ISU women tip off against intra-state rival UNI

AMES - Imagining a nonconference schedule without Northern Iowa or Drake prompted the identical response from Iowa State women's basketball players Hallie Christofferson and Amada Zimmerman.

“Weird,” the two Cyclone forwards - who play the Panthers in Tuesday's 7 p.m. intra-state game at Hilton Coliseum - said in unison.

Recent reports indicate changes may loom for the state's four men's programs in terms of playing each other.

Will all the in-state rivalries continue - outside of Iowa and Iowa State?

It's hard to say.

It's also difficult to ascertain what any alterations, in terms of sites or matchups, would mean for the state's big four women's programs.

“I do think it's something well have to look at if the Big 12 continues to play 18 games,” said ISU coach Bill Fennelly, whose team could complete its first in-state sweep since the 2007-08 season. “The (university) presidents are talking about cutting back games. It's been a lot of fun and it's a great series, but I think realistically its something we need to look at down the road. These games are really hard and I think when Iowa or Iowa State loses it's a big story. When we win, well, you're supposed to win. There isn't a whole lot of benefit sometimes.”

Still, Fennelly said he'd be “shocked” to see any of his team's three in-state rivalry games go away.

And players - particularly those from Iowa such as Christofferson and Zimmerman - would be disappointed if meetings with the Panthers or Bulldogs ever vanished from the schedule.

“We've always played in-state games,” said Zimmerman, who scored a season-high 11 points in the Dec. 11 win over Mississippi Valley State. “Just playing Iowa for in-state games definitely would be different. I hope it doesn't (happen).”

Fennelly hopes his Cyclones (6-2) can find ways to produce points against UNI (7-3), which is allowing 50 points per game in its wins, but 75.7 points in its losses.

“Luckily, we're at home and hopefully we can continue to defend the way we've been defending, but still find a way to score,” Fennelly said.

ISU remains thin up front because of injuries.

Leading scorer and rebounder Chelsea Poppens sat out the win over Mississippi Valley State, nursing a knee injury sustained in the Dec. 7 win over Iowa.

Fellow forward Anna Prins also missed the Iowa game, but Fennelly said she'll play today.

“I think we can get something out of Pop,” Fennelly added.

Christofferson shined in their absence in the Cyclones' latest win, scoring a career-high 24 points on 10 of 15 field goal shooting.

“We're starting to mesh a lot more,” she said. “As we play UNI (today), hopefully we can show that.”