Feb. 4, 2007
Megan Skouby missed today’s game and will be out of action for the next 2-4 weeks after breaking a bone in her left hand at Saturday’s practice. The sophomore played in 51 consecutive contests, including 40 starts before suffering the injury. Skouby ranks first in team scoring (14.4), blocked shots (32) and second in rebounding (5.1). With Skouby sidelined, Iowa’s competitive roster has dwindled to eight players.
Starting in place of Megan Skouby was junior Stacy Schlapkohl. Schlapkohl received her 22nd career start today. The 6-3 center entered today’s game averaging 6.6 points and 2.5 rebounds in 17.4 minutes of action per contest. Schlapkohl scored nine points and had six rebounds in today’s defeat.
Today marked the second time in five years that the Hawkeyes played at Ohio State on “Super Bowl Sunday”.
Today was the 47th meeting between Iowa and Ohio State. The Buckeyes have won eight straight games against the Hawkeyes, including the last seven at the Value City Arena. Iowa now leads the all-time series by a slim 24-23 margin. Ohio State improves to 14-0 in home games this season and has now won 26 straight home contests, dating back to December, 2005.
Ohio State’s 36-point victory (85-49) today was the largest margin of victory in the series, besting a 27-point Buckeye triumph in 2001 (79-52). The 36-point setback was Iowa’s largest of the season.
Iowa scored only 17 second-half points, which equal the fewest points scored by the Hawkeyes in the second half in a Big Ten game (17 vs. Purdue on Feb. 11, 1996).
Ohio State had a better shooting percentage than Iowa today, 58 percent (30-52) to 34 percent (17-50), marking the fifth consecutive game Iowa’s opponent had the edge in shooting percentage. The Hawkeyes are 10-0 this season when having the higher shooting percentage.
After Iowa scored the first two points of the game, Ohio State went on a 16-0 run to take an early 14-point advantage (16-2) at the 14:07 mark. The Hawkeyes started the game 1-10 (.100) from the floor, while the Buckeyes were 6-8 (.750). Iowa went on a 9-0 run to cut the deficit to seven (25-18), but would get no closer.
Sophomore Wendy Ausdemore netted a team-high 12 points today on 5-12 shooting from the field, including 2-5 from behind the 3-point arc.
Nicole VanderPol made her first career 3-point field goal today from the wing. It was only VanderPol’s second career 3-point field goal attempt.
Sophomore Lindsey Nyenhuis drained three 3-pointers today, marking the ninth time this season she has sank two triples or more in a contest. The last time Nyenhuis made three treys in a game was when she was 3-3 from behind the arc vs. Florida International on Nov. 18, 2006. She finished the game with 11 points, her second highest output of the season (12 vs. Quinnipiac). Nyenhuis also tied a career high with two thefts today.
Iowa was 8-16 (.500) from 3-point range today. The Hawkeyes rank second in Big Ten 3-point field goal percentage and fourth in triples made.
Ohio State’s 45 first-half points are the most scored by an Iowa opponent in the first half this season, besting Louisiana Tech’s 44 tallied on Nov. 21, 2006.
After Krista VandeVenter missed an uncontested lay-up to start the second half, the Buckeyes scored 14 straight points to build a 27-point advantage (59-32) 3:30 into the second stanza.
Today’s announced attendance was 9,799, which is the largest crowd to see an Iowa game this season.
Ohio State forced 23 Iowa turnovers today and converted the Hawkeye errors into 41 points.
Ohio State’s Jessica Davenport pulled down five rebounds today to eclipse 1,000 rebounds in her career. The senior scored a game-high 22 points in only 29 minutes of action.
Ohio State had four players post double figures: Jessica Davenport (22), Brandie Hoskins (16), Star Allen (11) and Marscilla Packer (10).
Kristi Smith was 2-3 from 3-point range today. The sophomore has made 20 of her last 31 (.645) 3-point attempts.
Iowa returns to action Thursday when it hosts Michigan at 7:06 p.m. at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Thursday will be the only regular season meeting between the two teams this season. Iowa and Michigan are tied for tenth place in the Big Ten standings after today’s action.