Playing at home hasn’t worked. Playing on the road hasn’t worked. What’s next for the ISU women’s basketball team? Roll over and call it a season?

Not exactly.

“We’re not just going to give up,” said senior Brittany Wilkins. “We don’t believe in moral victories.”

Still, after four consecutive losses -two at home and two on the road – Iowa State hopes a win against Missouri, who’s tied for second in the Big 12, can jump start its season.

The Cyclones are ninth in the Big 12 with a 3-6 mark. Still, they’re not about to panic.

“You can’t really dwell on those four losses, we still have a lot to play for,” said junior Megan Ronhovde. “We could win the last seven or lose the last seven – it depends on which [Iowa State] team shows up to play.”

Iowa State will still be without Lyndsey Medders Wednesday, as she continues to nurse a severely sprained right foot. Coach Bill Fennelly said the Cyclone star is also “extremely doubtful” for Saturday’s game against Kansas State.

“We can’t change our team; we can’t add people,” Fennelly said. “Success comes in pieces. For us to win, it needs to come a little bit quicker throughout the team.”

With Medders, who averages 17.6 points per game, on the bench, the Cyclones will count on Wilkins, Ronhovde and Heather Ezell as their main scorers. Ezell, Wilkins and Ronhovde average 11.3, 14.5 and 9.7 points per game, respectively.

“[The young players] have stepped up their level of play immensely,” Ronhovde said. “I think we’re able to build a lot on what we did in the second half against Kansas, and we have to play our best game in order to be able to win.”

As before, Fennelly said Medders’ absence allows the young players to step up on the team, something he said Ezell and Ronhovde are doing well.

“In life we all want opportunities, and some of these kids may never get this type of opportunity in their careers at Iowa State,” Fennelly said.

“You need to live in the moment – understand that – and not wait for next season or next week.”

Compared to Iowa State, who starts three underclassmen, the Tigers start two seniors and three juniors. Three Tigers average in double figures with LaToya Bond, Christelle N’Garsanet and Carlynn Savant.

Missouri dropped its most recent game, an 88-73 loss to Oklahoma, and Fennelly said that will make the Tigers even hungrier.

“They’re an extremely mature team, and playing with a lot of confidence,” he said. “They know they’re a good team, and they know this is a year they can impact the conference.”

Fennelly said fans should be prepared for an entertaining bout.

“It’s always been a good game, regardless of how good they were or we were,” he said. “They’ve always been hard for us to handle.”

The schedule doesn’t get any easier for the Cyclones, who travel to Manhattan, Kan., to face the Wildcats on Saturday.

“We’re catching them all at a tough time,” Fennelly said. “We’re going to deal with it.”

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