Wins have not come easy for the Iowa State women’s basketball team over the past three weeks.

Six games into the Big 12 season, Iowa State sits in a tie for eighth place in conference with a 1-5 record. Now, Iowa State will need its best performance of the year Wednesday night if it wants to avoid falling to 1-6.

The Cyclones (10-7, 1-5 Big 12) will travel to Waco, Texas, to play No. 2 Baylor (17-1, 6-0 Big 12) at 7 p.m. Wednesday.

Baylor presents a new challenge for coach Bill Fennelly’s squad. The Lady Bears’ lone loss this season came on the road at No. 1 Connecticut. Other than that, Baylor’s record is flawless.

“The numbers that Baylor’s putting up are staggering,” Fennelly said. “The margin of victory, field goal percentage defense, rebound margin … I think they’ve had one game within 23 points in the league.”

That game, a 77-54 victory over TCU, is Baylor’s only win by fewer than 30 points since Big 12 play started in late December.

But Iowa State feels confident that it can compete with anyone in the country. After all, the Cyclones took undefeated No. 4 Mississippi State to overtime on Dec. 3.

“I think we have a chance against any team that we play,” guard Emily Durr said. “We have confidence, we just haven’t gotten the wins.”

Durr’s point holds true. Iowa State has held a second-half lead in six of its seven losses this season, including all five Big 12 losses.

The biggest challenge for Iowa State may come in the post. Sophomore forward Meredith Burkhall will draw the toughest assignment of all.

One of Baylor’s best players, Kalani Brown, stands at 6 foot 7. She is averaging 13 points and nearly nine rebounds per game this season. Brown is coming off a 16-point performance in Baylor’s previous game.

With such a height advantage over the 6-foot-3 Burkhall, Brown likely will be a focal point for Baylor’s offense.

“We know they’re really big inside,” Burkhall said. “Our key is to do our work early.”

Burkhall said the Cyclones’ plan is to get in front of the post player to attempt to eliminate easy baskets in the paint. That may be easier said than done given Iowa State’s lack of depth and size in the front court.

Fennelly compared this Baylor team to the 2012 Baylor squad that was crowned national champions.

“They’re big, they’re deep, great guard play,” Fennelly said. “All the pieces that you need to be playing in the Final Four.”

Durr said she thinks the key to pulling out a win is “sticking together and putting four quarters together.”

“We’ve put three quarters together and three and a half quarters together,” Durr said. “Just having a complete game will help us get over the hump.”