Iowa State is ready to host and travel to face three different opponents for Big 12 conference play.
The Cyclone women’s basketball team will take on Kansas, Kansas State and Oklahoma State twice in the regular season for Big 12 conference play.
Below are the rankings for each team, taking into account their historical success at home and away, as well as their incoming talent and retention.
3 – Kansas State
The Wildcats are coming off a 19-18 season, and finished with an 8-9 record at home and 6-6 on the road. Iowa State swept the season series last year, and the Cyclones are looking to continue the streak moving into the 2026-27 season.
Kansas State will lean on Nastja Claessens, a returner who averaged 11.9 points and 4.9 rebounds per game and is one of the only rotational returners coming back to Kansas State.
The Wildcats are adding Tèa Clèante, a point guard from Penn State who averaged 8.7 points per game and added an additional 1.6 steals per game. Clèante is a guard Kansas State is hoping will have a strong defensive showing.
2 – Kansas
The Jayhawks finished with an overall record of 18-12 last season and tied rival Kansas State in the conference standings at 8-10.
However, the Jayhawks’ returning big-time scorer S’Mya Nichols looks to lead the team’s offense. Sharpshooting Nichols averaged 17.4 points per game, along with shooting 42.9% from three last season. Nicholas will be expected to step up her game in Jaliya Davis’ absence.
Kansas was able to bring back several rotational players and bring in three transfers. The main transfer is Mariyah Noel, who will be a great asset as a wing for Kansas after averaging 14.9 points and 6.3 rebounds per game last season.
1 – Oklahoma State
The Cowgirls will be the toughest challenge for the Cyclones, both home and away, for several different reasons. Oklahoma State swept Iowa State in the season series last season and is very good at home, posting a 16-1 record there. The Cyclones will have a better chance at victory while hosting the Cowgirls.
The biggest factor will be the return of Audi Crooks to play against the team she played with for three years. Crooks recently joined Oklahoma State after putting up a legendary college basketball season, totaling 25.8 points per game, which was second in the NCAA last season.
The transfers are going to be the name of the game for Oklahoma State, as they have also brought in Ellie Brueggemann, a sharpshooting guard from Lindenwood, and Division II Player of the Year Talexa Weeter, who averaged 27.5 points per game, along with 8.9 rebounds per game last year.
