The ISU women’s basketball team concludes its two-game road trip on Saturday the same way it started it -ÿwithout its leading scorer.

Junior Lyndsey Medders, who averages 17.6 points per game, will continue to rest her sprained foot on Saturday, said ISU coach Bill Fennelly.

Without Medders at Nebraska Wednesday, the Cyclones mustered just 42 points. Iowa State’s Heather Ezell and Megan Ronhovde combined for 29 points, while the rest of the team put forth just 13.

“I think what it shows is that ever single person has to play at a higher level,” Fennelly said. “I thought Megan [Ronhovde] and Heather [Ezell] did a great job.”

Senior Brittany Wilkins scored eight points and nabbed five rebounds, but the other two starters – Freshmen Nicky Wieben and Amanda Nisleit – combined for just one point.

“You can’t continue to do that and have a chance to win,” Fennelly said.

Still, Fennelly said the young Cyclones should take this as a good opportunity, not look at it as a hindrance.

“That’s the way the game goes, everyone wants opportunities,” he said. “There’s a lot of opportunities now.

“They have an obligation, just like everyone else, to play the way they’re supposed to play.”

Although the offense sputtered, Fennelly said the Cyclones have a chance to beat Kansas if their defense plays as strong as it did Wednesday.

Iowa State scored 15 points off of 15 turnovers Wednesday.

“I thought we defended great,” Fennelly said. “Our rebounds were pretty even. The defensive numbers were good, offensively we couldn’t convert our opportunities that we had.”

Kansas dropped a 77-71 decision to Colorado Wednesday. The Jayhawks are a dismal 2-6 in the Big 12, but Iowa State sits just in front of Kansas at 3-5.

“It’s two teams that are desperately looking for a win,” Fennelly said.

“They’ve struggled a little too lately, but they play very well at home.”

Senior guard Kaylee Brown had 24 points in the contest, a new career high for her. Crystal Kemp and Erica Hallman chipped in 15 and 14 points, respectively.

Fennelly acknowledged just how difficult it may be to win without Medders, but said he expects a great effort from the Cyclones, regardless of the outcome.

“You have to be able to look your teammate in the eye and say you did your best,” he said. “If that doesn’t happen, we can’t win.”