Iowa Holds On To Defeat Samford

Dec. 3, 2006

Box Score | Quotes | Notes

IOWA CITY — The Iowa women’s basketball team rebounded from Thursday’s loss to Iowa State with a 66-60 triumph over Samford today at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Iowa led from start-to-finish en route to its seventh win of the year.

For the second consecutive contest, Iowa sprinted out to a double-digit advantage in the first four minutes, scoring the first 10 points of the game. The Hawkeyes shot a blistering 60.0 percent (15-25) in the first half enabling Iowa to take a 19-point lead into half (27-18). Iowa’s 2-3 zone limited the Bulldogs to 21.9 percent (7-32) shooting from the field in the first stanza, including 12.5 percent (2-16) from the 3-point arc.

Iowa had built a 25-point (52-27) advantage with just over 12 minutes remaining, but went cold from the field. The Hawkeyes missed nine straight field goal attempts and didn’t score a point in five minutes. Samford took advantage, staging a furious comeback, going on an 18-0 run to cut the Iowa deficit to seven (52-45) with eight minutes remaining. The Bulldogs were 5-6 from the field and 7-7 from the free throw line during the scoring run.

Samford (4-3) continued to chip away at the Hawkeyes’ lead and trailed by only two points (62-60) with just over a minute left. Up two, sophomore Megan Skouby drained a turnaround jumper to put Iowa up four with just under a minute to play. After a defensive stop, junior Abby Emmert sank a pair of free throws for the game’s final points.

Skouby finished the game netting a game-high 14 points. Jenee Graham corralled a game-high 12 rebounds. Graham, who is the Big Ten’s leading rebounder, has grabbed double figure rebounds in seven of nine games this season. Graham also scored eight points and dished out a game-high five assists.

Iowa (7-2) out-rebounded the Bulldogs by 18 (44-26). The 44 rebounds are the highest total of the season for the Hawkeyes.

Samford, who is the middle of a nine-game road trip, had three players post double figures. Reserves Megan Wilderotter and Monica Maxwell scored 13 and 10 points, respectively, all in the second half. Alex Munday added 11 points for the Bulldogs.

Iowa point guard Kristi Smith contributed nine points and three assists, while forward Stacy Schlapkohl added eight points and pulled down five boards.

The Hawkeyes return to action Thursday when they play at UW-Green Bay (3-3). Tip-off is slated for 7:05 p.m.