No. 20/20 Iowa Travels to Minnesota on Sunday

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THIS WEEK 
The 20th-ranked University of Iowa women’s basketball team travels to Minneapolis for a Sunday afternoon contest against the Gophers. Tipoff is set for 3 p.m. (CT) in Williams Arena. 

WATCH/FOLLOW ALONG 

  • The contest will be streamed live on BTN Plus. Links are available on the Iowa women’s basketball schedule page on hawkeyesports.com. 
  • Live stats are also available on the women’s basketball schedule page on hawkeyesports.com. 

AUDIO COVERAGE

  • Rob Brooks and Jamie Cavey Lang will call the action on the Hawkeye Radio Network. A link to the broadcast is available on the women’s basketball schedule page on hawkeyesports.com.
  • Brooks is in his second year as the play-by-play announcer for the Iowa women’s basketball team. He has been Iowa football’s sideline announcer since 2004. He has called seven different Iowa sports on radio or television.
  • Lang is in her second year as Iowa’s color commentator. She lettered at Iowa from 2002-05. Lang finished her Hawkeye career with 1,265 points and 506 rebounds. She was a two-time All-Big Ten selection.

IN THE POLLS

  • Iowa is ranked No. 20 in the USA Today Coaches Poll and the AP Poll. 
  • The Hawkeyes entered both major polls on Dec. 11 (AP) and Dec. 12 (USA Today) at No. 25. It marked Iowa’s first time in the AP Poll since Dec. 7, 2015 (No. 23) and its first time in the Coaches Poll since Jan. 5, 2016 (No. 23). Iowa is ranked in the AP Poll for the first time since Dec. 7, 2015 (No. 23).
  • Four other Big Ten teams are ranked in the polls (AP/Coaches), including No. 8/8 Ohio State, No. 14/14 Maryland, No. 19/18 Michigan, and No. 25/21 Rutgers. 

FAST START 

  • At 15-4, Iowa is off to its best start since 2014-15 (17-3). Iowa ended the 2014-15 season with a 26-8 overall record and a trip to the Sweet 16. 
  • The Hawkeyes started the season 15-2 — the best start for the program since 1995-96 (20-1). Iowa finished the 1995-96 season with a 27-4 overall record, a Big Ten title, and a Sweet 16 appearance. 

STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE

  • Iowa has defeated six teams — Quinnipiac, Western Kentucky, Elon, Iowa State, UNI, and Drake — that made the NCAA Tournament last season. 
  • Eleven of Iowa’s opponents made the 2017 NCAA Tournament, including Quinnipiac, Western Kentucky, Elon, Florida State, Iowa State, Northern Iowa,  Drake, Maryland, Michigan State, Ohio State, and Purdue. 

SCOUTING MINNESOTA

  • Minnesota is 15-5 on the season and 4-3 in Big Ten Conference action. 
  • The Gophers defeated Wisconsin, 90-65, in Williams Arena on Thursday.
  • Minnesota is 9-1 in games played in Williams Arena this season. 
  • Redshirt junior Kenisha Bell leads the team, averaging 19.6 points per game. Senior guard Carlie Wagner (17.9), freshman guard/forward Destiny Pitts (13.8), and sophomore guard Gadiva Hubbard (12.8) are also averaging double figures. 
  • Pitts leads the team, averaging 8.0 rebounds per game. 
  • Bell ranks eighth nationally in free throw attempts (134) and 10th in free throws made (100). She also ranks ninth in assists (129) and 14th in assists per game (6.5) and field goal attempts (319). 

THE SERIES

  • Iowa leads the all-time series, 49-25.
  • The Hawkeyes defeated the Gophers, 80-65, in Iowa City last season. Gustafson led the team with 19 points and 12 rebounds. Minneapolis native Chase Coley netted six points, pulled down six rebounds, and dished out two assists in the contest. 
  • Iowa has won seven of the last 10 contests dating back to 2010-11.

AGAINST HER HOME STATE

  • Minneapolis native Chase Coley is averaging 8.3 points and 4.8 rebounds in five games played against Minnesota in her Hawkeye career. 
  • Coley registered 21 points, 11 rebounds, and three assists against the Gophers on Feb. 15, 2016 — the last time the Hawkeyes visited Williams Arena. 

B1G TIME

  • Junior Megan Gustafson is averaging 27.2 points and 14.3 rebounds in Big Ten play. 
  • The Port Wing, Wisconsin, native is shooting 65.2 percent from the field and 93.5 percent from the free throw line in six conference games this season.
  • Sophomore Kathleen Doyle has dished out 52 assists (8.7 per game) in conference play. She’s averaging 11.8 points and 3.5 rebounds in Big Ten play this season. 

GUSTAFSON’S CAREER DAY

  • Junior Megan Gustafson registered a career-high 37 points against Purdue on Jan. 13. 
  • Gustafson made 17-of-23 field goal attempts. Her 17 field goals tied a program record previously set by Amy Herrig against Northwestern on Feb. 12, 1999. 
  • The Port Wing, Wisconsin, native also pulled down 14 boards, registering her 17 double-double of the season. 

GUSTAFSON EARNS 10TH STRAIGHT CONFERENCE HONOR

  • Junior Megan Gustafson was named Big Ten Co-Player of the Week, the conference office announced Monday. It is Gustafson’s sixth Player of the Week award of the season — tying a Big Ten single-season record (Jantel Lavender, Ohio State, 2010-11).
  • The Port Wing, Wisconsin, native has been recognized by the conference in all 10 weeks of the season. She was named the Big Ten Player of the Week on Nov. 13, Dec. 4, Dec. 18, Dec. 26, and Jan. 2, and was named to the Player of the Week Honor Roll on Nov. 20, Nov. 27, Dec. 11, and Jan. 8. 
  • Gustafson had a career-day against the Boilermakers on Jan. 13. She netted a career-high 37 points, making 17-of-23 shots from the field (73.9 percent). Her 17 field goals tied a program record (Amy Herrig vs. Northwestern, 2/14/99). Gustafson also registered 14 rebounds, two assists, and a block in 37 minutes of action.

DOUBLE-DOUBLE MACHINE

  • Junior Megan Gustafson has 45 double-doubles in her Hawkeye career, including double-doubles in 23 of her last 27 games. 
  • Gustafson leads the nation with 18 double-doubles this season — tying her own record for double-doubles in a single season (2016-17). 

OLLINGER’S CAREER DAY AT NEBRASKA

  • Sophomore Amanda Ollinger netted a career-high 12 points against Nebraska on Jan. 16. 
  • The Cedar Rapids, Iowa, native was 6-for-8 (75 percent) from the field in 21 minutes of action. 
  • She also registered eight rebounds — one rebound shy of her career-high. 

GIVE THE ASSIST TO DOYLE

  • Sophomore Kathleen Doyle is averaging 8.7 assists in Big Ten action. 
  • The LaGrange Park, Illinois, native registered the first two double-doubles of her career against Maryland and Illinois. Doyle became the Hawkeye to register a double-double this season (Gustafson, Davis). 
  • Doyle has registered 10 or more assists in three of her last four games (11 at Maryland, 10 at Illinois, 10 vs. Purdue).  

MOHNS STEPS UP 

  • Redshirt junior Carly Mohns has provided a spark of the bench for the Hawkeyes in Big Ten play. She is averaging 3.5 points and 3.8 boards in conference action. 
  • Mohns netted nine points, pulled down six boards, and registered two steals in a career-high 25 minutes played in Iowa’s win over No. 19/21 Michigan on Dec. 31. 
  • The Brodhead, Wisconsin, native registered a career-best four assists in Iowa’s road win at Illinois on Dec. 7.
  • Mohns tied her career-high in rebounds with seven against Purdue on Jan. 13. 

GUSTAFSON NAMED TO WOODEN AWARD MIDSEASON TOP-25

  • Junior Megan Gustafson was named to the John R. Wooden Award Midseason Top-25 list on Jan. 11. 
  • Players on the list are considered strong candidates for the most prestigious national player of the year honor. 
  • Gustafson is one of three student-athletes not included on the preseason top-30 list to be added to the midseason top 25. She is one of three Big Ten student-athletes on the list (Katelynn Flaherty and Kelsey Mitchell). 

CLIMBING THE CAREER CHARTS 

  • Junior Megan Gustafson’s 1,432 career points ranks 16th all-time. She needs seven points to tie former Hawkeye Megan Skouby (1,439; 05-09) for 15th. 
  • Gustafson has 814 rebounds in her career. She currently ranks ninth all-time. She is 13 rebounds shy of tying Jennie Lillis (827; 00-04) for eighth. 

LOCKED IN AT THE LINE

  • Junior Megan Gustafson is 43-for-46 (93.5 percent) at the free throw line in Big Ten play this season. 
  • Gustafson has netted 10 or more free throws in three of Iowa’s six conference contests. She was a perfect 11-for-11 from the line in back-to-back games against Wisconsin and Michigan, and 10-for-10 in Iowa’s win at Illinois. 
  • Gustafson leads the league, shooting 93.5 percent from the free throw line in conference contests this season. 

A PERFECT DECEMBER 

  • Iowa finished the month of December with a perfect 7-0 record. 
  • Three of Iowa’s wins came against teams that made the NCAA Tournament. 
  • The Hawkeyes held their opponents to 55.7 points per game during the month. 
  • Junior Megan Gustafson averaged 22.0 points and 12.0 rebounds in December. Sophomores Makenzie Meyer (12.6) and Kathleen Doyle (10.0) also averaged double figures. 

NATIONALLY SPEAKING 

  • They Hawkeyes are ranked in the top-15 in 10 categories. Iowa leads the nation in assists (417), ranks second in assists per game (21.9) and fewest fouls per game (12.3), third in defensive rebounds per game (32), seventh in field goal percentage (48.9), 11th in rebounds (833), 12th in blocked shots (108) and fewest fouls (234), 13th in assist/turnover ratio (1.42), and 14th in free throw percentage (77.0). 
  • Gustafson is currently ranked in the top-5 in the nation in eight categories. She leads the nation in double-doubles (18) and field goals made (180), ranks third in field goal percentage (68.2), total points (452), points per game (23.8), and rebounds per game (12.9), fourth in rebounds (246), and fifth in defensive rebounds per game (9). 
  • Sophomore Kathleen Doyle ranks 16th nationally in assists per game (6.4) and 21st in assists (109). 

SHARING IS CARING 

  • Iowa leads the nation in assists (417) and ranks second in assists per game (21.9). 
  • The Hawkeyes have registered 23 assists or more in 12 of their 19 contests this season. 
  • Nine Hawkeyes have registered 21 or more assists on the season. 

TOTAL TEAM EFFORT 

  • Four Hawkeyes average double figures in scoring this season, while seven are averaging seven or more. 
  • Four Hawkeyes average 4.4 or more rebounds per game, including Megan Gustafson (12.9), Hannah Stewart (5.1), Chase Coley (5.4) and Kathleen Doyle (4.4). 
  • Nine Hawkeyes have registered 21 or more assists on the season. 

COLEY’S TURNAROUND 

  • After scoring in double figures once last season, senior Chase Coley has scored 10 or more points in six contests this season. 
  • Coley netted 20 points in Iowa’s win over Northern Illinois on Nov. 15 — her most points since scoring 20 against Michigan on March 3, 2016. 
  • The Minneapolis native has scored eight or more points 13 times this season, and has registered four or more rebounds on 14 occasions. 

STEWART MAKES AN IMPACT 

  • Junior Hannah Stewart is averaging 7.1 points and 5.1 rebounds off the bench for the Hawkeyes this season. 
  • Stewart has registered five or more rebounds in 11 games so far this season. 
  • The Minot, North Dakota, native netted a career-high 17 points (7-for-9) against Samford on Dec. 3. 
  • Stewart recorded a career-best 12 rebounds to help the Hawkeyes to their first win in Hilton since 1989. 
  • Stewart also leads the team in steals, averaging 1.2 per contest. 

SEVILLIAN STEPS IN 

  • Redshirt freshman Alexis Sevillian ranks third on the team, averaging 10.8 points per game. 
  • Sevillian has scored in double figures in 12 of Iowa’s 18 contests.
  • The Goodrich, Michigan, native has netted 3-or-more 3-pointers 10 times.

GUSTAFSON NAMED TO NAISMITH TROPHY WATCH LIST

  • Junior Megan Gustafson was named to the Naismith Trophy Watch List by the Atlanta Tipoff Club on Nov. 29. The award honors the nation’s top player. 
  • The list currently features 50 student-athletes. It will be trimmed to 30 on Feb. 12, 2018. 
  • Nine different conferences are represented on the list. Gustafson is one of eight Big Ten student-athletes included. 
  • Gustafson was named to the Katrina McClain Award Watch List on Nov. 9. She is one-of-20 student-athletes named to the list. The award honors the nation’s top power forward. 

700 CLUB

  • Head coach Lisa Bluder collected her 700th victory on Nov. 10 against Quinnipiac. 
  • Bluder is one-of-10 active Division I head coaches with 700 or more victories and one-of-29 women’s coaches to ever accomplish the feat. Bluder is one of 80 coaches (men or women) to win 700 or more contests.
  • Bluder is in her 34th season as a head coach and her 18th at the helm of the Hawkeyes.
  • In her 18 seasons in Iowa City, Bluder — Iowa’s all-time winningest coach — has accumulated 358 wins. 

UP NEXT
Iowa returns to Carver-Hawkeye Arena on Thursday, Jan. 25, hosting No. 8/8 Ohio State. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. (CT). 

 

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