Jan. 28, 2007
Today was the 30th meeting between Iowa and Penn State State. Penn State improves to 19-11 against Iowa. The Lady Lions have won six straight games against the Hawkeyes, including the last four at the Bryce Jordan Center. Penn State improves to 9-1 in homes games this season.
After winning four straight on the road, Iowa has dropped its last two contests (at #21 Michigan State and Penn State). The Hawkeyes have lost four straight overall, marking the first time Iowa has been defeated four consecutive times under Coach Bluder. The last time the Hawkeyes lost four consecutive games was in December during the 1999-00 action.
Iowa wore pink shoelaces today to recognize Breast Cancer Awareness.
Iowa built a 15-point lead midway through the first half (34-19), but Penn State responded and closed the half on a 17-0 run to claim a 36-34 halftime advantage. The Hawkeyes missed their last seven field goal attempts the last 6:00 of in the first half. The Lady Lions shot 60 percent (15-25) from the field, while the Hawkeyes made only 39 percent (11-28) of its shot attempts in the first stanza.
Iowa took its only lead of the second half at the 13:21 mark after a Kristi Smith 3-pointer. Penn State answered with a 14-5 run to re-establish a nine-point advantage (63-54) and never looked back.
Iowa had four players score double figures today: Kristi Smith (12), Wendy Ausdemore (12), Megan Skouby (19), Krista VandeVenter (20).
Ausdemore netted all 12 of her points in the first ten minutes of the game. The sophomore drained four of her five four 3-point field goal attempts. Skouby’s 19 points are her most points scored since Iowa’s game at Northwestern on Jan. 7 when she poured in 25.
Penn State had five players post double figures: Amanda Brown (14), Kam Gissendanner (18), Brianne O’Rourke (15), Tyra Grant (12) and Rashia Mark (11).
Iowa had the rebounding edge in today’s game. The Hawkeyes out-rebounded the Lady Lions 40-32, including a 19-10 edge in offensive rebounds. Iowa falls to 7-4 when out-rebounding its opponents.
Krista VandeVenter grabbed a game-high 13 rebounds, two shy of a career high, to go along with her game-high 20 points. The 20 points mark only the second time in her career she eclipsed the 20-point plateau. VandeVenter collected her first double-double of the season and the seventh of her career. Today marked the second time VandeVenter corralled double-digit rebounds.
Jenee Graham pulled down 11 rebounds, marking the 11th time this season she has cleared double figures in rebounds. Graham ranks fourth in Big Ten rebounding. She also scored six points and had a game-high four assists.
Iowa converted 23-27 (.852) from the foul line today. The Hawkeyes have made 20 or more free throws in five games this season.
Kristi Smith was 2-6 from 3-point range today. The sophomore has made 18 of her last 28 (.643) 3-point attempts.
Penn State shot 48 percent (27-56) compared to Iowa’s 35 percent (21-60). Today marked the fourth straight game its opponents had a better shooting percentage.
Iowa returns to action next Sunday when it travels to Columbus, OH, to face nationally-ranked Ohio State. The Buckeyes defeated the Hawkeyes 73-67 on Dec. 31 in Iowa City.