The ISU women’s basketball team is scoring big, and so is the ticket office.

Ticket sales have been on the rise with the success of the women’s basketball team, which has a 15-2 record and is ranked sixth in the nation in The Associated Press’ recent poll.

“There is no question, when we play at home, we play with great enthusiasm. It affects both our team and [the other team],” said Bill Fennelly, head women’s basketball coach. “We have a great home atmosphere.”

Erin Rosacker, associate director of Athletic Media Relations, said ticket sales for the women’s home games this season have averaged 10,263 tickets. That number almost doubles last season’s average of 6,115 tickets, when the team made it to the Elite Eight in the NCAA finals.

The record for ticket sales for last season was 12,337, Rosacker said. The ISU women have broken that record three times this season.

David Crum, athletic ticket manager, said the game against the University of Iowa brought in the most fans.

Rosacker said the victory over Iowa brought 13,271 women’s basketball fans. That number is close to Hilton Coliseum’s capacity, which is slightly more than 14,000. Tuesday night’s victory over Kansas State had 9,681 in attendance.

“The Iowa State women are currently fourth in the country in ticket sales. Last year, we were 11th,” Crum said. “We average around 10,000 a game.”

He said men’s ticket sales are usually higher than women’s. This season, however, the situation was reversed.

The average ticket sales for a men’s home game is 9,493, about 800 fewer than the women’s average. The men’s current record is 16-3.

“There are loyal fans who support all of Iowa State’s sports,” Fennelly said.

Basketball fans for both the men and the women travel to the away games as well. The men have the women beat with a 7,172 average for away games. The women’s fans average around 2,000.

Fennelly said he hopes the numbers continue to grow this season and in future years.

“We have gained some new fans that I hope will stick with us, and as long as the product is good and the price is right, they will,” he said.

With every new season of college sports, universities lose players, but they also bring in new additions to the team. Three current players, star guard Stacy Frese, Desir‚e Francis and Monica Huelman, will be graduating before next season.

“I like what is coming back, but, of course, we are losing some key people,” Fennelly said. “Hopefully, the new faces will add to the success.”