When the Iowa State women’s basketball team travels to Northern Iowa for a Tuesday night game, it’s a chance for a Fennelly family reunion. On the Cyclones’ side there is Fennelly and his eldest son Billy, then there is Steven, an assistant coach for the Panthers and Billy’s brother.

It’s not the first time the three have been on opposite sides, but it is the first time that they face each other as in-state rivals. Even though there is a basketball game to be played, Bill Fennelly knows it will be hard to put the family affair on the back burner for 40 minutes.

“This game is never any fun and now it’s miserable to be honest with you,” Fennelly said of facing UNI and Steven. “It’s a weird deal to have one son with me and Steven at UNI now.”

Although the family reunion offers a new flare to the Cyclones’ early season schedule, one thing that has always been in Ames for their early portion of the schedule is complete dominance in their first five games of every season since 2012.

Since 2012, Iowa State has gone a combined 21-4 in its first five games of those seasons, but Tuesday’s game may not see the dominant Iowa State team that has been there in the past.

First off, they are coming off a game where they squeaked out an 81-76 win in their season opener against a South Dakota team that went 23-9 a season ago. And it doesn’t get any easier against Northern Iowa.

Just like the Coyotes last season, the Panthers were a nine-loss team en route to 24-9 record and a NCAA Tournament berth.

And if Iowa State’s 76-68 win against UNI last season is any indication to what Tuesday’s tilt is going to bring, it certainly sets up for a game that could be won by either team.

The only down side for the Cyclones is that they are without departed seniors Jadda Buckley and Seanna Johnson who led the team in scoring that game with 25 and 15 points, respectively. Instead, they have newcomers Bride Kennedy-Hopoate, Kristin Scott, Madison Wise and Rae Johnson, all of which played a meaningful role in the win over South Dakota.

“I wasn’t [expecting to play significant time against South Dakota],” Johnson said. “I enjoyed it. It was tough, but we pulled through.”

The size that overwhelmed South Dakota at times is certainly a threat against the Panthers as well, but it will need to be more consistent than last Friday’s game. The Panthers’ four tallest players stand at 6-foot-1, while Kennedy-Hopoate stands at 6-foot-4 and Scott at 6-foot-3, along with Meredith Burkhall.

“It needs to play a bigger factor than it’s been playing,” Fennelly said. “Our inside game has not been very good. We’ve gotta coach it better, we’ve gotta play it better and it’s only an advantage if you play hard, angles are good and our post players can’t turn the ball over 12 times.”

Despite the size advantage, Fennelly pointed out that it’s harder to play as a post player when the opposing player is significantly smaller.

Post play will certainly be a key factor when the Cyclones take the court without senior guard Emily Durr for the first time. Durr, who was injured in the season open after she hyperextended knee, will be forced to sit out for at least this game.

“The one that is a senior and sort of knows our systems is going to be an assistant coach,” Fennelly said. “We’ve just got to limit the decisions that Rae [Johnson] has to make, that Nia [Washington] has to make.”

With or without their senior leader, the nine other players know that it’s a must win game against a talented Northern Iowa team.

“Obviously losing Emily [Durr] is huge,” said junior guard Bridget Carleton. “Her leadership and just her experience and her calmness on the court we’ll miss a lot, but I think Rae [Johnson] and Nia [Washington] are ready to step in and get playing time.”