Feb. 11, 2007
Tonight was the 50th meeting between Iowa and Wisconsin. Tonight’s 84-73 win snapped a four-game losing skid to Iowa at the Kohl Center. The Hawkeyes have now won six-of-eight games in the series. Iowa is now 30-20 against the Badgers.
Tonight was Iowa’s fourth straight Sunday road contest (Michigan State, Penn State, Ohio State and Wisconsin), losing all four.
Wendy Ausdemore netted a team and career-high 27 points tonight, including 21 in the second half in only 27 minutes of action. She was 9-15 from the field and 6-6 from the foul line. The native of Neola, IA, has tallied 20 points or more five times in her career, including four times this year.
Wendy Ausdemore made 3-6 from 3-point range tonight, marking the 12th consecutive game the sophomore has made at least one triple. Ausdemore ranks third in Big Ten 3-pointers made this season.
Lindsey Nyenhuis made both 3-point attempts tonight, marking the 11th contest this season, including third straight, the sophomore has sank two treys or more in a contest.
With Iowa trailing 9-8, Wisconsin went on a 13-0 run to take a 22-8 early advantage at the 10:10 mark. Iowa missed six field goals and had two turnovers during the 5:30-minute Badger surge. The Hawkeyes cut the early 14-point deficit to six at intermission (35-29).
A Wendy Ausdemore 3-pointer cut Iowa’s deficit to two (46-44), but the Badgers responded with an 11-4 surge to re-establish a nine-point lead (57-48) midway through the second half. The Black and Gold was able to get to within two points (65-53) at the 4:22 mark, but ultimately could not overtake Wisconsin.
Nicole VanderPol came off the bench to score a career-high 15 points; she was 5-9 from the field and 5-6 from the charity stripe.
Wisconsin was credited with an assist on its first 12 field goals of the contest. The Badgers finished the game with 20 dimes. Freshman Rae Lin D’Alie dished out a game and career-high 11 assists, including seven in the first half.
Wisconsin junior Jolene Anderson was 5-5 from the field, including 3-3 from behind the arc, in the first half. The pre-season all-Big Ten honoree, and conference leading scorer, matched a career high with 29 points, including 16 in the first stanza. She was 9-13 from the field, including 5-6 from 3-point range, and 6-8 at the free throw line.
Iowa was 5-9 (.556) from behind the arc tonight, marking the third consecutive game the Black and Gold shot over a 50-percent clip from 3-point range.
Iowa, a team that averages 5.8 steals per contest, recorded eight tonight. Stacy Schlapkohl equaled a career high tonight with two steals. She also registered seven points.
Wisconsin, a team that leads the Big Ten in rebounding margin, dominated the glass tonight. The Badgers had a +14 (38-24) rebounding edge tonight.
Kristi Smith was 0-1 from 3-point range tonight. The sophomore, who ranks first in Big Ten 3-point field goal percentage, has made 24 of her last 36 (.667) 3-point attempts. Smith finished the contest with 12 points and five assists. The five assists bring her season total to exactly 100.
Iowa was 16-19 (.842) from the free throw line tonight, marking the ninth time this season it has shot above 80-percent in a single-game. The Hawkeyes rank fifth in the country in free throw percentage.
Wisconsin posted Iowa-opponent-season-highs tonight in free throws made (24) and attempted (32).
Iowa returns to action Thursday when it hosts Illinois at 7:05 p.m. at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Thursday will be the only regular season meeting between the two teams this season.
The Hawkeyes finish the regular season with three-of-four home contests.