ISU's 'Pop' just wants it more

AMES - The braces go on as if part of Chelsea Poppens' Iowa State uniform.

Bumps, bruises, strains happen.

Especially when going full speed, from sideline to sideline, each minute of every game.

“Some players, they work hard for five seconds,” said Texas coach Gail Goestenkors, whose team was victimized by Poppens' grit and hustle in Saturday's 71-56 ISU win. “Then they want the ball and if they don't get it, they stand up. She works the entire possession, every possession.”

Poppens - who scored 27 points in 24 minutes against the Longhorns - takes her rough-hewn, floor burn-filled game on the road again for the Cyclones (13-8, 4-6) in Wednesday's 7 p.m. Big 12 matchup with Missouri (10-11, 0-10) at Columbia.

The player known as “Pop” or “Pops” is part of a dynamic trio in the post, including inside-outside player Hallie Christofferson and 6-7 Anna Prins.

Those three combined for 55 of ISU's points against Texas.

“Hallie's shooting the lights out lately and Anna, as well,” said Cyclone guard Lauren Mansfield, who's coming off an 11-assist, one-turnover performance. “And Pop's obviously doing amazing on the block.”

The sky's the limit for Poppens because she refuses to acknowledge a ceiling.

The 6-2 junior from Aplington entered the season with a career 8.7 points per game scoring average.

She's averaging 14.9 points this season - and leads the league in rebounding (11.3) and offensive boards (4.8).

“You thought Pop was going to be one of those get in there, grind it out, eight or nine points, eight or nine rebounds, guard hard, play hard, get the 50-50 balls (types),” ISU coach Bill Fennelly said. “Now we're running plays for her all the time. We're adding plays for her all the time. We had one play in our playbook for her when the season started. Now we have quite a few more.”

That word - more - serves as a four-letter mantra for the former Falcon.

“Coming from a small-town school I like to think we have this mentality of work hard and you get what's coming to you,” said Poppens, who is tied for the conference lead in double-doubles with 10 and also has taken 27 charges this season.

If she's able to get “more” rebounds per game as the season wears on, she could set a single-season record in that category.

Angie Welle averaged 11.3 boards in 2002.

“I like to think I have a good sense of where (the ball's) going,” Poppens said. “Just being able to hustle towards the ball. I feel like I can move fairly quick and get around people.”

Or through them.

“Honestly, if (Baylor's) Brittney Griner isn't in the league, you'd have a hard time not making the case she's the player of the year in our league,” Fennelly said. “She defends, she rebounds. She expends every ounce of energy she has.”