Twister Sisters Before the Storm: Kansas

Jan 21, 2023 - 6:00 PM

Last Time Out

Iowa State was without Head Coach Bill Fennelly due to personal reasons, but the Cyclones were able to pick up a great win against a talented Oklahoma State squad.

Emily Ryan led the way with 14 points and seven assists, going 3-3 from long range. Nyamer Diew came up huge for the Clonies, scoring 12 points off of the bench. Morgan Kane took advantage of her first start of the season, going 4-5 from the field while tallying 11 points and snagging eight rebounds. In an off-night for Ashley Joens, she was still able to record a double-double with 10 points and 12 rebounds.

About Kansas

The Jayhawks sit at 13-4 (3-3 Big 12) and are fresh off of a come-from-behind win against West Virginia. While not really being labeled as an offensive team, KU put up 57 points in the second half to erase a 14-point deficit to win 77-58.

Offensively, Kansas is certainly an above-average team. While not being able to shoot the three very well, they are excellent from two-point range (47.5%) and the free-throw line (78.1%). However, they turn the ball over 16 times per game and have one of the worst assisted shot rates in college basketball (45.5%).

On the defensive end, the Jayhawks are (Dicky V voice) unbelievable, baby! They only give up 60.6 points per game. A big part of this is their rebounding. At 44.5 rebounds per game, KU ranks 10th in the country in rebounds per game. By excelling on the boards, they have been able to limit opponent possessions and slow down the pace of the game. Worth noting, they also block 12.6% of all shots, insane. Kansas is a unit on defense.

The trio of Taiyanna Jackson, Holly Kersgieter, and Zakiyah Franklin has been awesome so far this year. Jackson and Franklin have both picked up Big 12 Player of the Week honors and Kersgieter continues to climb the ranks to be an all-time great in Lawrence.

Opponent Player to Watch

Taiyanna Jackson has five games of 15+ rebounds so far this season and ranks third nationally in rebounds, with 12.5 per game. At 6-foot-6, she is going to be an issue for the Cyclones. She is the only player in Kansas history to be selected for the Big 12 All-Defensive Team. Offensively, she averages 14.9 points per game on 64.4% shooting. Iowa State will have to get creative with Jackson in the game.

What Will Happen

Cyclones stay undefeated in Hilton after a rock fight. “Jayhawks, K-Hawks, certainly L-Hawks. Don’t matter. Clones in fo’.”

Iowa State University - 68

University of Kansas - 65

Pick Three

1. Emily Ryan dishes out five assists to surpass Alison Lacey for fourth in ISU history for career assists.
2. Cyclones hit 10+ threes.
3. ISU struggles on the boards.

Game Notes

The Matchup: No. 18 Iowa State (12-4, 4-2 Big 12) vs. Kansas (13-4, 3-3 Big 12)

Where: Hilton Coliseum - Ames, Iowa

When: Saturday, January 21st, 2023 - 5 pm

TV: Big 12 Now on ESPN+ Talent: BJ Schaben, Chelsea Poppins

Radio: Cyclone Radio Network/Varsity Radio App Talent: Noah Wolf, Jamie Steyer Johnson

Live Stats: StatBroadcast

The Series: Tied 47-47