There are two ways for Kansas University volleyball coach Ray Bechard to look at tonight’s rematch with Iowa State.

On one hand, he hopes his team physically and mentally is refreshed after a weekend out of action.

But it also has been a week since his team has faced anyone.

Regardless, the Jayhawks (12-7 overall, 3-7 Big 12 Conference) sorely need to start off the second round of the Big 12 season with a bang against the Cyclones at 7 tonight in the Horejsi Center.

“You’ve got to take care of business at home first,” said Bechard, whose squad currently holds a 10-match winning streak over Iowa State. “Obviously, we have some very difficult road matches coming up, but you’ve got to win at home and fight like crazy on the road.”

The final stretch for the Jayhawks will determine whether they are able to live up to their first national ranking, which they received earlier in the season, and prove their recent conference struggles were a fluke.

Working in KU’s favor is its victory against Iowa State (8-12 overall, 1-10 Big 12) two weeks ago in Ames, Iowa.

It was a rare bright spot in the first half of Kansas’ conference schedule. The Jayhawks also were victorious in their last match, a 3-0 shutout Oct. 20 at Oklahoma.

The two victories sandwiched a heart-breaking five-game loss at home to Missouri, but the Jayhawks have played well since snapping a five-game losing streak with their victory over the Cyclones.

In particular, middle blocker Ashley Michaels and outside hitter Jana Correa have been monsters up front.

Correa led the team in kills against Oklahoma and Missouri, totaling 38 in the two matches. Michaels had 17 kills and two blocks against the Tigers and 22 kills to go with four blocks against the Cyclones.

The Jayhawks have a limited number of chances left to prove to the NCAA Tournament Selection Committee that they are worthy of a postseason berth.

Even with an intimidating remaining schedule with road games against conference powers Kansas State, Nebraska and Texas, Bechard said reaching a second consecutive NCAA Tournament was not as difficult a task as some may believe.

“I just think that as competitive as this league is, the NCAA will go deep in our conference, maybe as far as eight or nine teams,” he said. “They’ll value how you’ve played the last 10 matches. The season’s not new and not old. It’s somewhere in between.”