Iowa Returns to NCAA Tournament

March 28, 2006

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Iowa Returns to NCAA Tournament ? A season that was filled with numerous knee injuries did not keep the 2005-06 Iowa Hawkeyes from achieving success. Three starters suffering season-ending ACL injuries and two reserves missing substantial time due to knee injuries only propelled the freshman class to contribute and help lead the Hawkeyes to a first-division finish in the Big Ten and receive an at-large berth to the NCAA Tournament.

Iowa finished the season 17-12 overall and placed fifth outright in the Big Ten with a 10-6 mark. Playing in its 16th NCAA Tournament, Iowa lost to 20th-ranked BYU (67-62) in the first round in Denver.

The Hawkeyes were led by senior Crystal Smith, who was a consensus all-Big Ten first team selection, and Big Ten Freshman of the Year Megan Skouby. The inside-outside punch of Skouby and Smith ignited the Hawkeye offense, which was tops in the Big Ten.

Iowa has advanced to the postseason all six years under Head Coach Lisa Bluder, including four NCAA Tournament appearances, and has guided the Black and Gold to four first-division finishes in the Big Ten.

Iowa History ? Iowa has played 908 games since beginning basketball in 1974. Overall, Iowa’s record is 554-354 (.610). That includes a 277-131 (.679) mark in Big Ten games and a 249-61 (.803) record in Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

Trifecta ? Iowa, Ohio State and Florida are the only schools to have played in a January football bowl game and have both its men and women’s basketball teams compete in the NCAA Tournament in 2005-06. Additionally, Iowa, Michigan State and Ohio State are the only Big Ten teams to have both its men and women in the 2006 NCAA Tournament.

Underclassmen Step Up ? Iowa’s freshman class of Megan Skouby, Kristi Smith, Wendy Ausdemore, Nicole VanderPol and Lindsey Nyenhuis stepped up and accounted for 42.5 percent of Iowa’s offense. Iowa’s sophomore class of Krista VandeVenter, Abby Emmert and Stacy Schlapkohl was responsible for 20.6 percent of Iowa’s offense. Combined, the underclassmen accounted for 63.1 percent of Iowa’s offense, which bodes well for the future.

Smith Named Region 6 All-American ? Senior Crystal Smith was named a Region 6 WBCA All-American. Smith becomes Iowa’s first regional all-American since Cara Consuegra was recognized in 2001.

Trio of Hawkeyes Earn All-Big Ten Honors ? Megan Skouby was named Big Ten Freshman of the Year by both the media and coaches. She earned all-freshman team recognition and was selected to the all-Big Ten second team by the media and third team by the coaches. Senior Crystal Smith was a consensus first team selection and was also selected to the all-defensive team. Sophomore Krista VandeVenter earned honorable mention laurels by the media and is a nominee for the Big Ten Sportsmanship Award.

Skouby becomes the third Hawkeye to earn Big Ten Freshman of the Year honors, joining Franthea Price (1987) and Tiffany Gooden (1995). The 6-6 center is also the sixth Big Ten post-player to earn the award since 1983 and the first since Ohio State’s Jessica Davenport in 2004.

Smith earned all-Big Ten recognition for the second-straight year after being named to the third team by the coaches last year. VandeVenter also earned conference recognition for the second consecutive year, as the sophomore was named to the all-freshman team last season.

Gold on the Road ? Iowa was forced to wear its gold uniforms in all road games in 2005-06 after it had its black uniforms shrunk at the Odwalla Classic, Nov. 25-26. After the Hawkeyes played nationally-ranked Oklahoma on Nov. 25, the San Francisco Athletic Department, who hosted the tournament, accidentally overheated Iowa’s road uniforms while washing the uniforms for the Iowa’s consolation game vs. Rider.

In the Rankings ? Iowa ranked ninth in the nation in free throw percentage, 16th in assists, field goal percentage and fewest fouls and 24th in scoring. Megan Skouby ranked 24th nationally in field goal percentage.

Iowa vs. Ranked Teams ? Iowa has recorded at least one victory over a ranked opponent in each of the six years under Coach Bluder. Iowa was 2-8 against ranked foes in 2005-06. These are Iowa’s most recent wins vs. nationally ranked opponents:

At Home:          77-71 (OT) over 8th-ranked Purdue, 2/2/06On the Road: 78-67 over 18th-ranked Michigan State, 2/1/04Neutral Court:   54-47 over 21st-ranked Oklahoma, 11/27/04

Giant Killers ? Iowa recorded two victories over top-ten opponents in 2005-06 (No. 9 Michigan State 75-64 and No. 8 Purdue 77-71, ot). The last time the Hawkeyes recorded two wins against top-ten teams in the same season was Head Coach Lisa Bluder’s first season on the Hawkeye sidelines (2000-01). Iowa picked up two victories over Purdue that year, first when it was ranked fifth (96-87 at Iowa City) and second when the Boilermakers were ranked seventh (75-70 at Grand Rapids).

Bluder Garners Win No. 300 at Division I Level ? After garnering her 300th Division I victory in Iowa’s regular season finale vs. Indiana on Feb. 26, Bluder will reach two additional coaching milestones in 2006-07. She will coach in her 700th career game and her 200th on the Iowa sidelines during conference play. The Marion, IA, native has coached in 682 career games (469-213, .688) and 184 contests (113-71, .614) on the Hawkeye sidelines.

Bluder Returns to NCAA Tournament ? This year marked Coach Bluder’s eighth trip to the NCAA Tournament. Before mentoring the Hawkeyes, Bluder coached the Drake Bulldogs to four NCAA Tournaments in her 10 seasons on the Drake sidelines. Bluder is 3-8 all-time in NCAA Tournament games, 2-4 with Iowa and 1-4 with Drake. Two of Bluder’s victories came in overtime. In 2001, Iowa bounced Oregon (89-82) in Salt Lake City and in 1995, Drake defeated Mississippi (87-81) in Washington, D.C.

Graham Returns to Action ? After an injury filled season Jeneé Graham played one of her best games of the year in Iowa’s NCAA first round loss to BYU. Graham played 20 minutes, the most she played in a game since the season opener, and contributed six rebounds, three assists and two points.

RPI Ratings ? Iowa ranked 55th in final regular season RPI rating released by the NCAA. All 11 regular season Iowa losses came to opponents with an RPI of 100 or better, including four in the top 10. The Hawkeyes were credited with two top-25 victories (Purdue and Michigan State).

Hawkeyes Crack History Books ? Iowa made 29 free throws in its regular season finale vs. Indiana to establish a new Carver-Hawkeye Arena in a Big Ten game. The 29 free throws also tied the school record previously set against Missouri State on December 5, 1993.

The 2005-06 Iowa Hawkeyes rank second in school annals in single-season free throw percentage (.760), sixth in assists (16.8), seventh in 3-point field goal percentage (.359) and tenth in scoring (72.3). Additionally, Iowa opponents’ 288 free throws made are the second-lowest in school history, second only to 273 converted in 1992-93. Also, Iowa opponents in 2005-06 attempted only 415 foul shots, which rank second behind the 393 attempted in 2004-05.

Hawkeye Fast Breaks ? This season marked the first time Iowa has ever placed fifth in the Big Ten standings.
? Krista VandeVenter started her 62nd game in Iowa’s NCAA Tournament game vs. BYU, becoming the first Hawkeye to start 62 games her first two years.
? Krista VandeVenter finished the 2005-06 season with 52 fouls, the exact number she totaled in 2004-05.
? Crystal Smith was only one point from netting her 500th point in 2005-06. Smith nearly became only the fourth Hawkeye to collect 500 points in two seasons in a Hawkeye uniform. Michelle Edwards, Lindsey Meder and Cindy Haugejorde are the only Hawkeyes to accomplish the feat.
? Crystal Smith and Ohio State all-American Jessica Davenport were the only Big Ten players to be named to the all-Big Ten defensive team and a consensus first team honoree.
? Iowa, playing in its 16th NCAA Tournament, had the seventh highest number of NCAA Tournament appearances among the teams competing.
? Iowa was one of five Big Ten squads that played in the NCAA Tournament. The Hawkeyes joined, Ohio State, Michigan State, Minnesota and Purdue in the 64-team field. Indiana and Illinois competed in the WNIT. The Big Ten Conference boasted the fourth-most teams in the tournament. The ACC and Big East had the most (7), followed by the SEC (6).
? Eight of Iowa’s 12 losses came to ranked opponents. The four losses to unranked foes came on the road at Louisiana Tech (2ot), Iowa State, Indiana and Penn State. Iowa was 11-3 in home games this season, with its three defeats coming to No. 6 Rutgers, No. 8 Ohio State and No. 12 Minnesota.
? Krista VandeVenter finished the season with 61 steals, the most ever by a Hawkeye sophomore. The 61 thefts topped Toni Foster’s 56 established in 1990-91.

? Kristi Smith finished the season with 82 assists, the most ever for a Hawkeye freshman. Smith bested Necole Tunsil’s 78 set in 1990-91. Smith also ranks fourth in 3-pointers made (22).
? Wendy Ausdemore made 20 triples in 2005-06, which ranks fifth for a Hawkeye freshman.
? Iowa was out-rebounded in its 12 losses. The Hawkeyes boasted a 14-3 record when holding opponents to 69 points or less and were 15-2 when having a higher field goal percentage than their foes.
? Iowa was 1-4 in games decided by six points or less.
? Hawkeye senior Tiffany Reedy had a higher shooting percentage from 3-point range than inside the arc. Reedy shot 39.6 percent (36-91) from behind the arc and 37.2 percent (35-94) from two-point range.
? Iowa freshman Megan Skouby ranked third in conference scoring, averaging 16.8 points. She is the highest ranking freshman in scoring, since Penn State all-American Kelly Mazzante ranked first in 2000-01, averaging 19.7 points.
? Skouby’s 414 points ranks second in Iowa single-season freshman scoring, only two points from matching Lisa Becker’s school freshman record of 416. She also ranks second in freshman single-season blocks (47).

17-Plus ? Crystal Smith’s 17.2 scoring average in 2005-06 is Iowa’s highest in six years. Sophomore Lindsey Meder paced the Hawkeyes with a 19.1 scoring average in 1999-00. Smith’s 17.2 scoring average ranks ninth in a single-season at Iowa.

DE-FENSE! ? Iowa’s perimeter defense was stellar in 2005-06. The Hawkeyes ranked first in Big Ten 3-point field goal defense (.296). In 2004-05, Iowa ranked 10th in the league in 3-point field goal defense (.361).

Another First ? Iowa never had a regulation lead in its thrilling 77-71 victory over Purdue on Feb. 2. The Hawkeyes’ first lead came one minute into overtime. It is believed to be the first time in Iowa women’s basketball history that the Hawkeyes won a game without holding the lead in regulation.

Skouby Joins Elite List ? Megan Skouby was Iowa’s scoring leader in conference games only, averaging 16.8 points. Only two other freshmen Hawkeyes have ever finished the season leading the team in scoring in league games only (Lisa Becker, 1984 and Tiffany Gooden, 1995). Smith Invited to WNBA Pre-Draft Camp ? Senior Crystal Smith is one of 40 athletes invited to participate in the WNBA Pre-Draft Camp, April 3-4 in Boston, MA. All 14 WNBA teams will be scouting players in preparation for the draft, which will be held April 5.

Reedy Set Go ? Tiffany Reedy played the best basketball of her career at No. 7 Ohio State and No. 14 Michigan State. Reedy scored 36 points, bolstered by 10-16 shooting behind the arc on the two-game road trip. She posted personal bests in scoring (20), field goals made (7) and attempted (13), 3-pointers made (6) and attempted (11) and matched career bests in blocks (2) and minutes (38) in the two-point loss at No. 14 Michigan State. Her new career high in scoring bests her previous best (18) established in her first game vs. IUPUI — a span of 117 games. The native of Dysart, IA, ranked fourth in team scoring (7.1) and steals (22) and third in rebounding (3.9). She ranked fourth in Big Ten 3-point field goal percentage (.396).

Last Time Out ? Iowa’s second half comeback came up short as the Hawkeyes dropped a 67-62 decision to 20th-ranked BYU in the first round of the NCAA Tournament at the Pepsi Center in Denver. The loss dropped Iowa’s first round tournament record to 7-2. Iowa was seeded 10th, while BYU was seeded seventh.

Iowa led 12-9 with 10 minutes left in the first half, but BYU went on a 14-4 run to build a seven-point advantage (23-16) with 6:22 left. The Cougars took a five-point lead (30-25) at the half.

BYU’s lead swelled to 16 (54-38) with 8:33 left in the game and appeared to have the game in hand. However, Iowa mounted a furious comeback, first cutting the deficit from 16 to seven with a 9-0 run. The Hawkeyes were able score in the paint down the stretch after BYU’s top two post players, Dani Kubik and Lauren Riley, fouled out at the 7:14 and 5:14 mark, respectively.

The Hawkeyes ultimately trimmed the deficit to only three with 30 seconds remaining and had possession. Crystal Smith attempted a difficult 3-pointer with two defenders in her face and had the game-tying shot blocked. BYU sank two free throws in the final seconds to seal the win and advanced to play second-seeded Oklahoma in the second round.

Freshman Megan Skouby paced the Hawkeyes with a team-high 19 points and grabbed six rebounds. Senior Crystal Smith contributed 17 points, four assists and two steals, while sophomore Krista VandeVenter added 10 points and a team-high eight rebounds.

Senior Ambrosia Anderson, who was named co-Mountain West Player of the Year, posted game highs in points (20) and rebounds (9). Anderson was the only Cougar to score in double figures.

Iowa was only 1-6 (.167) from behind the arc, while BYU was 10-23 (.435) from 3-point range. The 10 triples were a season best for an Iowa opponent.

Movin’ On Up ? Crystal Smith ranks fifth in Iowa career steals (213) and 3-pointers made (116) and 14th in scoring (1,193). Krista VandeVenter (489) is tied with Jerica Watson for 16th in career rebounding.

Crystal Smith Nets Career Point No. 1,000 ? Crystal Smith became the 22nd Iowa player to amass 1,000 career points when the senior netted 26 points vs. No. 8 Ohio State on Jan. 12 to eclipse the 1,000-point plateau. Smith ranks 14th in Hawkeye career scoring (1,193), 1,055 of which came her last 62 games (17.0 ppg). She also ranks fifth in career triples (116) and steals (213).

Smith averaged 1.1 points per game in 21 games her freshman year, followed by a 3.9 scoring average in 29 contests her sophomore season and 16.8 ppg her junior year. Smith averaged 17.2 points her senior campaign. Smith’s scoring average ranked fifth in the Big Ten. She led Iowa in scoring 15 times in 2005-06.

Skouby Leads Big Ten Freshmen ? Megan Skouby raised her game to a new level since taking over the starting center position for injured sophomore Stacy Schlapkohl. Skouby, who was the Big Ten freshmen scoring leader, averaged 16.8 points, 5.8 rebounds and 1.69 blocks in conference play. The 6-6 standout ranked 10th in overall scoring (14.3) in the Big Ten, fourth in blocks (1.62) and field goal percentage (.551). She ranked fourth in conference scoring (16.8) and blocks (1.69) and 16th in rebounding (5.8).

Skouby led Iowa in scoring 11 of the last 19 contests, including eight of the last 13. She posted 20 points or more five times in 2005-06. The native of Mentor, OH, netted double figures 16 consecutive games — a streak that ranks second-best in the Big Ten only behind Wisconsin’s Jolene Anderson.

Kristi Smith Matured Into Starting Role ? Hawkeye freshman Kristi Smith did a fantastic job directing the Iowa offense since taking over the starting role. In Big Ten play, Smith averaged 7.9 points, 3.19 assists and 1.06 steals. Smith dished out a personal-best eight assists at No. 7 Ohio State. She ranked 13th in Big Ten assists.

Cashing in at the Free Throw Line ? Freshman Wendy Ausdemore became the first Hawkeye to start the season making her first 19 free throw attempts. She made 38-40 (.950) from the charity stripe in 2005-06 to lead all Big Ten freshmen.

Senior Crystal Smith made her first 18 attempts from the foul line in Iowa’s first three conference contests, including draining all 11 attempts vs. Illinois. Smith’s 11-11 performance tied a school and arena record for free throw percentage in a game. She shot a blistering 91.0 percent (61-67) from the free throw line in conference games, which ranked second in the league. Smith attempted at least one free throw in all but two games in 2005-06.

Making the Freebies When They Count ? Iowa converted 77.2 percent (129-167) from the foul line in the last five minutes of games.

The Hawkeyes shot a blistering 85.2 percent clip at the free throw line in the final five minutes in conference play. The Hawkeyes converted 75-88 free throw attempts down the stretch.

Big Ten Rankings ? Iowa ranked first in 3-point field goal percentage defense (.296), free throw percentage (.760) and scoring offense (72.3), second in field goal percentage (.456) and assists (16.76) and third in 3-point field goal percentage (.359), assist/turnover ratio (+1.01) and 3-pointers made (4.9).

Senior Crystal Smith ranked third in league steals (2.41), fifth in scoring (17.2), sixth in free throw percentage (.850), seventh in assist/turnover ratio (1.44), eighth in 3-pointers made (1.72) and 12th in assists (3.38). Freshman Megan Skouby ranked fourth in blocks (1.62) and field goal percentage (.551) and 10th in scoring (14.3). Sophomore Krista VandeVenter ranked third in rebounding (8.2) and second in defensive rebounds (5.9) and seventh in steals (2.1).

Smith Ranked Fifth in Big Ten in Scoring ? Senior Crystal Smith ranked fifth in Big Ten scoring (17.2); Ohio State’s Jessica Davenport (18.7) ranked first, followed by Indiana’s Cyndi Valentin (18.5), Michigan State’s Liz Shimek (17.6) and Wisconsin’s Jolene Anderson (17.3). Smith led Iowa in scoring in 15 of Iowa’s 29 contests.

Smith and Indiana State’s Melanie Boeglin scored an NCAA single-game-high 46 points. Both amassed their scoring totals in double overtime as Smith recorded 46 points at Louisiana Tech, while Boeglin tallied 46 at Drake.

Vandy is Dandy ? Sophomore Krista VandeVenter is one of the top all-around threats in the Big Ten. VandeVenter, who has started every game (62) as a Hawkeye, ranked third in Big Ten rebounding (8.2) and seventh in steals (2.1). She led the Hawkeyes in rebounding 21 times in 2005-06. The 6-2 forward recorded three double-doubles (Iowa State, Minnesota and Northwestern) and six in her career.

VandeVenter fouled out of her first career game at Ohio State Feb. 12.

Attendance Rankings ? Iowa ranks 25th (3,920) nationally in the women’s basketball attendance rankings. Eight Big Ten teams ranked in the attendance top 25, which is the most among conferences.

Triple Play ? Tiffany Reedy made 19 triples in each of her first three seasons. The senior drained a personal-best six 3-pointers at Michigan State to raise her total to 31, which is a new single-season best. She shot at a 39.6 percent clip from behind the arc, which ranked fourth in the Big Ten.

Iowa ranked third in Big Ten 3-point field goal percentage (.359) after ranking fourth last year (.343). The Hawkeyes shot a Big Ten-season-best 69.2% (9-13) from behind the arc at Northwestern on Jan. 15. Iowa also converted 53.3% (8-15) from 3-point range at Ohio State on Feb. 12. The Hawkeyes also ranked third in Big Ten 3-pointers made (4.9).

Underclassmen Started for Hawkeyes ? Iowa’s starting lineup included two freshmen (Kristi Smith and Megan Skouby) and one sophomore ( Krista VandeVenter). The last time Iowa had two freshmen starters was during the 1998-99 campaign (Lindsey Meder and Leah Magner).

VandeVenter started all 62 games as a Hawkeye, including all 29 in 2005-06. The power forward ranked third in team scoring (8.9) and first in rebounding (8.2). She has pulled down 489 rebounds, which ranks 16th on Iowa’s career rebounding chart.

Smith started the last 21 games at point guard for Iowa. The native of Thornton, CO, ranks fourth in team scoring (7.1) and third in assists (82).

Skouby started 18 contests. The 6-6 center ranked second in team scoring (14.1), first in blocks (47) and field goal percentage (.551) and second in rebounding (5.0).

Iowa was one of two Big Ten teams with two or more freshmen starters. Michigan started three.

Home, Away Comparisons ? In 14 home games, Iowa out-scored its opponents 1,046-887 (+11.4 margin), shooting 47.1 percent from the field and holding opponents to a 41.2 shooting percentage. Iowa also collected 245 assists to its opponents’ 165 and attempted 130 more free throws (324-194). Iowa converted 76.2 percent of its free throw attempts at home in 2005-06.

In 15 games away from Iowa City, Iowa out-scored its opponents 1,051-1,026 (+1.7 margin). Iowa had a better 3-point shooting percentage on the road (38.3%) than at Carver-Hawkeye Arena (32.7%). Here are the home and away comparisons:

    FG%  3-PT%   FT% REB AST TO  PTSHome    .471    .327    .762    36.6    17.5    17.3    74.7Away    .442    .383    .758    34.7    16.1    15.9    70.1

Wins, Losses Comparisons ? There were big differentials in the stats between Iowa’s wins and losses. The Hawkeyes shot 8.1 percent better from the field, including 10.2 percent from 3-point range in their victories. Iowa averaged 5.9 more rebounds in wins than losses. The Hawkeyes made more free throws (286) than its opponents have attempted (212) in its 17 wins. Iowa held opponents to only 26.8 percent shooting from behind the arc in their wins. The Hawkeyes averaged only 14.8 assists in its 12 defeats. Here are the wins and losses comparisons:

    FG%  3-PT%   FT% REB AST TO  PTSWins    .489    .410    .781    38.1    18.2    16.6    77.3Losses  .408    .308    .725    32.2    14.8    16.4    65.2

Dishing the Rock ? Iowa ranked second in Big Ten assists, dishing the ball 16.76 times per game. Three Hawkeyes averaged 2.83 assists or better: Crystal Smith (3.38), Krista VandeVenter (2.9) and Kristi Smith (2.83).

High Octane ? Iowa, who ranked first in Big Ten scoring offense (72.3), scored 80 points or more seven times. The Hawkeyes were 14-3 when scoring 70 points or more; the three losses came in double overtime at Louisiana Tech (95-91), at No. 7 Ohio State (88-77) and No. 14 Michigan State (73-71).

Freshmen Step Up ? Iowa’s freshmen class (Megan Skouby, Wendy Ausdemore, Kristi Smith, Nicole VanderPol and Lindsey Nyenhuis) averaged 30.8 points, including a 35.0 average the last 13 contests. The trio of Ausdemore, Skouby and Smith tallied a freshmen season-best 57 points vs. No. 8 Purdue on Feb. 2.

Skouby ranked second in team scoring (14.3) and second in rebounding (5.0), while Smith (7.1) ranks fifth and Ausdemore (6.8) sixth in scoring. Smith also ranked third in assists (2.83).

Iowa Ties Arena Mark ? Iowa’s 55 second-half points scored in its 84-65 triumph over Illinois on Jan. 1, matched the Carver-Hawkeye Arena record for most points in a second half. The Hawkeyes also netted 55 vs. Western Illinois on Nov. 25, 2000.

All-Tournament Selections ? Senior Crystal Smith and sophomore Krista VandeVenter were named to the KCRG-TV9 Hawkeye Challenge All-Tournament team. Smith also garnered Odwalla Classic All-Tournament accolades for her efforts Nov. 25-26 in San Francisco, CA.

Five Spot ? Crystal Smith, who was named Big Ten Player of the Week on Nov. 28, broke or tied five school records during Thanksgiving week.

The senior broke school records for points (46) and free throws attempted (19) in a game and equaled school records in free throws made (15) and 3-pointers attempted (14) in Iowa’s 95-91 double overtime setback at Louisiana Tech on Nov. 22. The native of Haughton, LA, also matched the school record for field goal percentage (9-9, 1.000) in the Hawkeyes’ 88-41 rout over Rider on Nov. 26.

In the three games, Smith averaged 28.3 points, 4.3 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 2.7 steals per game. She finished the week 26-of-55 (.473) from the field, 10-of-25 (.400) from the perimeter and 23-of-28 (.821) at the line.

More on Smith’s Records ? Crystal Smith’s 46 points bested Cindy Haugejorde’s 44-point effort vs. Luther College on Jan. 12, 1977. In addition, the 46 points is the second-most scored in a single game in Big Ten history. Illinois’ Kendra Gantt and Penn State’s Kelly Mazzante both netted 49 points. The 46 points are the most ever scored by a Louisiana Tech opponent, besting the previous record of 43 points scored by USCs Cheryl Miller, and was one point from a Thomas Assembly Center record.

Smith’s 19 free throws attempted topped the previous school record held by Nadine Domond and Amy Herrig. Domond attempted 16 foul shots vs. UCSB on Nov. 25, 1995, while Herrig attempted 16 free throws vs. Nebraska on Dec. 8, 1996. The 19 free throws attempted ranks eighth in Big Ten annals with five others.

Smith’s 15 free throws made equaled Amy Herrig’s school record of 15 established vs. Nebraska on Dec. 8, 1996. The 15 foul shots made ranks seventh in league history with eight others.

Smith’s 14 three-pointers attempted equals the school record previously set by Lindsey Meder twice before. Meder attempted 14 at Colorado on Dec. 2, 2001 and vs. Ohio State on Jan. 3, 2002.

Smith’s perfect 9-9 (1.000) shooting performance from the field matched Jamie Cavey’s record of 9-9 (1.000) vs. Marquette on March 23, 2003. All of Cavey’s field goals were two-point baskets, while four of Smith’s five were from behind the arc.

Making the List ? Iowa recorded two victories by 40 points or more in 2005-06. The Hawkeyes posted a 40-point triumph (82-42) over UW-Milwaukee on Nov. 20. The 40-point win ranks as the 15th-largest margin of victory in school history. Iowa registered a 47-point victory (88-41) over Rider on Nov. 26. The 47-point win ranks as the ninth-largest margin of victory in Iowa history.

Iowa posted six wins of 40 points or more under Coach Bluder (48 – UT-Pan American, 2001; 47 — Rider; 45 – Western Illinois, 2000; 43 – Creighton, 2002; 40 – Northwestern, 2001; 40 — UW-Milwaukee, 2005).

Young Guns ? Iowa tied for 15th in the nation with the most underclassmen on its roster. The Hawkeyes tied with 16 other schools, including Big Ten schools Northwestern and Illinois, with nine underclassmen on its roster. The Hawkeyes had four freshmen and five sophomores on its roster. Air Force (13) led the nation, followed by New Orleans (12). Michigan tied for seventh (10), while Penn State (8) and Wisconsin (8) tied for 31st.

Century Club ? Iowa Head Women’s Basketball Coach Lisa Bluder reached another milestone on Dec. 3, when she collected her 100th victory as Iowa Head Coach in the 79-57 triumph over Vermont on Dec. 3. Bluder, who is the second all-time winningest Iowa coach, boasts a 113-70 (.617) record in six years mentoring the Hawkeyes.

Jane Meyer Named WBCA Administrator of the Year ? Iowa Senior Associate Athletic Director Jane Meyer was named the 2006 Women’s Basketball Coaches Association’s Administrator of the Year Award for her excellence in athletic administration. This award is presented annually to an administrator, athletic director, associate or assistant athletic director or senior woman administrator who has excelled at encouraging the growth and quality of women’s basketball programs and women’s athletic programs overall. The candidate must also have served as a professional role model for student-athletes.

Recently, Meyer began a five-year term on the 10-member Division I Women’s Basketball Committee and will serve on the committee until September 2010.

Home Grown Hawkeyes ? Iowa’s 2005-06 roster featured six players from the state of Iowa (Wendy Ausdemore, Abby Emmert, Ebone Pope, Tiffany Reedy, Stacy Schlapkohl and Nicole VanderPol). The Hawkeyes also had four players from Illinois (Jenee Graham, Morgan Kasperek, Lindsay Richards, Johanna Solverson). Iowa’s 15-person roster also featured players from Colorado (Kristi Smith), Louisiana (Crystal Smith), Michigan (Lindsey Nyenhuis), Minnesota ( Krista VandeVenter) and Ohio (Megan Skouby).

Hawkeyes Pen Quoie ? Iowa signed Woodbury, MN, native Zoraa Quoie to a National Letter of Intent last fall. She was an all-conference and honorable mention all-state selection her junior year. Quoie averaged 10.6 ppg and just fewer than four steals per game on a team that won its conference and finished 25-3 last season. Her Woodbury High School team also captured a league title and finished third at the Minnesota state tournament her sophomore year. Quoie was a reserve her sophomore year, but started last season. She was also an all-state sprinter on the track team her freshman year.