Feb. 19, 2007
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The Setting ? Iowa (13-14, 5-9) hits the road for its final regular season road game Thursday when it travels to West Lafayette, IN, to face 15th-ranked Purdue (23-5, 12-2). Tip-off is slated for 6:05 p.m. (CST) at Mackey Arena. Thursday will be Purdue’s final regular season home game. Purdue’s Mackey Arena is one of eight first and second host sites for the 2007 NCAA Tournament.
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.
Iowa History ? Iowa has played 935 games since beginning basketball in 1974. Overall, Iowa’s record is 567-368 (.606). That includes a 282-140 (.668) mark in Big Ten games and a 258-78 (.768) record in Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
Scouting #15 Purdue ? Purdue has won nine of its last 11 games and currently sits tied with Michigan State for second place in the Big Ten standings. The Boilermakers lost two of their last three home contests, falling to nationally-ranked Ohio State (64-55) and Michigan State (54-52), but topping Illinois (69-57).
Purdue won its last game Sunday at Wisconsin (69-60). Kate Gearlds, who was named Big Ten co-Player of the Week, dropped a school-record 41 points and grabbed a game-high nine rebounds in the winning effort. The senior was 13-20 from the field and 12-13 from the foul line. As a team, the Boilermakers made 57 percent (25-44) of their field goals, compared to only 40 percent (25-62) by the Badgers.
Purdue is tops in Big Ten scoring defense (52.7), field goal percentage defense (.337), turnover margin (+2.89) and steals (10.18) and second in scoring offense (69.4), scoring margin (+16.8), 3-point field goal percentage (.370), 3-point field goal percentage defense (.284) and blocked shots (5.68).
Gearlds ranks third in league scoring (17.7), first in free throw percentage (.879) and minutes played (37) and second in 3-pointers made (2.25). Junior Lindsay Wisdom-Hylton ranks fifth in scoring (14.5), second in blocks (3.21) and fourth in rebounding (8.1). Freshman FahKara Malone ranks sixth in assists (3.86).
Purdue is coached by Sharon Versyp, in is her first season (23-5, .821) as the Boilermakers head coach and seventh (140-70, .667) as a collegiate head coach. Versyp was the head coach at Indiana last year before moving to Purdue, her alma mater (1989).
RPI Ratings ? Iowa ranks 83rd, while Purdue ranks seventh in the RPI rankings published on February 12, on collegerpi.com/women. Iowa’s strength of schedule ranks 32nd, while Purdue’s ranks fourth. Currently, the Big Ten is the fourth rated conference behind the SEC, Big XII and ACC.
Iowa vs. Ranked Teams ? Thursday will be Iowa’s sixth game against a ranked opponent. Iowa has recorded at least one victory over a ranked opponent in each of Coach Bluder’s first six years on the Hawkeye sidelines. Iowa has lost five games to ranked opponents this season (No. 5 and No. 7 Ohio State, No. 10 Purdue, No. 20 Michigan State and No. 21 Michigan State). These are Iowa’s most recent wins vs. nationally ranked opponents:
At Home: 77-71 (OT) over 8th-ranked Purdue, 2/2/06On the Road: 78-67 over 18th-ranked Michigan State, 2/1/04Neutral Court: 54-47 over 21st-ranked Oklahoma, 11/27/04
All-Time Series Record ? Thursday will be the 51st meeting between Iowa and Purdue, with the Boilermakers leading the series 27-23. Purdue holds a 13-9 advantage in games played in West Lafayette.
Purdue has won eight of the last nine contests against the Hawkeyes, with the lone Iowa victory coming on Feb. 2, 2006, in a thrilling 77-71 overtime game. The Boilermakers defeated the Hawkeyes earlier this season (68-58) on Jan. 3, 2007 in Iowa City.
Iowa, Purdue Notes ? Iowa ranks second in the country in 3-point field goal percentage, fourth in free throw percentage and 31st in assists per game. Kristi Smith ranks 29th in free throw percentage and Megan Skouby ranks 31st in foul shooting and Wendy Ausdemore ranks 16th in 3-point field goal percentage.
? Wendy Ausdemore has made two or more 3-pointers 18 times this season, including in 11-of-14 Big Ten contests. Additionally, Kristi Smith has drained at least one triple in 12 of the last 13 games.
? Iowa is 101-12 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 12-0 when having a higher field goal percentage, 11-3 when opponents shoot less than 40 percent from 3-point range this season. The Hawkeyes are also 11-3 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 620 career rebounds and ranks 11th in Iowa career rebounding. She is 33 rebounds from tying Shanda Berry (653) and cracking the top ten.
? Kristi Smith ranks third in Iowa’s single-season sophomore rankings for 3-pointers made with 41. Classmate Wendy Ausdemore ranks second with 55.
? Iowa is 6-1 in games played on February 22.
Iowa Sets 3-Point Percentage Record ? Iowa drained seven of its eight (.875) 3-point field goal attempts in its 79-72 triumph over Penn State Sunday. The 87.5 percent shooting from behind the arc broke a Carver-Hawkeye Arena record and tied a Big Ten single-game mark. Northwestern made 7-8 (.875) against Iowa on March 2, 2000, at the Big Ten Tournament.
Iowa ranks second in the country in 3-point field goal percentage (.406).
Jensen Receives Drake Double D Award ? Iowa Associate Head Coach Jan Jensen was one of four former Drake student-athletes to receive the Drake Double D Award last Saturday in Des Moines. The award is presented annually to Drake letterwinners for achievements in their chosen field 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.
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.
Skouby Returns ? Center Megan Skouby fractured a bone in her non-shooting hand during practice on Feb. 3. The starting sophomore missed four conference games before returning to action last Sunday in a limited capacity. Skouby, who wore a soft cast on her left hand, came off the bench and collected seven points, four assists and two blocks.
Prior to the injury, she played in 51 consecutive contests, including 40 starts. Skouby ranks first in team scoring (14.1), blocked shots (34) and second in rebounding (4.9).
Last Meeting ? Purdue senior Katie Gearlds scored a game-high 27 points to help lift the 10th-ranked Boilermakers to their seventh straight victory with a 68-58 triumph over Iowa in Carver-Hawkeye Arena on Jan. 3. The loss spoiled Lisa Bluder’s 200th game as Iowa’s head coach.
Gearlds shot 9-18 from the field, including 5-8 from behind the 3-point arc, and was a perfect 4-4 from the foul line. Freshman FahKara Malone contributed 12 points and a team-high six assists, while senior Erin Lawless added 11 points and five rebounds.
Iowa went on a 9-0 run midway through the first half to grab a 21-19 advantage with 5:05 left. The Hawkeye lead was short-lived, however, as Purdue closed the half on a 13-3 run to take an eight-point lead (32-24) into intermission.
Purdue’s lead swelled to as many as 14, but Iowa’s sophomore class fought back. Lead by point guard Kristi Smith and small forward Wendy Ausdemore, the Hawkeyes clawed back to within five (61-56) after four straight points by Smith with 2:36 remaining in the game. But, the Boilermakers answered with seven consecutive points to rebulid their lead and hold on for the victory.
Smith posted career highs in points (24), field goals made (9) and attempted (14) and 3-pointers made (4). She also grabbed five rebounds and dished out a game-high seven assists and had only one turnover.
Ausdemore netted 12 points and corralled six rebounds, while sophomore Megan Skouby added 10 points in defeat.
Purdue’s half-court trap appeared to give the Hawkeyes problems as it forced 21 Hawkeye turnovers, including 14 in the first half. The Boilermakers scored 18 points off Iowa’s miscues, including 14 in the first stanza.
Iowa did record its second-largest rebounding total of the season, outrebounding Purdue by 10 (36-26). The Hawkeyes pulled down 14 offensive boards, while limiting the Boilermakers to only five.
Last Time Out ? Iowa snapped a six-game losing skid to Penn State with a 79-72 win over the Lady Lions last Sunday at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City.
The Hawkeyes broke an arena record and tied the Big Ten single-game mark for 3-point field goal percentage. Iowa made 7-8 (.875) from behind the arc, sparked by sophomore Lindsey Nyenhuis’ perfect 4-4 effort from behind the arc.
Nyenhuis finished with a career-high 13 points, while classmate Nicole VanderPol matched a career high with 15 points in only her third start of the season.
Iowa trailed by as many as nine points in the first half, but went on a 10-2 run to get back into the contest. The Hawkeyes took a two-point lead (40-38) into halftime.
A 12-2 Iowa run late in the second half, bolstered by eight points by Kristi Smith, helped build the Hawkeyes’ largest lead of eight (75-67) with 2:57 left. Smith finished the contest with a team-high 21 points.
Penn State was led by freshman Tyra Grant, who led all scorers with 33 points. Senior Amanda Brown collected her 12th double-double of the season (14 points, 11 rebounds) for the visitors.
The Black and Gold forced a season-high 25 turnovers and converted the Lady Lion errors into a season-high 29 points. Junior Krista VandeVenter was a force defensively for the Hawkeyes, collecting a game-high four steals and collecting a team-high five rebounds.
A bright spot for Iowa was the return of center Megan Skouby. The sophomore, who suffered a broken bone in her non-shooting hand 15 days prior, played limited minutes off the bench and posted seven points and four assists for the home team.
The game featured eight ties and 11 lead changes.
Final Game Notes ? The Hawkeyes now trail the Lady Lions 19-12 in the overall series. Iowa improves to 9-5 in games against Penn State in Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
? Iowa remains tied with Indiana for eighth in the Big Ten standings. The Hoosiers knocked off Illinois 81-68 in Bloomington, IN. Both Iowa and Indiana have 5-9 conference records.
? Penn State falls to 0-7 in league road contests this season. The last road win for Penn State was a 52-44 triumph over Georgetown on Dec. 17.
? Lindsey Nyenhuis scored a career-high 13 points, bolstered by 4-4 shooting from behind the 3-point arc. The four triples equaled a career high.
? Kristi Smith netted a team-high 21 points, marking the sixth time this season she eclipsed 20 points in a single-game. The Hawkeyes have had a player score 20 points or more 11 of the last 15 contests.
? Penn State freshman Tyra Grant scored 21 of her game-high 33 points in the second period. Grant became the second player this year to score over 30 points against the Hawkeyes (Minnesota’s Emily Fox tallied 30 on Jan. 25, 2007).
? The Lady Lions posted Iowa-opponent-season highs in free throws made (25) and attempted (32).
? Iowa shot better from behind the 3-point arc (.875, 7-8) than the free throw line (.667, 16-24).
? Iowa collected 11 steals, one shy of a season high.
? Iowa also equaled a season high with six blocks. Wendy Ausdemore tied a career high with three blocks. She also contributed 13 points.
? Kristi Smith made 2-3 from 3-point range Sunday. The sophomore has made 28 of her last 43 (.651) 3-point field goal attempts.
? Iowa improves to 12-0 when having a higher field goal percentage than its opponents. The Hawkeyes shot 53 percent (28-53) compared to Penn State’s 43 percent (21-49).
Hawkeyes Approaching Big Ten Record ? Iowa is quietly approaching a Big Ten single-season record. The Hawkeyes are currently shooting at a .784 (420-536) clip at the free throw line, which ranks fourth nationally. The Big Ten Conference single-season record is .783 (390-498) established by Michigan State in 2002-03.
Iowa’s 2003-04 team (.769) and 2005-06 squad (.760) currently rank fifth and seventh, respectively, in Big Ten single-season free throw percentage rankings.
Coming on Strong! ? Wendy Ausdemore has been terrific in Iowa’s last three contests, posting career numbers. The sophomore poured in a career-high 27 points on 9-15 shooting from the field, including 3-6 from 3-point range, and a perfect 6-6 from the free throw line at Wisconsin on Feb. 11. Four days later, Ausdemore bested her career highs by netting 29 points on 9-16 shooting from the field, including 3-5 from behind the arc, and a perfect 8-8 from the foul line vs. Illinois. In Iowa’s last outing vs. Penn State, she tied a career high with three blocks to go along with 13 points.
Ausdemore’s offensive explosion has vaulted her to seventh in Big Ten Conference scoring (15.3). The native of Neola, IA, also ranks first in league free throw percentage (.971, 33-34) and second in 3-pointers made (2.36) and 3-point field goal percentage (.508, 33-65).
Tough Sledding ? Winning on the road has been a difficult task for teams during the Big Ten Conference season. Not including the top three teams (Ohio State, Michigan State and Purdue) in the league, Iowa and Illinois have the highest number of road victories with three, followed by Wisconsin (2), Minnesota (2) and Indiana (1). Penn State, Michigan and Northwestern have not yet recorded a Big Ten road win 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 28 in only 43 attempts (.651) in the last 13 contests — she made all four attempts from behind the arc vs. Michigan on Feb. 8. Smith ranks first in 3-point field goal percentage (.596) and fifth in 3-pointers made (2.0) in conference games.
For the season, her 3-point field goal percentage (.513, 41-80) 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 .856 (95-111) ranks fourth-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 192 assists so far her first two seasons, 82 her freshman year and 110 this year. The native of Thornton, CO, scored 206 points her freshman campaign and 358 so far this season for a total of 564.
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 amass more than 100 assists and 300 points in a single-season.
The feat has been accomplished 10 times by six players throughout their respective careers. Listed below are the players and the year the achievement was accomplished:
Player (Year) StatisticsKristi Smith (2006-07) 358 points and 110 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.
No Sophomore Slump ? Wendy Ausdemore, Kristi Smith and Megan Skouby have cracked the top-five in sophomore records for 3-pointers made, assists and blocks, respectively.
Ausdemore’s 55 triples rank second among sophomores. She needs only five to tie record-holder Lindsey Meder’s mark of 60 established in 1999-2000.
Smith’s 110 assists rank her third amongst Hawkeye sophomores. The record is 153 shared by Cara Consuegra (1998-99) and April Calhoun (2002-03).
Skouby’s 34 rejections rank third. She is six blocks from tying Toni Foster (1990-91) for second place. Tangela Smith (1996-97) is the record holder with 69. Furthermore, Skouby has 81 career blocks, which rank eighth-best in Iowa career annals. She needs only one 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).
Inside-Outside Threat ? Wendy Ausdemore can score both inside and outside the 3-point arc. The 6-2 sophomore has made 69-143 (.483) of her two-point attempts and 55-132 (.417) from behind the 3-point arc.
Double Trouble ? Sophomores Wendy Ausdemore and Kristi Smith really raised their level of play during conference season. In conference games only stats, Ausdemore ranks first in free throw percentage (.971), second in 3-point field goal percentage (.508) and 3-pointers made (2.36), seventh in scoring (15.3) and eighth in field goal percentage (.497). Smith ranks first in 3-point field goal percentage (.596), fourth in assists (4.57) and 3-pointers made (2.0), fifth in assist/turnover ratio (1.49), sixth in free throw percentage (.860), eighth in scoring (14.6) and 15th in field goal percentage (.429).
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 five times, Megan Skouby three times, Krista VandeVenter twice and Stacy Schlapkohl each once. The Hawkeyes have had a player score 20 points or more 11 of the last 15 games.
Smith Leads ? Kristi Smith has done a great job leading the Hawkeye offense as point guard. Smith ranks second in team scoring (13.3) and first in assists (110) and free throws made (95).
Smith has led the team in scoring ten times, including scoring 20-plus points a team-best six times, led the team in steals 14 times and assists 11 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 (.596), fourth in assists (4.57) and 3-pointers made (2.0), fifth in minutes played (35.64) and assist/turnover ratio (1.49), sixth in free throw percentage (.860), eighth in scoring (14.6) and 15th in field goal percentage (.429).
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 6-8 in home contests this year. Iowa concludes the regular season with one game on the road and one at home.
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 75.0 percent (210-280) at home. Iowa averages 7.0 more points per game, 4.4 more assists and 2.2 more rebounds at home than on the road. Here are the home and away comparisons:
FG% 3-PT% FT% REB AST TO PTSHome .436 .415 .750 36.5 18.1 16.5 71.0Away .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 7.1 percent better from the field, including 5.7 percent better from 3-point range, in their victories. Iowa averages 5.9 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 .463 .438 .777 38.5 17.8 16.3 73.1Losses .392 .381 .791 32.6 14.4 17.8 62.6
Freebies ? Iowa has made free throws when it counted — in the last five minutes of games. The Hawkeyes are 113-141 (.801) in the last five minutes, 52-70 (.743) under two minutes and 50-64 (.781) under a minute to play.
Iowa has made 420-536 from the foul line this year. The Hawkeyes’ 78.4 percent shooting from the free throw line is tops in the Big Ten and fourth nationally. Iowa opponents are only 350-497 (.704) 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.
Behind the Arc ? Iowa is the only Big Ten team with three players who have drained over 30 triples this season, Wendy Ausdemore (55), Kristi Smith (41) and Lindsey Nyenhuis (34) — all of whom are sophomores.
As a team, Iowa ranks fourth in Big Ten 3-pointers made (5.11).
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 15 games. Graham corralled a career-high 14 rebounds against Indiana State and Louisiana Tech.
Graham averages 4.8 points, 8.0 rebounds and 3.11 assists. The native of Bolingbrook, IL, ranks fifth in Big Ten rebounding (8.0). The junior also ranks second in Big Ten assist/turnover ratio (1.56). 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 (.784) and 3-point field goal percentage (.406), third in assist/turnover ratio (0.94), assists (16.00) and fourth in 3-pointers made (5.11). Individually, Jenee Graham ranks second in assist/turnover ratio (1.56) and fifth in rebounding (8.0). Wendy Ausdemore ranks third in 3-point field goal percentage (.417) and 3-pointers made (2.04). Megan Skouby ranks third in free throw percentage (.855), seventh in blocks (1.48) and eighth in scoring (14.1). Kristi Smith ranks first in 3-point field goal percentage (.513), second in free throw percentage (.856), fourth in assists (4.07), seventh in assist/turnover ratio (1.25), 10th in 3-pointers made (1.52), 13th in scoring (13.3).
Attendance Rankings ? Iowa ranks 26th nationally in attendance, averaging 4,246 fans. Iowa has ranked in the top-25 fifteen of the last 17 seasons. Purdue ranks eighth in the country, averaging 7,556 fans.
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 54-131 (.412) 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 2007. She coached in her 700th career game and 200th on the Iowa sidelines, both during conference play. The Marion, IA, native has coached in 709 career games (482-227, .680) and 211 contests (126-85, .597) 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).
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.
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).
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 return Sunday home to host Wisconsin in the regular season finale. Tip-off is slated for 2:05 p.m. at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.