Bill Fennelly has got to love the schedule makers for Big 12 Conference games.

Coming off two losses in the state of Texas, the ISU women’s basketball head coach brings his team home where they have only lost once in the last two seasons.

Of course when No. 14 Iowa State takes the court tonight, the opponent won’t be like any other; it is the No. 3 team in the nation, Oklahoma.

“The good news is you’re home, the bad news is you’re playing Oklahoma,” Fennelly said. “If we can get through the next two weeks and still be breathing or have a heartbeat at all, then we’ll see what happens.”

Oklahoma will use a variety of weapons to try and flatline Iowa State. One of them will be reigning Big 12 Conference player of the year Stacey Dales, who is averaging 14.8 points a game entering the contest.

So far this year though, it has been senior LaNeisha Caufield leading the Sooner charge, scoring 20.1 a game. Caton Hill is averaging 11.0 rebounds a game in conference play in the post for Oklahoma.

“They play with as much confidence as any team I’ve ever seen,” Fennelly said. “They almost have this swagger to them, they’re very experienced.”

The Cyclones’ pride has been dented a bit the past few weeks. After running the table in the pre-conference schedule, Iowa State has lost three of four conference games including losses at Texas (66-65) and Texas A&M (88-71.)

“It was a rough week in Texas,” said Lindsey Wilson who leads the team with 20.1 points a game. “Obviously, nobody is really satisfied with their performance.”

Iowa State turned the ball over 52 times during the two-game stretch in Texas and played at less than 100 percent.

Wilson and Tracy Gahan were recovering from illness. Angie Welle, Iowa State’s leading rebounder at 10.8 rebounds, is suffering from back spasms, a problem she insists is getting better.

“I was getting pretty frustrated with [my back],” Welle said. “I think it is finally going to go away.”

Fennelly also sees signs of Welle’s improvement.

“Honestly, I think she feels a lot better,” Fennelly said. “You can tell her spirits are up. Anyone who’s had a bad back knows how annoying that can be.”

That’s good news for the Cyclones, because the Sooners lack height in the post. Hill, despite being a very physical player, gives up height at 6″1′ compared to Welle’s 6″4′ frame.

“I don’t know if you’d call it a weakness,” Welle said. “I just think that we have a height advantage. We’re not going to have to worry so much about pump-faking this time.”

Iowa State will have to worry about getting out of its recent slide. Despite a 12-0 start the Cyclones sit 1-3 in the Big 12 and are in an unfamiliar role trying to end the skid.

“We’re the underdog and if we win, it’s an upset,” Welle said. “I think it’s kind of nice to have that mentality for once. Every game we’ve played this year, everybody wants to beat us and it’s the hugest upset. Maybe we need to be on the other side one time with that mentality and maybe that will get us motivated.”

Oklahoma is favored, because it boasts a 14-1 overall mark and is a league-best 4-0 in the Big 12.

Most recently the Sooners dropped No. 13 Baylor 82-73 to run their winning streak in the conference to 18 games.

Oklahoma’s only loss came at the hands of No. 1 Connecticut, 86-72.

“They’re a great team,” Wilson said. “We are also, but we haven’t proved it lately. I think that playing our best against Oklahoma will kind of prove to everybody that we are back on track.”

The road doesn’t get any easier for the Cyclones. After Oklahoma, Iowa State will face No. 15 Texas Tech at home and go on the road to face No. 22 Colorado.

“We need to come out of [tonight’s] game feeling like we’re the team that we can be and we’ve got something to build on,” Fennelly said.

The action gets under way at 7 p.m. in Hilton Coliseum.