The ISU women’s basketball team left Carver-Hawkeye Arena on Dec. 6 with 21 turnovers, a number too high for coach Bill Fennelly.

Earlier in the season, Fennelly said each game’s goal was just 14 turnovers a game. In the 60-43 victory against Fairfield on Dec. 9, the Cyclones kept just under that number with 13.

“We didn’t have many ball-handling errors with our top six players,” Fennelly said. “You have to take into account the type of defense we’re facing, but I think we made good decisions.”

Fennelly’s squad had only eight turnovers with just 2:30 left to play. Some poor communication among the bench players caused the final five turnovers.

Return of the Pop

In her first game back in more than two weeks, senior Chelsea Poppens was able to check out of the game with nearly a double-double. With 12 points and nine rebounds, Poppens was able to channel a standing ovation from the crowd at Hilton Coliseum five minutes into the game.

With winter break ahead, Poppens will have time to get her legs back under her.

“We’re just going to practice her like everyone else,” Fennelly said. “When she came back, it was No. 1 the doctors, No. 2 [Poppens].”

Poppens said getting back out on the court was a great feeling but there’s some work to catch up on.

“Mentally, I was ready to be out there, but there was a few times I was a little bit winded,” Poppens said. “That’s given for I’ve only practiced the past few days.”

Teammate Hallie Christofferson weighed in on the subject of her teammate being back and healthy.

“I got a little fired up, too, when the crowd gave her an ovation,” Christofferson said. “You could definitely feel her presence. She went in there and she started right back where she ended.”

Poppens’ 12 points were the only points scored off of the Cyclones’ bench, a statistic that didn’t sit too well with Fennelly.

Christofferson continues lead role

Christofferson has scored in the double figures in points in all seven games this season. In the game against Fairfield, Christofferson came out of the game with 18 points and five rebounds.

In Poppens’ absence, Christofferson stepped up as the Cyclones’ “fearless leader” leading the team in scoring in almost every game.

Christofferson said that with Poppens back, her role as a team leader shouldn’t change much.

“If some people aren’t having the best game and if somebody is on a roll, you’ve got to get them the ball,” Christofferson said. “It just depends on game to game.”