It’s felt like an eternity for the ISU women’s basketball team, but the season opener is finally here.

The Cyclones are the last team in the Big 12 to begin regular-season play, but get their season underway Wednesday night when they tip off against the Cal State Fullerton Titans.

“We might be the last Division I team in the country to start their season,” coach Bill Fennelly said with a laugh.

The game is a big one for Fennelly, who sits at 399 career wins. Fennelly is entering his 12th season with Iowa State, and is 233-110 here and 399-163 overall.

The Titans come into the matchup 1-0 on the season after beating San Jose State, 69-52, in their season opener on Saturday. Fennelly said the win was an impressive start for them, winning by 17 on the road.

“I think they’re a team that plays a lot of younger kids, they play a lot of different players,” Fennelly said. “They create a lot of turnovers and they’re quick to the basket.”

Cal State Fullerton is coached by Maryalyce Jeremiah, who enters her 11th year with the Titans. She became the school’s winningest coach in Fullerton’s first game, tallying her 141st win with the program. The win was her 404th overall victory.

As a member of the Big West conference, the Titans finished 11-17 last season. They are led by sophomore forward Toni Thomas, who was named the Big West Conference Freshman of the Year last season. Thomas averaged 12.6 points per game as a freshman and led the team in rebounding last year, pulling down seven a game. Thomas had 24 points, 11 rebounds and three blocks in the Titans’ first game this season.

The Cyclones won both of their exhibition contests easily, beating St. Cloud State, 72-50, and Upper Iowa, 68-42. Although the wins were convincing, the team struggled with its three-point shooting, shooting just 23 percent (8 of 35) behind the arc in the two games.

For a team that is typically strong in three-point shooting, senior Lyndsey Medders said she is not worried about the issue and believes the shooting will come with time.

“We’re shooting pretty well in practice,” Medders said. “A lot of it is the rhythm of the game. I’m not concerned – it’s not an issue I don’t think.”

Redshirt freshman Rachel Pierson is expected to see playing time in the range of 15 to 20 minutes, Fennelly said. Pierson sat out all but one game last season and is a player that can add a lot of size on the post.

“She’s big, she’s strong and she’s good around the basket,” Fennelly said. “She’s something we don’t have. She is a true, strong, physical, back-to-the-basket post player and she is critical to the success of our team.”

Pierson will join sophomore Nicky Wieben and junior Toccara Ross in the post. Both Wieben and Ross played well in the exhibition games, each logging a double-double against St. Cloud State. Wieben averaged 17.5 points and 9.5 rebounds per game in the two contests.

Fennelly described the effort his team gave in the exhibitions as “solid” but said the regular season will be a different experience for his young team.

“We’re going to play four players that have played Division I basketball. Everyone else is going out there for the first time Wednesday night,” Fennelly said.

“They’re going to have to learn on the job, and they’re going to have to learn quick. I’m more worried about what we’re going to do than what [Cal State Fullerton is] going to do.”

Sophomore Heather Ezell, who averaged 10 points per game last season while starting all but one of Iowa State’s games, suffered a mild concussion on Sunday against Upper Iowa and sat out of practice Tuesday. She will be a game-time decision. If Ezell isn’t able to play, Fennelly said freshman Alison Lacey will start in her place.