All eyes were looking inside at Iowa State.

After starting the season with the Cyclones’ guards taking control of games, the women’s basketball team got the emergence it was looking for – its post game.

Iowa State used 49 combined points from its post players to secure an 85-48 win over the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee on Saturday afternoon at Hilton Coliseum.

Sophomore Nicky Wieben came off the bench to grab a game-high 19 points, while Toccara Ross added 10.

Redshirt freshman Rachel Pierson, earning her first career start, netted 12 points in 12 minutes for the Cyclones.

“I really thought our post players came to play this afternoon, and it’s tremendous to get 79 minutes, two turnovers and 49 points out of the post,” said ISU head coach Bill Fennelly.

“We had a tremendous advantage in the post, but we’ve had that advantage before and haven’t scored.

“Today, they wanted the ball and we got them the ball, and that means people are running their offense and sharing the ball.”

Pierson made her presence known early on by putting in the first points of the game, and she and Wieben continued to be factors under the net.

Both combined for 19 first-half points and 11 total rebounds. Pierson notched four more points in the second half before sitting out with foul trouble.

Fennelly said how Wieben responded coming off the bench was exactly what the team needed from her.

“She went after the ball, got to the free-throw line, she was working hard,” he said. “You have no idea how people will react to things like that, and she reacted how we wanted her to.”

He said that Pierson’s lack of time on the court was a factor that needed to be addressed.

“We need to her to play more than 12 minutes a game, and we have to clean up the silly fouls that put her in the position to get taken out,” Fennelly said. “But I also have to realize that this is only the seventh college game this kid has played.”

Though the point margin would increase, the Cyclones had trouble shaking off the Panthers in the first half.

Iowa State faltered trying to find its groove, but several 3-pointers from Megan Ronhovde and Heather Ezell aided in the 39-24 Cyclone halftime lead.

Iowa State also got a big helping hand from its trio of freshman guards, who all put in double-digit minutes on the court.

Alison Lacey and Shellie Mosman tallied eight points each, while Mosman and Anna Florzak each drained a three in the second half.

Fennelly said having the opportunity to put young players in the game is a benefit to them and their role on the team.

“It helps a great deal to have them come in, because the bottom line is it’s a real game, and you can’t simulate this is practice,” he said.

“They all want to play and they’ve all practiced hard, and the next time they go in they’re a little more relaxed. Experience is a great teacher.”

Iowa State shot 46.7 percent from the field and 31.6 percent from behind the arc.

The Panthers were held to 24.6 percent shooting, and also had 13 fewer rebounds than the Cyclones.

The team and its coach were worried about a let down following Thursday’s win over Iowa, but the Cyclones showed on Saturday, they don’t care who they play.

“We played great in Iowa City, and we’ve got to prove that we can play that way every night. No matter what the other team’s jersey says, we always have the same name on our jerseys,” Heather Ezell said. “We’re always Iowa State and our fans expect us to play like that every game, no matter who we’re playing.”