Aug. 24, 2006
2006-07 Women’s Basketball Schedule
The 2006-07 Iowa women’s basketball schedule was released today. Iowa’s schedule looks to be just as challenging as last year’s, if not more demanding. The Hawkeyes have the potential to play 16 teams that competed in 2006 post-season tournaments, including eight that participated in the NCAA Tournament. Iowa will play 17 games (two exhibitions) inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena, the most regular season home contests in school history.
Season ticket prices remain the same for women’s basketball games in 2006-07. A reserved general public seat is $70 and UI faculty is $56. Single game tickets are $7 for adults, $5 for youths and UI students are admitted free with student I.D.
Before the regular season tips off, Iowa will host two exhibition contests in Carver-Hawkeye Arena. The Hawkeyes will host Northern State (Nov. 1) and Concordia (Nov. 6). Iowa returns ten experienced letterwinners, including Big Ten Freshman of the Year and second team all-conference honoree Megan Skouby and honorable mention all-league Krista VandeVenter.
For the first time in five years, Iowa will tip-off its regular season away from home; Iowa opened the 2001 season at the Great Alaska Shootout in Alaska. The Hawkeyes will participate in the WBCA Classic in Kansas City, MO, Nov. 11-12. The four-team field features Iowa, Missouri State, Kansas and Seton Hall. Iowa will meet Missouri State in first round action. Three days later, the Hawkeyes return to Iowa City for their home opener against Indiana State. The Sycamores will be one of five Missouri Valley Conference opponents Iowa will face in non-conference action.
Iowa will host its 21st annual KCRG-TV9 Hawkeye Challenge, Nov. 17-18. The Hawkeyes welcome Florida International, Florida A&M and Quinnipiac to this year’s field. The Hawkeyes will open tournament play against Qunnipiac. Iowa has won 16 of the previous 20 tournaments.
For the first time since Iowa Head Coach Lisa Bluder’s first season on the Iowa sidelines in 2000, Iowa will not travel the week of Thanksgiving. The Hawkeyes host Louisiana Tech (Nov. 21), champions of the Western Athletic Conference, and then travel to Creighton (Nov. 26) after Thanksgiving Break.
Iowa will host Iowa State in the Hy-Vee Cy-Hawk Series (Nov. 30) and Samford (Dec. 3) before hitting the road for two-straight games. The Hawkeyes travel to UW-Green Bay (Dec. 7) and nine days later Rutgers (Dec. 16). Iowa concludes its non-conference slate at home against Northern Iowa (Dec. 19) and at Drake (Dec. 22). The Drake contest will be Coach Buder’s 200th game as Iowa’s head coach.
“This is definitely one of our toughest conference schedules we’ve ever had since I’ve been at Iowa,” said Bluder. “We are definitely challenging ourselves with this schedule and we’re fortunate that our young people got a lot of playing experience last year and I think that will help them prepare them for this situation.”
The Big Ten portion of the schedule includes single games with Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Northwestern – all teams that finished in the lower-division in the 2006 league standings. Iowa will play Michigan State, Minnesota, Ohio State, Penn State, Purdue and Wisconsin twice.
Iowa opens Big Ten play at Minnesota (Dec. 28) followed by a two-game home stand vs. nationally powers Ohio State (Dec. 31) and Purdue (Jan. 3).
The Hawkeyes then hit the road for a two-game road trip at Northwestern (Jan. 7) and Indiana (Jan. 11). The Indiana contest will be Coach Bluder’s 700th career game as a collegiate head coach.
Iowa receives its “byes” on Jan. 18 and Feb. 1. A quark in the scheduling has the Hawkeyes playing Michigan State back-to-back games sandwiched in between a bye. Iowa will host Michigan State on Jan. 14 and then play at the Spartans one week later on Jan. 21.
After hosting Minnesota (Jan. 25), the Hawkeyes travel to Penn State (Jan. 28) and Ohio State (Feb. 4). Four of Iowa’s final six games will be at home. The Hawkeyes host Michigan (Feb. 8), travel to Wisconsin (Feb. 11), return home for Illinois (Feb. 15) and Penn State (Feb. 18), travel to Purdue (Feb. 22) and then close the regular season in Carver-Hawkeye Arena vs. Wisconsin (Feb. 25).
Post-season play begins with the annual Big Ten Tournament (Mar. 1-5) held at the Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, IN. The first and second rounds of the NCAA Tournament begin March 17 and 20 at eight pre-determined sites.
Iowa’s television schedule will be released at a later date.