Sisters Ashley and Aubrey Joens to square off in Iowa State vs. Oklahoma matchup
As Oklahoma basketball player Aubrey Joens examined her team’s Big 12 schedule while eating dinner at the family’s Iowa City restaurant over holiday break, an interesting debate broke out.
Joens, a junior guard for the Sooners, boldly predicted her team would win every game on the docket. That’s when older sister Ashley, a senior guard for the Cyclones, strolled over and added her thoughts.
“She’s like, ‘Well, that’s not going to be possible,’” Aubrey recalled Ashley saying.
The first of two Joens vs. Joens showdowns comes at 2 p.m. Sunday when No. 11 Iowa State (10-2 overall, 2-0 in Big 12) plays at No. 16 Oklahoma (11-2 overall, 1-1 in Big 12). The rematch in Ames is scheduled for Jan. 28.
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“It’s good just to get the wins but I do think that since we are both just so competitive that we definitely will be bragging about it,” Aubrey said. “It might not be right away but later on it’ll definitely be brought up.”
There’s plenty on the line during Sunday’s battle between two of the league's top teams. Iowa State was the preseason favorite while Oklahoma was picked to finish third (Texas was picked second).
What else is at stake? Bragging rights for the Joens sisters, who have never competed against each other at any level, according to Aubrey. They were teammates the last two seasons and helped Iowa State reach the Sweet 16 during the 2021-22 campaign. Aubrey then decided to transfer to another school so she could find more playing time and have a bigger role. Ashley, meanwhile, decided to take advantage of the extra season of eligibility awarded by the NCAA due to the COVID-19 pandemic and returned for another season.
Aubrey considered South Dakota and Marquette before Oklahoma coach Jennie Baranczyk (a former Dowling and Iowa star and Drake coach) reached out. Joens, a strong 3-point shooter, jumped at the chance to play in Baranczyk's fast-paced, high-scoring offense that gives opponents fits.
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“It’s been good,” Aubrey said. “I’ve been able to adjust really well and I get along with the team really well so it’s been fun.”
It’s also created unique matchups this season when the sisters square off at each other’s schools. Aubrey said their parents are not attending Sunday's game but plan to watch closely on ESPN2, wearing neutral red colors.
“It should be fun,” Ashley said. “(But) it’s just another game. We’re going to go out there and we’re going to compete and we’re going to play our game.”
An undefeated Big 12 season is no longer a possibility for Aubrey, who is averaging 5.8 points per game off the bench for the Sooners. Oklahoma lost to Baylor on Tuesday at home. But a Big 12 title is a real possibility for both teams.
Tommy Birch, the Register's sports enterprise and features reporter, has been working at the newspaper since 2008. He's the 2018 and 2020 Iowa Sportswriter of the Year. Reach him at tbirch@dmreg.com or 515-284-8468. Follow him on Twitter @TommyBirch.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Ashley, Aubrey Joens to square off in Iowa State-Oklahoma matchup
