Cyclones picked to finish fourth in Big 12 preseason poll

Iowa+State+then-sophomore+center+Kristin+Scott+shoots+a+three-pointer+during+the+fourth+quarter+of+the+Iowa+State+vs.+Baylor+women%E2%80%99s+basketball+game+held%C2%A0Feb.+23+in+Hilton+Coliseum.+The+Lady+Bears+defeated+the+Cyclones+60-73+despite+a+surge+from+Iowa+State+in+the+second+half.

Mikinna Kerns/Iowa State Daily

Iowa State then-sophomore center Kristin Scott shoots a three-pointer during the fourth quarter of the Iowa State vs. Baylor women’s basketball game held Feb. 23 in Hilton Coliseum. The Lady Bears defeated the Cyclones 60-73 despite a surge from Iowa State in the second half.

Sam Stuve

Iowa State will be without two of its best players from a season ago, guard Alexa Middleton and forward Bridget Carleton. However, the rest of the Big 12 sees Iowa State being one of the better teams in the conference, picking the Cyclones to finish fourth in the preseason poll with 49.

The Baylor Bears, who are the defending national champions and have won the last nine Big 12 regular season title, are picked to finish first once again in the Big 12 with 81 overall votes and nine first place votes.

It should be noted coaches can not vote for their own teams.

Texas is picked to finish second with 71 votes and one first, followed by West Virginia at third with 66 votes.

Kansas State is right behind Iowa State in fifth place with 47 votes. 

At sixth is the Oklahoma State Cowboys with 39 and in seventh is the Oklahoma Sooners with 34 votes.

Rounding out the rest of the poll is Texas Christian University in eighth with 27 votes, Texas Tech with 26 votes and Kansas with ten votes.

Iowa State begins conference play on Jan. 3 with a road game against Texas Tech.