Cyclones seek key home win against Oklahoma State

Lindsay Beyer, Sports Reporter

February 23, 2026

Head Coach Bill Fennelly giving feedback to the bench during the Iowa State vs. Kansas State. Hilton Coliseum, Ames, Iowa, Feb. 15, 2026.

The Iowa State Cyclones women’s basketball team will look to rebound Wednesday night when it hosts Oklahoma State in Ames.

After surrendering a late lead in an 80-73 loss to then-No. 12 TCU, Iowa State (21-7, 9-7 Big 12) enters the matchup needing a statement win with the Big 12 tournament approaching.

“I think we are [an NCAA tournament team], but it’s kind of like at home where my opinion doesn’t matter,” Iowa State head coach Bill Fennelly said following Sunday’s loss. “I think we’ve proven that we are and I think the numbers show that, but there are a lot of teams in our league playing well.”

Oklahoma State (21-8, 10-6 Big 12) sits one game ahead of the Cyclones in sixth place in the conference standings. The outcome could play a significant role in determining Big 12 tournament seeding.

The Cowgirls are also looking to bounce back after a 72-40 loss to No. 17 West Virginia on Saturday. Junior guard Stailee Heard led Oklahoma State with 13 points and eight rebounds in the loss, the only Cowgirl in double figures. Senior guard Micah Gray, the team’s leading scorer at 14.6 points per game, was held to three points on 1-for-14 shooting.

Junior center Audi Crooks paced Iowa State with 22 points and six rebounds against TCU. Junior guard Jada Williams recorded a double-double with 15 points and 11 assists, while junior forward Addy Brown added 11 points in 25 minutes in her return from a lower-body injury.

Big 12 Tournament seedings are scheduled to be finalized after the conclusion of regular-season play March 1. With both teams positioned near each other in the standings and aiming to strengthen their NCAA tournament resumes, Wednesday’s game carries added significance.

“I think our league is a really good league that can do some really good things,” Fennelly said. “I don’t know that we maybe get the credit nationally that we deserve. I do think there’s a lot of teams in our league that would do very well in the NCAA tournament and hope that our league is rewarded in seedings.”

Tipoff is set for 6:30 p.m. The game will be streamed on ESPN.

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