Feb. 12, 2007
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The Setting ? Iowa (12-13, 4-8) returns home to host Illinois (16-8, 6-6) Thursday. Tip-off is slated for approximately 8:30 p.m. at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Tickets are $5 for adults, while youths and UI students will be admitted free.
The game will start 30 minutes after the men’s contest against Northwestern, which will start at 6 p.m. The men’s game was postponed until Thursday due to severe weather and dangerous driving conditions in the Chicago area.
Thursday will be the only regular season meeting between Iowa and Illinois. The Fighting Illini are the last Big Ten opponent to face the Hawkeyes this season. Iowa is in eighth place in the Big Ten standings and is two games behind fifth-place Illinois.
On the Radio ? Brent Balbinot and Shelley Till will call the action for the Hawkeye Radio Network. Hawkeye fans can listen to Thursday night’s game on WHO 1040-AM in Des Moines, WMT 600-AM in Cedar Rapids and KXIC 800-AM in Iowa City.
The game can also be heard live over the Internet at hawkeyesports.com. Just click “Hawkeye All-Access” at the top right of the page. “Hawkeye All-Access” is a subscription service.
University of Iowa Community Day ? Sunday has been designated “University of Iowa Community Day” when the Hawkeyes host Penn State at 2:05 p.m. at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. UI faculty and staff who present their current UI identification card will be admitted free and their guests will pay only $2, and as always the case, current UI students will be admitted free.
All University community members may enter any entrance. There they will register to win a variety of prizes ranging from tickets to the home games of the 2007 Iowa football team, 2008 UI men’s and women’s basketball and wrestling teams, rounds of golf at Finkbine Golf Course to $10 gift certificates to the Iowa Hawk Shop.
Iowa History ? Iowa has played 933 games since beginning basketball in 1974. Overall, Iowa’s record is 566-367 (.607). That includes a 281-139 (.669) mark in Big Ten games and a 257-77 (.769) record in Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
Scouting Illinois ? Illinois is in the middle of a stretch of four-of-five road games. The Fighting Illini have lost three straight games, all to ranked opponents (Michigan State, Purdue and Ohio State). In fact, Illinois’ last seven regular season contests are against teams with a combined 130-47 (.734) record.
Illinois dropped a 69-60 decision to Ohio State Sunday in front of a season-high 6,227 fans at Assembly Hall in Champaign. All-American Jessica Davenport led all scorers with 28 points and grabbed eight rebounds to lead the Buckeyes to victory. Illinois was paced by sophomore Lori Bjork, who is a native of Johnston, IA. Bjork tallied a team-high 17 points, bolstered by 4-6 shooting behind the arc. Junior Danyel Crutcher posted her 10th career double-double (13 points and 10 rebounds). The Fighting Illini outrebounded the Buckeyes by 10 (41-31).
Bjork ranks first in team scoring (15.0) and 3-pointers made (70) and attempted (167) and second in assists (68). Bjork has made at least one triple in a school-record 31 consecuitve games. Through 12 conference games, Bjork ranks first in Big Ten 3-pointers made (3.25), third in 3-point field goal percentage (.448) and sixth in scoring (15.5). Freshman Jenna Smith ranks second in team scoring (10.7) and first in rebounding (7.6).
As a team, Illinois ranks first in rebounding (41.8), 3-point field goal defense (.246), second in rebounding margin (+7.3), third in blocks (5.0) and 3-pointers made (5.63) and fourth in scoring offense (67.3), scoring margin (+8.7), 3-point field goal percentage (.364) and free throw percentage (.743).
Illinois is 10-2 in home contests this year, but 5-6 in true road games.
The Illini are coached by Theresa Grentz, who is in her 33rd year (668-307, .685) as a head coach and her 12th season (207-152, .577) with Illinois.
All-Time Series Record ? Thursday will be the 57th meeting between Iowa and Illinois, with the Hawkeyes boasting a 41-15 advantage in the series. The 41 victories are the most the Hawkeyes have against any other team. Iowa has won 38 of the last 44 overall meetings, including capturing the last six. The Hawkeyes defeated Illinois 21 consecutive times between 1987-1996.
Iowa owns a 22-4 advantage in games played in Iowa City, including a 20-2 mark in contests played in Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
RPI Ratings ? Iowa ranks 84th, while Illinois ranks 70th in the RPI rankings published on February 12, on collegerpi.com/women. Iowa’s strength of schedule ranks 34th, while Illinois’ ranks 81st. Currently, the Big Ten is the fourth rated conference behind the SEC, Big XII and ACC.
Iowa, Illinois Notes ? Iowa and Illinois are the only teams that are schedule to play all three ranked Big Ten teams (Ohio State, Purdue and Michigan State) twice during the regular season.
? Three of Iowa’s last four games will be played in Iowa City.
? Both Iowa and Illinois do not have a senior starter. The Hawkeyes start three juniors and two sophomores, while the Fighting Illini have two sophomores, two freshmen and one junior in the lineup.
? Thursday will feature three of the conference’s top sophomore student-athletes: Illinois’ Lori Bjork and Iowa’s Wendy Ausdemore and Kristi Smith. Bjork ranks sixth in league scoring, while Smith and Ausdemore rank ninth and tenth, respectively.
? Iowa ranks third in the country in 3-point field goal percentage, fifth in free throw percentage and 41st in assists per game. Jenee Graham ranks 90th in the nation in rebounds per contest, Kristi Smith ranks 17th in free throw percentage and Megan Skouby ranks 25th in foul shooting and Wendy Ausdemore ranks 32nd in 3-point field goal percentage.
? Illinois ranks seventh in the nation in fewest fouls per game, 19th in rebounding margin and field goal percentage defense, 29th in 3-point field goal percentage and 30th in blocked shots. Lori Bjork ranks seventh in 3-pointers made and 24th in 3-point field goal percentage.
? Wendy Ausdemore has made two or more 3-pointers 17 times this season, including in 10-of-12 Big Ten contests. Additionally, Kristi Smith has drained at least one triple in 10 of the last 11 games.
? Iowa is 100-11 when leading at the half in seven years under Coach Bluder. Iowa is 82-14 when holding opponents to 69 points or less, including a 34-1 mark when opponents score 59 points or less.
? Iowa is 11-0 when having a higher field goal percentage, 10-3 when opponents shoot less than 40 percent from 3-point range this season. The Hawkeyes are also 10-3 when having more assists.
? The Hawkeyes have lost all five of its games against ranked opponents this season (No. 5 and No. 7 Ohio State, No. 10 Purdue, No. 20 and No. 21 Michigan State).
? Krista VandeVenter has grabbed 605 career rebounds and ranks 12th in Iowa career rebounding. She is only nine rebounds from tying Lynn Kennedy (614) for 11th.
? Kristi Smith ranks third in Iowa’s single-season sophomore rankings for 3-pointers made with 37. Classmate Wendy Ausdemore ranks second with 51.
? Iowa is 7-3 in games played on February 15.
Ausdemore Receives Academic Honor ? Wendy Ausdemore earned CoSIDA/ESPN The Magazine District VII academic all-America recognition on Feb. 8. Ausdemore, who was the only sophomore named to either the first or second team in District VII, has a 3.83 cumulative GPA and is majoring in pre-business.
Jensen to Receive Drake Double D Award ? Iowa Associate Head Coach Jan Jensen will be one of four former Drake student-athletes to receive the Drake Double D Award Saturday night in Des Moines. The award is presented annually to Drake letterwinners for achievements in their chosen fields or endeavor and/or community service since leaving Drake. The Double D Award is the highest honor Drake bestows on its student-athletes. Since its inception in 1968, the Double D honor has been presented to 221 former Drake letterwinners.
Jensen graduated from Drake in 1991 with a degree in public relations, while earning her Masters in Higher Education in 1996. She is one of only two Drake players to have their number retired in the Knapp Center. Jensen ranks fourth on Drake’s all-time scoring list, third in field goal percentage and fifth in steals and rebounds. As a senior in 1990-91, she led the nation in scoring (29.6) and was named Academic All-American National Player of the Year by GTE/CoSIDA. Jensen was also named the most valuable player in the Gateway Conference, while earning honorable mention all-American accolades by Kodak.
Skouby Sidelined ? Starting center Megan Skouby will be out of action 2-4 weeks after breaking a bone in her non-shooting hand (left) during practice on Feb. 3. 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.
Last Meeting ? Iowa’s Crystal Smith scored a game-high 23 points to lead Iowa to a 71-60 victory over Illinois at Assembly Hall on February 23, 2006. The win was Iowa’s six-straight over the Fighting Illini, including winning the last three at Assembly Hall.
Iowa nearly took an eight-point advantage into the half, but Illinois’ Lori Bjork drained an off-balance 3-pointer at the buzzer to trim the Hawkeye advantage to five (40-35).
Illinois scored the second half’s first four points to cut Iowa’s lead to one (40-39). The Hawkeyes countered by scoring the next 10 points to rebuild their lead to 11 (50-39) with 14:03 left. Later, the Fighting Illini fought back with a 10-2 run to cut their deficit to six points (56-50) with 8:01 remaining. However, Iowa maintained its advantage and held on for the 11-point victory.
Megan Skouby contributed 18 points, six rebounds and two blocks for the Hawkeyes. Wendy Ausdemore netted 14 points.
Iowa did a good job coveting the basketball and feeding its post, as the Hawkeyes outscored Illinois 22-6 in the paint and posted a season-low 10 turnovers. Iowa also converted 14 Illinois turnovers into 19 points; outscoring the Fighting Illini 19-2 in points off turnovers.
Three Illinois players tallied double figures to lead the Fighting Illini. Bjork and Erin Wigley each netted 15 points, while Janelle Hughes added 14. Danyel Crutcher pulled down a game-high 11 rebounds.
Last Time Out ? Jolene Anderson tied a career high with 29 points to lead Wisconsin to an 84-73 triumph over Iowa Sunday night at the Kohl Center. The win was the Badgers first over Iowa in Madison since 2000.
Anderson was 9-13 from the field, including 5-6 from behind the 3-point arc, and 6-8 from the foul line. The Big Ten leading scorer, also contributed six rebounds and five assists.
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).
The Black and Gold were able to get within two points twice in the second half, but the Badgers responded with runs of 11-4 and 6-0 to re-establish a comfortable cushion and ultimately register the 11-point victory.
A pair of Hawkeye sophomores had career nights, but it was not enough to overtake the Badgers — a team that improved to 13-2 in home contests. Wendy Ausdemore poured in a team and career-high 27 points, 21 of which came in the second half. Nicole VanderPol came off the bench and netted a career-high 15 points. VanderPol also grabbed five rebounds in a career-high 26 minutes of action.
Badger freshman point guard Rae Lin D’Alie tallied 12 points and dished out a game and career-high 11 assists. Janese Banks contributed 16 points and Danielle Ward added 15 points and a game-high nine rebounds.
Wisconsin dominated the glass, outrebounding Iowa by 14 (38-24).
The Badgers sealed the victory with excellent free throw shooting down the stretch, sinking all 10 attempts in the final 1:30 of the contest.
Final Game Notes ? Sunday was the 50th meeting between Iowa and Wisconsin. Iowa has now won six-of-eight games in the series.
? Sunday was Iowa’s fourth straight Sunday road contest (Michigan State, Penn State, Ohio State and Wisconsin), with the Hawkeyes losing all four.
? Wendy Ausdemore netted a team and career-high 27 points 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, 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, marking the 11th contest this season, including third straight, the sophomore has sank two treys or more in a contest.
? Wisconsin was credited with an assist on its first 12 field goals of the contest. The Badgers finished the game with 20 dimes.
? Iowa was 5-9 (.556) from behind the arc, 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 Sunday. Stacy Schlapkohl equaled a career high with two steals. She also registered seven points.
? Kristi Smith was 0-1 from 3-point range Sunday. 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, marking the ninth time this season it has shot above 80-percent in a single-game.
? Wisconsin posted Iowa-opponent-season-highs in free throws made (24) and attempted (32).
Tough Sledding ? Winning on the road has been a difficult task for teams during Big Ten Conference season. Not including the top three teams (Ohio State, Michigan State and Purdue) in the league, Iowa has the highest number of road victories with three, followed by Illinois (2), Wisconsin (2), Minnesota (2) and Indiana (1). Penn State, Michigan and Northwestern have not recorded a Big Ten road win yet this year.
Smith Lighting it Up Behind the Arc ? Kristi Smith has been shooting lights-out from 3-point range lately. Smith sank 13 triples in Iowa’s first 14 games, but since has drained 24 in only 36 attempts (.667) in the last 11 contests — she made all four attempts from behind the arc vs. Michigan last Thursday. Smith ranks first in 3-point field goal percentage (.600) and fifth in 3-pointers made (2.0) in conference games.
For the season, her 3-point field goal percentage (.507, 37-73) ranks second-best in school history. The 5-6 guard shot .415 (22-53) last season from behind the arc. Additionally, her free throw percentage of .867 (85-98) ranks third-best in Iowa single-season history.
Smith Joining Iowa Point Guard Elite ? Kristi Smith’s numbers are resembling a previous Hawkeye point guard who was an honorable mention all-American honoree, Cara Consuegra.
Smith has amassed 182 assists so far her first two seasons, 82 her freshman year and 100 this year. The native of Thornton, CO, scored 206 points her freshman campaign and 326 so far this season for a total of 532.
Consuegra started her career with 94 assists her freshman year and 153 her sophomore season. She netted 97 points as a freshman and 309 as a sophomore for a total of 406.
Did You Know? ? Kristi Smith is the first Hawkeye freshman or sophomore to collect more than 100 assists and 300 points in a single-season.
The feat has been accomplished 10 times by a total of six players throughout their respective careers. Listed below are the players and the year the achievement was accomplished:
Player (Year) StatisticsKristi Smith (2006-07) 326 points and 100 assistsJohanna Solverson (2004-05) 359 points and 136 assistsCara Consuegra (2000-01) 347 points and 191 assistsCara Consuegra (1999-00) 394 points and 138 assistsLaurie Aaron (1991-92) 344 points and 123 assistsSteph Schueler (1990-91) 339 points and 122 assistsJolette Law (1989-90) 424 points and 122 assistsJolette Law (1988-89) 445 points and 132 assistsMichelle Edwards (1987-88) 621 points and 140 assistsMichelle Edwards (1986-87) 564 points and 123 assists="https://hawkeyesports.com/http:%3E%3C/ahref="http:>
Quoie Out ? Freshman Zoraa Quoie is from Woodbury, MN, and has been declared academically ineligible for the remainder of the season. She will remain in school and attempt to regain her academic standing for the 2007-08 campaign. Quoie will be able to practice with the team, but will be unable to play in games or travel with the team. The 5-6 guard played sparingly in three games, averaging 2.0 points, 1.3 steals and 1.0 assists.
Inside-Outside Threat ? Wendy Ausdemore can score both inside and outside the 3-point arc. The 6-2 sophomore has made 58-123 (.472) of her two-point attempts and 51-126 (.405) from behind the 3-point arc.
Road Warriors ? Iowa has compiled a 7-6 record in games away from Iowa City this season. Last season, Iowa was 6-9 in road games. The Hawkeyes are 5-7 in home contests this year. Iowa concludes the regular season with three of four contests at home.
No Sophomore Slump ? Wendy Ausdemore and Megan Skouby have already cracked the top-five in sophomore records for 3-pointers made and blocks, respectively.
Ausdemore’s 51 triples rank second among sophomores. She needs nine to tie record-holder Lindsey Meder’s mark of 60 established in 1999-2000.
Skouby’s 32 rejections rank third. She is eight blocks from tying Toni Foster (1990-91) for second place. Tangela Smith (1996-97) is the record holder with 69. Furthermore, Skouby has 79 career blocks, which rank eighth-best in Iowa career annals. She needs only three more to equal Jerica Watson’s total of 82 for seventh place.
Solverson Update ? Senior Johanna Solverson will sit out the remainder of the 2006-07 season and apply for a sixth year of eligibility.
Solverson, a fifth-year senior, suffered a second tear of the anterior cruciate ligament on her right knee during a Game Time League contest last June in North Liberty. Solverson sustained her first ACL injury in July 2005 in a “pick-up” game in Chicago.
Solverson played in all but one game her first three seasons. The only game she missed was vs. Kansas State on December 12, 2003 due to an ankle injury. One of Iowa’s most versatile players, she boasts a career average of 8.5 points, 4.3 rebounds, 3.02 assists and 1.67 steals in 94 games.
During the 2004-05 campaign, Solverson became only the second Iowa player to amass over 350 points, 125 assists and rebounds and 70 steals in a single season (Michelle Edwards). She averaged 10.9 points, 3.9 rebounds, 4.12 assists and 2.12 steals in 33 contests.
The native of Lake Zurich, IL, ranks ninth in Iowa career assists (284), 12th in steals (157), 20th in rebounding (408) and 29th in scoring (802).
Double Trouble ? Sophomores Wendy Ausdemore and Kristi Smith really improved their game during league play. In conference games only stats, Ausdemore ranks first in free throw percnetage (.962), second in 3-point field goal percentage (.492) and 3-pointers made (2.42), ninth in field goal percentage (.460) and 10th in scoring (14.3). Smith ranks first in 3-point field goal percentage (.600), second in free throw percentage (.892), fourth in assists (4.5), fifth in 3-pointers made (2.0), eighth in assist/turnover ratio (1.32), ninth in scoring (14.4) and 12th in field goal percentage (.450).
Trio ? Iowa is the only team with three players ranked in the top 10 in conference scoring. Megan Skouby (14.4) ranks eighth, Kristi Smith (14.4) ranks ninth and Wendy Ausdemore (14.3) 10th. The trio are also three of the four highest sophomore scorers in the league, alongside Illinois’ Lori Bjork (15.5), who ranks sixth.
Attendance Rankings ? Iowa ranks 34th nationally in attendance, averaging 3,460 fans. Iowa has ranked in the top-25 fifteen of the last 17 seasons.
Jackson Five ? Iowa has had five players score 20 points or more in a single game this season. Kristi Smith has accomplished the feat a team-best six times, Wendy Ausdemore four times, Megan Skouby three times, Krista VandeVenter twice and Stacy Schlapkohl each once. The Hawkeyes have had a player score 20 points or more nine of the last 13 games.
Smith Leads ? Kristi Smith has done a great job leading the Hawkeye offense as point guard. Smith ranks second in team scoring (13.0) and free throws made (85) and first in assists (100). The 100 assists ranks fourth in a single-season by an Iowa sophomore.
Smith has led the team in scoring nine times, including scoring 20-plus points a team-best five times, led the team in steals 14 times and assists 10 times.
The native of Thornton, CO, has been on fire during conference play. She ranks high in eight statistical categories in league games only rankings: first in 3-point field goal percentage (.600), second in free throw percentage (.892), fourth in assists (4.5), fifth in 3-pointers made (2.0) and minutes played (35.75), eighth in assist/turnover ratio (1.32), ninth in scoring (14.4) and 12th in field goal percentage (.450).
Freebies ? Iowa has made free throws when it counted — in the last five minutes of games. The Hawkeyes are 98-122 (.803) in the last five minutes, 46-60 (.767) under two minutes and 46-58 (.793) under a minute to play.
Iowa has made 390-497 from the foul line this year. The Hawkeyes’ 78.5 percent shooting from the free throw line is tops in the Big Ten and fifth nationally. Iowa opponents are only 311-448 (.694) from the charity stripe.
The Hawkeyes are well on their way to shattering the school free throw percentage record of .769 (433-563) established in 2002-03.
Home, Away Comparisons ? Iowa has a higher free throw percentage on the road than at home. The Hawkeyes have converted 82.0 percent (210-256) of its road foul shots, compared to 74.7 percent (180-241) at home. Iowa averages 6.5 more points per game, 4.5 more assists and 3.5 more rebounds at home than on the road. Here are the home and away comparisons:
FG% 3-PT% FT% REB AST TO PTSHome .433 .395 .747 37.8 18.2 16.8 70.5Away .414 .395 .820 34.3 13.7 17.7 64.0
Wins, Losses Comparisons ? There are big differentials in the stats between Iowa’s wins and losses. The Hawkeyes score an average of 10.5 more points and shoot 6.5 percent better from the field in their victories. Iowa averages 6.6 more rebounds and 3.4 more assists in wins than losses. Here are the wins and losses comparisons:
FG% 3-PT% FT% REB AST TO PTSWins .457 .413 .788 39.4 17.6 16.1 72.6Losses .392 .381 .782 32.8 14.2 18.3 62.1
Behind the Arc ? Iowa is the only Big Ten team with three players who have drained over 30 triples this season, Wendy Ausdemore (51), Kristi Smith (37) and Lindsey Nyenhuis (30) — all of whom are sophomores.
As a team, Iowa ranks fourth in Big Ten 3-pointers made (5.04).
Graham Steps Up ? With Iowa’s leading rebounder (Krista VandeVenter) sidelined for the first seven contests, Jenee Graham stepped up and filled the rebounding void. She has grabbed double-digit rebounds 11 times and has been Iowa’s leading rebounder in 14 games. Graham corralled a career-high 14 rebounds against Indiana State and Louisiana Tech.
Graham averages 4.8 points, 8.3 rebounds and 3.2 assists. The native of Bolingbrook, IL, ranks fourth in Big Ten rebounding (8.3). The junior also ranks third in Big Ten assist/turnover ratio (1.51). Graham equaled a career high with seven assists and no turnover vs. Michigan on Feb. 8. Graham has dished out four dimes or more 13 times this year.
Graham led Iowa in scoring for the first time in her career when she netted a career-high 14 points vs. Northern Iowa.
Big Ten Rankings ? Iowa ranks first in Big Ten free throw percentage (.785) and 3-point field goal percentage (.395), third in rebounds allowed (34.3) and assist/turnover ratio (0.92) and fourth in 3-pointers made (5.04). Individually, Jenee Graham ranks third in assist/turnover ratio (1.51) and fourth in rebounding (8.4). Wendy Ausdemore ranks third in 3-point field goal percentage (.405) and fourth in 3-pointers made (2.04). Megan Skouby ranks third in free throw percentage (.858), seventh in blocks (1.45) and scoring (14.4). Kristi Smith ranks first in 3-point field goal percentage (.507), second in free throw percentage (.867), fourth in assists (4.0), 10th in assist/turnover ratio (1.16) and 3-pointers made (1.48), 13th in scoring (13.0) and field goal percentage (.451).
All-Big Ten Recognition ? For the second straight year, Iowa has been picked to finish fifth in the Big Ten by the media and coaches. Individually, Megan Skouby was named to the pre-season all-conference team by the media and coaches. Skouby is the only sophomore to be recognized; the team is comprised of three seniors, one junior and one sophomore.
Hawkeyes Honored ? Sophomores Wendy Ausdemore and Megan Skouby were named to the KCRG-TV9 Hawkeye Challenge All-Tournament team. Skouby was recognized as the tournament’s Most Valuable Player.
Ausdemore Ties Record ? Wendy Ausdemore tied a Carver-Hawkeye Arena record by an Iowa player when she made five triples vs. Quinnipiac. The sophomore was 5-7 (.714) from behind the arc against the Bobcats. For the season, she is 51-126 (.405) from 3-point range. She ranks fourth in Big Ten 3-point field goal percentage and 3-pointers made.
Trifecta ? The Hawkeyes had three sophomores recognized on the WBCA Classic All-Tournament team. Wendy Ausdemore, Megan Skouby and Kristi Smith all earned all-tournament laurels. Skouby was honored as the tournament’s Most Valuable Player.
Skouby averaged 16.0 points, 7.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 2.0 blocks in the two contests. Smith averaged 15.0 points, 4.0 assists, 2.5 steals and 2.5 rebounds. Ausdemore averaged 13.5 points, 6.0 rebounds and 3.5 assists.
Hi-Octane ? The 171 combined points in Iowa’s 88-83 win over Indiana State on Nov. 15, was the highest scoring game in Carver-Hawkeye Arena since a 94-83 loss to Minnesota in 2001.
Hawkeyes Win WBCA Classic ? Iowa opened the season with two quality road wins, defeating Missouri State (79-70) and Kansas (63-49) to capture the fifth-annual WBCA Classic in Kansas City, MO.
Gunning For Seven ? Iowa has posted a winning season each year Coach Bluder has been on the Hawkeye sidelines. The Hawkeyes have strung together six straight winning seasons since the 2000-01 campaign, earning an NCAA Tournament berth four times. The school record for consecutive winning seasons is 11, established 1984-1994.
20-Year Anniversary ? This season marks the 20-year anniversary of Iowa’s first Big Ten regular season championship. Iowa’s 1986-87 team finished the league campaign 17-1 and shared the title with Ohio State. The squad advanced to the Elite Eight in the NCAA Tournament before falling to eventual NCAA runner-up Louisiana Tech. Michelle Edwards earned all-America honors, while Franthea Price was named Big Ten Freshman of the Year.
Bluder Hits Milestones ? After garnering her 300th Division I victory in Iowa’s regular season finale vs. Indiana last season, Bluder reached two additional coaching milestones in 2006-07. She coached in her 700th career game and 200th on the Iowa sidelines, both during conference play. The Marion, IA, native has coached in 706 career games (481-225, .681) and 208 contests (125-83, .601) on the Hawkeye sidelines.
In her first six years at Iowa, Bluder guided the Black and Gold to four first division finishes in the highly regarded Big Ten Conference. Iowa’s 56 league wins the last six seasons rank as the fourth-highest total in the Big Ten behind Purdue (75), Penn State (69) and Ohio State (64). She has coached five Hawkeye players to all-Big Ten first team status, three to the second team and three that were named to the all-freshman team.
No Senior Starters ? For the first time under Coach Bluder, Iowa does not have a senior in the starting lineup. Iowa’s starting lineup includes three sophomores (Wendy Ausdemore, Kristi Smith and Megan Skouby) and two juniors (Jenee Graham and Krista VandeVenter).
The last time Iowa did not have a senior starter was the 1999-00 season (two juniors, three sophomores). Iowa has had at least two senior starters every year under Bluder, except the 2002-03 season (center Tracy Schrupp).
Home Grown Hawkeyes ? Iowa’s 2006-07 roster features four players from the state of Iowa (Wendy Ausdemore, Abby Emmert, Stacy Schlapkohl and Nicole VanderPol). The Hawkeyes also have two players from Illinois (Jenee Graham and Johanna Solverson) and Minnesota (Krista VandeVenter and Zoraa Quoie). Iowa’s 12-person roster also features players from Colorado (Kristi Smith), Kansas (JoAnn Hamlin), Michigan (Lindsey Nyenhuis) and Ohio (Megan Skouby).
Hy-Vee Cy-Hawk Series ? Iowa currently leads the third annual Hy-Vee Cy-Hawk Series 11-4 with only three events remaining. Iowa was victorious in women’s soccer (1-0, OT), football (27-17), wrestling (24-6) men’s basketball (77-59) and women’s swimming (181.5-117.5). Iowa State won volleyball (3-2) and women’s basketball (80-74).
The nine-sport series awards two points (except football, which is worth three) to the winning school in each head-to-head match-up between the two institutions. Additionally, two points are awarded to an institution if the graduation rate of its student-athletes is greater than the national average as reported each fall by the NCAA.
Hawkeyes Traveling Overseas in May ? The women’s basketball team will be traveling overseas for 11 days to Greece, May 23-June 2, to play exhibition games.
Blogging ? Hawkeye fans will be treated to behind-the-scenes information this season as sophomore Wendy Ausdemore and junior Abby Emmert will have their own blogs, which will be posted on the women’s basketball page of hawkeyesports.com. The duo will share their thoughts on practices, games, road trips, and everything else surrounding the program.
Hawkeyes Ink Two ? Kachine Alexander and Kelsey Cermak signed National Letters of Intent to attend the University of Iowa.
Alexander, a native of Minneapolis, is a three-time all-conference honoree. She earned the Best Defensive Player Award at Benilde-St. Margaret’s High School her freshman and sophomore years. Her team was three-time conference champions and won the Minnesota State AAA Championship in 2006. The 5-9 forward was named state tournament MVP and earned honorable mention all-state honors her junior year. She averaged 12.8 points, 8.0 rebounds, 3.5 steals and 3.0 assists in 29 starts her junior season.
Cermak, who hails from Norwalk, IA, is a two-time first team all-state honoree and a three-time first team all-conference and all-district selection. She was the Norwalk High School MVP her first three years. The 6-1 guard holds her school’s single-season record for steals (90). She averaged 17.2 points, 7.4 rebounds and 2.8 steals in 26 starts on a team that won the Iowa state and conference championship her junior season. Cermak averaged 18.9 points, 7.0 rebounds and 3.6 steals her sophomore campaign. Norwalk placed second in its conference her freshman and sophomore seasons.
Hawkeye Newcomers ? Iowa’s only freshman is Zoraa Quoie, from Woodbury, MN. Quoie was named to the Miss Minnesota Basketball Senior All-State team her senior season. She was also named to the Star-Tribune third defensive team as a senior. Quoie was a 2005 and 2006 all-conference selection and earned 2004 and 2005 honorable mention all-state laurels. Quoie holds her high school’s record for single-season steals.
Also on the roster this year is JoAnn Hamlin, who transferred from Kansas State. Hamlin cannot compete due to NCAA transfer rules, but can practice with the team and will have three years of eligibility remaining starting in 2007-08. Hamlin played in 33 games last year, with 31 starts at center for the Wildcats. The 31 starts were the fifth-most in the nation among freshmen. She scored in double figures 15 times, reaching the 20-point plateau four times. Hamlin averaged 10 points, 4.6 rebounds, had a total of 22 blocks and 26 steals.
Iowa Information on the Web ? Statistics and play-by-play accounts of all Big Ten Tournament games will be available live on the internet. The statistical program allows viewers to read the play-by-play action just moments after it takes place, and to view all individual and team statistics while the game is in progress.
The program can be accessed through hawkeyesports.com and then clicking on the `Gametracker’ link.
“Hawk Talk with Lisa Bluder” ? Catch “Hawk Talk with Lisa Bluder”, the radio call-in program Monday nights featuring Iowa Women’s Head Coach Lisa Bluder, on KXIC-AM 800 in Iowa, WHO-AM 1040 in Des Moines and WMT-AM 600 in Cedar Rapids from 7:30-8:30 p.m.
Fans can call toll-free at (877) 464-2957. The show originates from Bob’s Your Uncle restaurant on the eastside of Iowa City.
Big Ten Tournament Tickets on Sale ? All-session and single-session tickets for the 2007 Big Ten Women’s Basketball Tournament presented by Xbox 360 are on sale. All-session tickets are $65, while single-session tickets are $12-$16. Tickets can be purchased at the Conseco Fieldhouse box office, Ticketmaster outlets, ticketmaster.com or by calling Ticketmaster at (317) 239-5151.
More than 21,000 hotel rooms exist throughout the entire Indianapolis metropolitan area. Contact the Big Ten Housing Bureau at indy.org/bigtenwomens for hotel pricing information.
The tournament returns to Indianapolis for the 12th time in 13 years and has attracted more than 30,000 fans for each of the last five events. The 2006 tournament attendance of 38,638 and session average of 7,728 were both event records. In the past 12 years of Big Ten Tournament play, the conference has welcomed more than 353,000 fans. Six different league representatives have become tournament champions. Purdue leads all teams with five titles followed by two championships for both Iowa and Penn State and a single title for Indiana, Michigan State and Ohio State.
On the Horizon ? The Hawkeyes host Penn State Sunday before traveling to Purdue (Feb. 22) for its last road contest. Iowa hosts Wisconsin (Feb. 25) in the regular-season finale.