Dec. 16, 2006
Rutgers improves to 2-0 against Iowa with tonight’s 70-53 win. The Hawkeyes fall to 17-7 against current Big East Conference squads.
Rutgers started the game on a 24-6 run to build an 18-point cushion in the first 11 minutes of the contest. Iowa started the contest 3-11 from the field and then made five of its next eight field goal attempts, going on an 11-2 run, to trim its deficit to eight (30-22) with three minutes left in the first stanza.
Iowa, a team that entered tonight’s game averaging 22 free throw attempts per contest, attempted 17 foul shots, draining 15 (88 percent). Rutgers, a team that entered tonight’s game converting only 62 percent of its foul shots, made 85 percent (11-13) tonight.
After being held scoreless in Iowa’s last game at UW-Green Bay, sophomore Megan Skouby netted the Hawkeyes’ first six points. Skouby, whose family was in attendance from Ohio, finished the game with a game-high 19 points and also grabbed four rebounds.
Junior Krista VandeVenter scored a season-high seven points tonight in extended action (31 Minutes) since returning from her shoulder injury. Tonight was only her fourth game back since dislocating her shoulder in early November.
Sophomore Wendy Ausdemore collected 15 points, three assists and a team-high six rebounds. Tonight marked the eighth time this season she has scored 10 points or more. Ausdemore started the game sinking her first three field goal attempts behind the arc.
Iowa made 40 percent (6-15) of its 3-point attempts tonight.
Tonight was Iowa’s first game in nine days, falling at UW-Green Bay (67-43) on December 7.
Rutgers forced 22 turnovers, scoring an Iowa-opponent-best 29 points off those miscues. The Hawkeyes scored 17 points off 16 Scarlet Knight turnovers.
Rutgers made 51 percent (27-53) of its field goal attempts, an Iowa opponent season best.
Rutgers starter and second leading rebounder, Essence Carson, did not play in tonight’s game due to an injury she sustained in its game vs. Mississippi on Tuesday.
Tonight Iowa’s men and women’s team competed against its program’s respective all-time winningest coach. The Hawkeye men played at Drake (Tom Davis) and the women competed at Rutgers (C. Vivian Stringer).
Iowa returns to action Tuesday when it hosts in-state rival Northern Iowa. Tip-off is slated for 7:05 p.m. and the game will be televised on KCRG-TV9.