In the ISU women’s basketball locker room at the Sukup Basketball Complex, tucked just beneath the coaches’ offices, a sign hangs prominently so every player can take a glance. 

It reads, “1-0.”

After starting the season 2-3, the first losing record since midway through the 2005-06 season, and dropping two of three games in Cancun, Mexico, ISU coach Bill Fennelly needed something to help the team turn the page. He instead flipped his calendar and pointed at December. 

It signified the start of a new season for the team. 

“We’re 1-0,” Fennelly said. “That’s the way that we’re looking at it. We’re 1-0 in December and with six games, three weeks [and] school [left], let’s see where we’re at.”

Iowa State (3-3, 0-0 Big 12) started on the right foot on Wednesday, knocking off in-state rival Northern Iowa, 84-75, on the road.

But the team isn’t going to hang its hat on that lone victory. There is much more to do in the month, as Iowa State still has six more games to play in 2015. 

“No offense to anyone, but if the the highlight of our season pre-Christmas is a road win at UNI, then we’re not doing our job,” Fennelly said. “We’re not playing right, we’re not coaching right. We’ve talked about it when we came back from Mexico — turn the page, it’s December. And let’s get after it in December.” 

December will be a crucial month for the Cyclones, especially while dealing with multiple injuries, most of which are just nagging ones. But the big loss is freshman froward Bridget Carleton, who won’t play Sunday and doesn’t have a clear timetable for return. She was hit in the face last week and suffered injuries to her mouth as well as a concussion. 

“I think it’s a combination of let’s move on with our record and stop feeling sorry for ourselves because we’ve got players who are sick,” Fennelly said. “Let’s turn the page and go.”

The mentality has rubbed off on the players as well, and it showed on Wednesday. Iowa State excelled at sharing the ball and getting everybody involved in the win against UNI. 

No player that was active had fewer than six points in the game — except Claire Rickets, who played just under a minute — and two players registered double-doubles. 

“Leaving the past in the past has helped us a lot, especially against UNI — we knew that was the start to something,” said Seanna Johnson, who tied a career-high 28 points in the win. “Our team just built on what [Fennelly] said: A new season, new focus, new goals. I think the UNI game … started something special.” 

If the team manages to keep up the success and swim through tough waters in December, it could provide a strong start to the Big 12 season that still looms in January. 

“[December] is very important,” said Kidd Blaskowsky. “Big 12 play is going to be a challenge for everybody in the conference. These three weeks, we’ve got to get ready to go because those 18 games are going to come and go just like that, and you don’t get those back.” 

Now facing the second game of their “new season,” the Cyclones will play Southern (2-3, 0-0 SWAC) at 2 p.m. Sunday at Hilton Coliseum. Southern has played three Power Five basketball teams but hasn’t fared well, going 0-3. 

The Cyclones won’t overlook the game, though, as it attempts to go 2-0 in December. 

“[Southern] played K-State really tough and the game before, they beat Nebraska pretty bad,” Fennelly said. “The things they do really well, we have not shown a propensity to do very well. So hopefully we’ll be ready to go Sunday.”