One of the areas of concern surrounding this year’s ISU squad is the inexperience of the Cyclone post players.

With only 21 points returning in the post this season, the Cyclones have turned to their freshmen to take over the role.

And freshmen Anna Prins and Chelsea Poppens appear ready to fill that void.

Prins and Poppens combined for 42 points in Iowa State’s 98-37 exhibition win against Minnesota–Crookston — the Cyclones’ last tune–up before the start of the regular season.

“These first two games, we have learned that our freshmen post players can really score,” senior guard Alison Lacey said.

Poppens, who totaled 14 points in the Cyclones’ first exhibition game versus Dubuque, had already recorded a double–double by halftime against the Eagles (16 points, 10 rebounds). The 6–foot–2–inch forward went on to finish with a team–leading 22 points and 12 rebounds.

“Poppens is a stat stuffer. She’s always doing something,” said coach Bill Fennelly. “We’re going to have to live with some of her shot selection, and some of the things she does aren’t the most fundamental. The thing we have decided with her is ‘play hard and we’ll live with it.’ And she plays hard.”

Not to be outdone, Prins followed her freshman counterpart with 20 points of her own and shot a perfect 8-for-8 from the free-throw line.

“Anna Prins is as skilled a player as I have seen in a long time,” Fennelly said. “The challenge for Anna now is to fight through the physical nature of the game. She has to get more rebounds.”

Prins, a 6–foot–7–inch center from Broomfield, Colo., had only six rebounds in her first two games.

The Cyclones will also turn to freshman Amanda Zimmerman to provide extended playing time in the post. Zimmerman scored 14 points against Dubuque, but suffered an ankle sprain in practice Saturday and was forced to sit out of the game Sunday.

With only one other post player on the bench — Jessica Schroll — Iowa State adjusted quickly to its sudden lack of depth.

“We just found out yesterday that [Zimmerman] sprained her ankle, so we were throwing five guards out on the court at one point and trying to fake things,” Fennelly said.

Fennelly said there is an outside chance Zimmerman will be ready to go next week.

As the Cyclones approach their season opener against Florida Atlantic on Sunday, Fennelly said his post players have to be ready to adjust to the higher quality of play they will see for the remainder of the season.

“We’ve subtly reminded them that it has been kind of easy for them in the first couple of games,” Fennelly said. “Not to take anything away from what they have done, but it’s going to get a lot different.”

Mosman for three — A smile stretched across senior Shellie Mosman’s face as her fourth 3-pointer trickled through the net. Mosman, who has seen limited time from the bench in her first three seasons as a Cyclone, rode her four 3-pointers to a 12-point total — a would–be career high.

“That is awesome for a senior who hasn’t gotten to play much. That just really shows what kind of team we are,” Lacey said. “It’s great to see everyone play well, especially Shellie, who is all about Iowa State.”

Fellow senior Anna Florzak also saw time off the bench, banking a pair of the 3-pointers.

“To see the smile on Anna Florzak and Shellie Mosman’s face was the highlight of the game for me,” Fennelly said.