ISU women start in-state battles with Drake

AMES - When Iowa State looks at each of its three in-state rivalry games every season, the goal is simple: be the best team within the Iowa borders. Drake will be the first step in doing that.

The Cyclones and Bulldogs are set to tipoff at 7 p.m. on Tuesday in Hilton Coliseum. Although Iowa State does not have Northern Iowa on its schedule this season, the importance of playing in-state games isn't lost on Coach Bill Fennelly.

'I think all these games are fun because it brings a lot of attention to the sport,” Fennelly said. 'It's a great rivalry, they've played a long, long time. There's been a lot of great games, a lot of great players. It's a lot of fun and everyone knows everyone.”

'It's just as important to us,” guard Nikki Moody said. 'They're in-state rivals and it's just a big game in general.”

The uniqueness of the in-state matchups also comes from the variety of Divison-I conferences represented in Iowa with four schools coming from three different leagues.

In its season-opening win against USC Upstate, freshman Bryanna Fernstrom exploded for 25 points in her collegiate debut. The 6-foot-5 center and Big 12 Freshman of the Week also hit 2-of-2 3-pointers and 7-of-7 free throws in the 98-76 ISU win, which she said did wonders for her confidence moving forward.

'(The team thinks) if I have confidence, I do a lot better,” Fernstrom said. 'So I think they wanted me to get the first couple points and then feel good from then on. I don't think anyone knew it was going to be like it was.”

And while it's not a guarantee all of Iowa State's games in the future will go as smoothly for Fernstrom, her presence in the post - a big question coming into the season - seems to be an answer for now.

'I think she saw some things in herself and her teammates saw some things in her that we had seen in practice and she took what she had done for about a week in practice to the game court yesterday,” Fennelly said. 'That's to her credit and the coaches working with her.”

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