Prins, Cyclones putting their best foot forward in February

AMES - First her back, then her knee.

For about six months, each powerful dribble forward for Iowa State junior center Anna Prins seemed to be offset by a ginger step back.

“It's been frustrating at times,” she said.

Not now.

The 6-7 Prins endured offseason back issues and an early-season knee scope, but enters Tuesday's 7 p.m. Big 12 home game against Missouri (11-14, 1-13) fresh off one of her best all-around performances of the season.

Prins scored 15 points, tied her single game season-high in 3-pointers with two and tracked down seven rebounds in Saturday's 77-71 victory over Oklahoma at Hilton Coliseum.

The Cyclones - 16-9 overall - squared their conference mark at 7-7 and continue to turn their tightly-spun February focus into a multitude of March possibilities.

They've played in five straight NCAA Tournaments, a school record streak that appeared to be in extreme jeopardy after an 0-5 Big 12 start.

“It's fun to be in that discussion,” said ISU coach Bill Fennelly, whose team avenged a 29-point road loss to the Sooners with Saturday's win. “I tell our players all the time, ‘There's a lot of things in life you can't control and you're frustrated by it.' We sort-of control what happens (now). If you go out and play well, you win some games, you have a chance to make good things happen. If you don't, it's your own fault and then you look back.”

The Cyclones - winners of seven of their last nine games - continue to look ahead.

Not very far, though.

“(We're) taking one step at a time and seeing what that leads to,” said ISU forward Hallie Christofferson, who is 17 of 35 from 3-point range in the past nine games.

For Prins, each healthy stride has put her increasingly at ease on the court.

She played 28 minutes Saturday as in-the-paint workhorse Chelsea Poppens battled foul trouble - more floor time than she's seen in 12 games.

“I'm feeling a lot more confident and comfortable out there,” Prins said.

And the team, in turn, is gaining momentum along with enhanced options.

“I've been very pleased,” Fennelly said of Prins' recent body of work. “And, I think, too, it goes back to she's been healthy, she's practicing more. She's a kid that needs the work in practice. Until probably January, she had missed more time, whether hurt or ill, than any player we've ever had here.”

She's making up for the lost time.

“I think it helps me at least to be able to get into a rhythm when I'm out there more,” Prins said. “Just having fun.”