Cyclones face Kansas State in home finale

AMES - Iowa State guards Lauren Mansfield and Chassidy Cole won't be reflecting much before Wednesday's 7 p.m. regular season home finale against Kansas State.

The Cyclones' lone seniors still have too much to do - including work on their post-game senior night speeches.

“I haven't even started,” Mansfield said.

Wins come before words.

And ISU (17-10, 8-8 Big 12) seeks its school-record sixth straight NCAA Tournament bid, but sits squarely on the bubble with a trip to top-ranked Baylor looming Saturday.

“For me it's not really a senior night,” Mansfield said. “It's just, I've got to win this game. We've got to get the job done.”

Cole agreed.

“I”m just focused on beating them,” she said.

The Wildcats (18-10, 9-7) likely hold their forthcoming senior night in the same regard.

They've lost three straight road games and four of seven overall, but that fails to lower Cyclone coach Bill Fennelly's high regard for the program.

“They never beat themselves,” he said. “Ever. And that says a lot. I don't know if there's a better compliment you can pay to someone other than that.”

K-State, led by top scorers Brittany Chambers and Jalana Childs, ranks second in the Big 12 in scoring defense, allowing 55.1 points per game.

ISU ranks third in stinginess, yielding 56.6 points.

“You're going to have to make some tough shots,” Fennelly said. “You're going to have to play well at the end of the shot clock.”

The Cyclones used a dominant second half performance to win the first meeting, 66-57, at Manhattan, Kan.

Mansfield scored 15 points in that game and Cole shined on the defensive end.

"I remember (Cole) played really well against Chambers and kind of shut her out," Mansfield said.

ISU stands 6-2 during its “one month, one focus” February.

Getting to seven wins this month will ensure a .500 conference record and should make NCAA selection Sunday a less nail-biting experience.

“We're in fifth place right now in by far - by far - the best league in the country,” Fennelly said. “You look at the numbers, the RPI, whatever number you want to come up with, it's staggering what this league has done.”