunning upset over No. 2 Texas Tech.

That’s the Lady Raiders’ last memory of Hilton Coliseum.

This season, Texas Tech (12-10, 7-4 Big 12) doesn’t boast the gaudy ranking, but still enters Ames an overwhelming favorite.

“I hope the result’s the same,” said ISU coach Bill Fennelly. “We’ve had some great games with Texas Tech here. We’re playing a team with great tradition, all-conference players, a hall-of-fame coach and a team that’s playing for their lives.

“Those teams are dangerous.”

The Cyclones (14-8, 5-6) post a better overall record, but are still No. 8 in the Big 12. The Lady Raiders are in a three-way tie for No. 3, with some impressive wins on their resume, including a 21-point victory over Texas.

Texas Tech is on a two-game winning streak, in which it has topped its opponents by a combined 33 points. The team is led by senior LaToya Davis, averaging a double-double with 19.3 points and 10.9 rebounds per game. Alesha Robertson chips in 12.3 points per game.

“They’re desperate,” Fennelly said. “They can’t lose many more games and get into the tournament, and they know that.”

Likewise, the Cyclones have won two straight, with wins over Kansas State and Missouri.

With five games left in the season, they want to make the best out of the remaining games on the schedule.

“This is the most important time to be playing our best basketball,” said junior Lyndsey Medders. “For us, we are right now and we need to keep that going.”

Iowa State has potential to continue moving up the standings if the team keeps winning. On the other side, losses could be just as devastating, as the Cyclones could potentially finish near the bottom of the conference with a few more losses.

Although young, Fennelly said it’s good the team is already learning what it’s like to play under pressure.

“We’re playing games that mean something,” he said. “That’s a good thing.”

Recently, however, Iowa State has passed the test in Fennelly’s view.

“I think last week we showed a lot of character and a lot of determination,” he said. “I think we’re playing well. You can’t change a lot of things, but you can fine-tune a little bit, so that you’re a little more consistent over 40 minutes.”

Medders said the Cyclones have shown a lot of resilience by shaking off early losses and bouncing back.

“We can’t change what’s happened in the past, we can’t add wins,” she said. “We just need to keep winning and try to get as many games as we can.”

Both teams will be battling for a win at a crucial point in the season, which could add up to another Hilton classic.

“This is a huge game for both of us,” Medders said.

Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. in Hilton Coliseum.