Feb. 26, 2007
Iowa Big Ten Tournament Media Guide in PDF Format
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Big Ten Tournament Bracket in PDF Format
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The Setting ? Eighth-seeded Iowa (14-15, 6-10) will meet No. 9 seed Indiana (17-12, 6-10) Thursday at 7 p.m. (CST) in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament presented by Xbox 360 at Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, IN. Both Iowa and Indiana won two of its last three regular season games.
The winner will advance to face top-seeded Ohio State (26-2, 15-1) in the quarterfinals Friday (5 p.m., CST). Iowa defeated Indiana 71-67 on Jan.11, 2007, in Bloomington, IN, in the only regular season meeting between the two teams.
Iowa has reached the Big Ten Tournament semifinals five times and captured the tournament title in 1997 and 2001. The Hoosiers have reached the semifinals three times, including capturing the tournament title once (2002). Indiana is 5-4 in first round contests, while Iowa is 3-2. Ohio State is the defending tournament champion after topping Purdue (63-60) last year.
Big Ten Tournament Presented by Xbox 360 Ticket Information ? Fans can purchase tickets at the Conseco Fieldhouse box office. Single game tickets range from $12-$16. An all-session ticket (10 games) is $65. Fans interested in sitting in the Iowa section can call the UI Ticket Office at 1-800-IA-HAWKS.
On the Tube ? All tournament games leading up to the championship game will be televised live to a regional cable audience on Comcast SportsNet Chicago. Dave Eanet, Suzie McConnell Serio and Chris Boden will call the action. The championship contest will air on ESPN2.
On the Radio ? Brent Balbinot and Shelley Till will call the action for the Hawkeye Radio Network. Hawkeye fans can listen to Iowa’s Big Ten Tournament games 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 937 games since beginning basketball in 1974. Overall, Iowa’s record is 568-369 (.606). That includes a 283-141 (.667) mark in Big Ten games and a 259-78 (.769) record in Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
Iowa Big Ten Tournament History ? The Hawkeyes won their second Big Ten Tournament title in dramatic fashion six years ago when they upset the defending tournament champion Purdue Boilermakers (75-70) in Grand Rapids, MI. Iowa holds an overall record of 12-10 in Big Ten Tournaments. Iowa and Indiana have played each other three times in Big Ten Tournament history, twice in the quarterfinals and once in the semifinals. Iowa bounced Indiana 87-53 in the 1997 semifinals and 81-76 in the 2001 quarterfinals, but lost 78-76 (OT) in the 2002 quarterfinals.
This marks the second time Iowa has garnered a No. 8 seed. No. 8 Iowa lost to No. 9 Northwestern, 75-71, in 1999. The No. 8 seed has posted an 8-12 overall record in tournament play. Furthermore, the No. 8 seed is 7-5 in games against the No. 9 seed. The No. 8 seed is only 1-6 in contests against the No. 1 seed, with that lone victory coming by Indiana in a 61-54 upset over top-seeded Purdue in the 1997 quarterfinals.
Series Records at Big Ten Tournament ? The Hawkeyes are 3-0 against Illinois (1996, 1997 and 2001); 2-1 vs. Indiana (1997, 2001 and 2002); 2-0 against Minnesota (1995 and 2003); 1-0 vs. Ohio State (1998) and Michigan (2005); 2-2 vs. Northwestern (1997, 1999, 2000 and 2003); and 1-3 vs. Purdue (1996, 1998, 2001 and 2003); 0-1 against Wisconsin (1982); 0-2 vs. Penn State (1995 and 2005) and Michigan State (2004 and 2006).
Iowa Travel and Practice Schedule ? The Hawkeyes will depart for the Big Ten Tournament Wednesday afternoon following an early afternoon practice in Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Iowa and Purdue will be housed in the Hilton Indianapolis located on 120 West Market Street. Iowa will have its shoot around from 12-12:30 p.m. (EST) Thursday. All shoot arounds are closed to the media. If Iowa advances to Sunday’s semifinals, a press opportunity with the four remaining coaches and selected players will take place at the Indianapolis Artsgarden from 2:30-4 p.m. (EST). The second annual “Talk of the Town” is open to both the media and public. The event is located next to the Circle Centre Mall food court.
Big Ten Tournament History ? This year marks the 13th time that the Big Ten Conference will be hosting a conference tournament. This will be the seventh year that Conseco Fieldhouse will host the Big Ten Tournament. Five year’s ago, the tournament was held in Grand Rapids, MI, which was a first for the conference tournament. Prior to the 2001 tournament, the seven other tournaments were held in Indianapolis, IN. Only six teams have won the conference tournament. Purdue has won the most with five, followed by Iowa and Penn State with two. Ohio State, Michigan State and Indiana have each won one. The Boilermakers boast the best winning percentage (.759) in the tournament, while the Hawkeyes rank fourth (.545). The lowest seed to capture a tournament title was fifth-seeded Indiana in 2002 and the top seed has won the tournament only once since 2000 (Ohio State in 2006).
A record-setting attendance total of nearly 39,000 watched in 2006 as the Buckeyes captured its first title.
Iowa Holds Tournament Records ? Iowa holds Big Ten Tournament records for field goals in a single-game (37), free throw percentage in a single-game (1.000, 13-13), fewest turnovers in a single-game (5) and average points per game (80.7).
All-Time Series Record ? Thursday will be the 51st meeting between Iowa and Indiana, with the Hawkeyes leading the series 37-13. Iowa is 3-1 in games played against Indiana on a neutral floor.
The Hawkeyes have won six of the last seven in the series, including three of the last four at Assembly Hall. Iowa defeated Indiana 71-67 on Jan. 11, at Bloomington, IN, in the only regular season meeting between the two teams this season.
Scouting Indiana ? Indiana advanced to the semifinals of last year’s conference tournament as the No. 6 seed. The Hoosiers collected wins over 11th-seeded Michigan (68-52) and No. 3 Minnesota (61-46), before falling to second-seeded Purdue (67-41).
Indiana finished the 2007 regular season winning its last four home games, but losing its last three road contests. The Hoosiers were 11-3 at Assembly Hall and 6-9 in games away from Bloomington.
Junior Nikki Smith and senior Sarah McKay pace the Hoosiers. Smith ranks first in team scoring (12.2), 3-pointers made (61), attempted (174) and percentage (.351) and free throws made (81) and percentage (.794). McKay ranks second in team scoring (11.4) and rebounding (5.6) and first in blocks (52).
As a team, Indiana ranks first in Big Ten 3-pointers made (5.83), second in turnover margin (+1.93) and steals (10.0) and fourth in offensive rebounding (13.31).
Indiana went 11-2 in non-conference play, including big road wins by the same score of 54-51 at 15th-ranked Kentucky and Notre Dame. Both Iowa and Indiana defeated Kansas this season by nearly the same score; the Hawkeyes downed the Jayhawks 63-49, while the Hoosiers won 63-48.
Indiana is coached by Felisha Legette-Jack, who is her first season (17-12, .586) as the Hoosiers’ head coach and her sixth (71-75, .486) as a collegiate head coach.
RPI Ratings ? Iowa ranks 78th, while Indiana is 59th in the RPI rankings published on February 26, on collegerpi.com/women. Iowa’s strength of schedule ranks 24th, while Indiana’s 40th. Currently, the Big Ten is the fourth rated conference behind the SEC, Big XII and ACC.
Iowa, Indiana Notes ? Iowa recorded its largest comeback in school history, erasing a 19-point second-half deficit to bounce seventh-seeded Indiana, 81-76, in the 2001 Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals at Grand Rapids, MI. The Hawkeyes ultimately won the tournament.
? Iowa is 6-5 in Big Ten Tournament contests under seventh-year Head Coach Lisa Bluder. The Hawkeyes are 3-5 in tournament games played at Conseco Fieldhouse the last five years.
? Iowa finished with a 6-10 league mark for the second time under Coach Bluder (2002-03). Iowa and Illinois had the toughest schedule amongst Big Ten teams, having to play the top-three ranked teams twice each. If Iowa would have defeated Illinois, there would have been a five-way tie for fourth.
? Iowa’s five-member sophomore class is responsible for 69 percent of its offense (1,375 of 1,981 points).
? Indiana senior Sarah McKay is one of only two Big Ten women’s basketball players who stand taller than Iowa’s 6-6 sophomore Megan Skouby. McKay stands 6-7, while Michigan State freshman Alyssa DeHaan is 6-9.
? Indiana has attempted 146 more 3-pointers than Iowa. The Hoosiers sank 169-519 (.326), compared to only 153-372 (.411) for the Hawkeyes.
? 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 28th in free throw percentage and Megan Skouby ranks 32nd in foul shooting and Wendy Ausdemore ranks 18th in 3-point field goal percentage and 94th in triples made.
? Kristi Smith eclipsed 200 career assists with her six dimes vs. Wisconsin in the regular season finale. Smith is sitting on 599 career points.
? Iowa’s current free throw percentage (.788, 456-579) and 3-point field goal percentage (.411, 153-372) both rank first in Iowa single-season history. Furthermore, the Hawkeyes rank second in the country in 3-point field goal percentage and fourth in free throw percentage this season.
? Indiana ranked first in 3-pointers made (6.06), while Iowa ranked second (5.94), during Big Ten play.
? Iowa pulled down a season-high 46 rebounds at Indiana on Jan. 11. Additionally, junior Krista VandeVenter cleared a career-high 15 rebounds in the victory at Assembly Hall.
? Wendy Ausdemore has made two or more 3-pointers 19 times this season, including in 12-of-16 Big Ten contests. Additionally, Ausdemore has made at least one trey in 16 consecutive games. Kristi Smith has drained at least one triple in 14 of the last 15 games.
? Iowa’s 103-point outburst vs. Wisconsin marked the first time a Big Ten team totaled over 100 points since Michigan State overwhelmed Northwestern 101-40 on Feb. 3, 2005.
? Iowa is 102-12 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 13-0 when having a higher field goal percentage, 11-4 when opponents shoot less than 40 percent from 3-point range this season. The Hawkeyes are also 12-3 when having more assists.
? The Hawkeyes have lost all six of its games against ranked opponents this season (No. 5 and No. 7 Ohio State, No. 10 and No. 15 Purdue, No. 20 and No. 21 Michigan State).
? Krista VandeVenter has grabbed 627 career rebounds and ranks 11th in Iowa career rebounding. She is 26 rebounds from tying Shanda Berry (653) and cracking the top ten.
? Iowa is 4-4 in games played on March 1, 5-3 in contests played on March 2 and March 4 and 1-2 in games competed on March 5.
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.
Tough Sledding ? Winning on the road was 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 had the highest number of road victories with three, followed by Wisconsin (2), Minnesota (2) and Indiana (1). Penn State, Michigan and Northwestern finished conference play winless on the road.
Last Meeting ? Iowa’s Kristi Smith and Wendy Ausdemore combined to make all six of their free throw attempts in the final seconds to propel the Hawkeyes to another come-from-behind road victory in the Big Ten, 71-67 at Indiana. Lisa Bluder and the Hawkeyes collected the win in her 700th career game as a head coach.
Trailing 55-46 with eight minutes remaining, the Hawkeyes staged another furious second-half comeback. Iowa outscored Indiana 25-12 the final eight minutes to come away with its fourth consecutive road win.
The Hawkeyes had four players score in double figures en route to victory. Ausdemore led all scorers with 22. Sophomore Megan Skouby netted 14 of her 15 points in the second half, while Smith tallied 14 points, with four of her points coming at the foul line in the final seconds to help seal the victory.
Leading by only one (65-64), Smith drained two free throws, in a one-and-one situation, with 19 seconds remaining to give Iowa a three-point advantage (67-64). After a timeout, Smith stole the inbounds pass and then drained another pair of free throws to give the Hawkeyes a five-point lead (69-64) with 17 seconds left. Ausdemore made two additional foul shots in the final seconds. Indiana made an insignificant 3-pointer at the buzzer to make the final score, 71-67.
Iowa missed 10 straight field goal attempts, failing to score for eight and a half minutes spanning halves. Indiana took advantage of the Hawkeyes’ scoring drought, closing the first half on a 16-3 run to claim an eight-point halftime advantage (34-26).
The Hoosiers also had four players in double figures, led by Sarah McKay. The senior posted a double-double (17 points, 10 rebounds) and blocked a game-high five shots. Jamie Braun contributed 12 points, Kim Roberson tallied 11 points and Nikki Smith added 10.
Iowa shot 83 percent (19-23) at the foul line, compared to Indiana’s 59 percent (13-22). Additionally, the Hawkeyes outrebounded the Hoosiers by nine (46-37). Helping Iowa clear a season-high 46 rebounds was junior Krista VandeVenter and Skouby. VandeVenter pulled down a career-high 15 rebounds, while Skouby equaled a career best with nine boards.
Last Time Out ? Five Hawkeyes scored in double figures as Iowa outlasted Wisconsin, 103-93 at Carver-Hawkeye Arena last Sunday.
The 103-point outburst by Iowa is the second-highest scoring output in school history and is an arena record. The Hawkeyes reached the century mark for the first time in 18 years and only the fifth time in school history.
Sophomores Wendy Ausdemore, Kristi Smith and Nicole VanderPol combined for 65 of the 103 points. Ausdemore and Smith shared team high honors with 24 points, while VanderPol netted a career-high 17 points and hauled in a career-high eight rebounds in only her fourth start of the year.
Ausdemore drained four consecutive 3-pointers the first 5:07 of the second half to fuel the Hawkeye offense. In fact, the sophomore finished the contest 6-8 from behind the arc. The six treys is an arena record by an Iowa player.
Smith tallied 11 of her 24 points from the foul line.
The Black and Gold led by as many as 18 points and led by double digits for most of the second half. The Badgers were able to cut the deficit to seven (90-83) with 4:25 left, but Iowa was able to hold on for the victory.
Wisconsin was led by Jolene Anderson and Mariah Dunham. Anderson led all scorers with 26 points, while Dunham chipped in with 25. Both shared team high honors with seven rebounds.
Iowa and Wisconsin combined for 72 free throw attempts and both made the most of their attempts. The Hawkeyes made their first 17 attempts and concluded the game shooting 81.6 percent (31-38). The Badgers shot at a 85.3 percent clip (29-34). Fifty-two fouls were called in the contest, 35 of which came in the second period.
Final Game Notes ? Iowa improved to 31-20 in games against Wisconsin, including a 19-8 edge in contests played in Iowa City.
? Iowa and Wisconsin combined for 196 points, which is the highest scoring game in Iowa school history, besting 195 points in Iowa State’s 101-94 double overtime victory over Iowa on December 3, 2003.
? Iowa’s 103 points is the second highest scoring output in school history and is an Iowa record in Carver-Hawkeye Arena (Penn State scored 110 vs. Howard on Nov. 26, 1989 in the Hawkeye Classic). The Hawkeyes posted 106 points twice before; first in a 106-61 triumph over Northern Iowa in Nov. 27, 1978 and again in a 106-81 victory over North Carolina on Dec. 29, 1989.
? The 103 points is a season high for a Big Ten team, besting 98 points scored by Indiana (vs. Dayton) and Ohio State (vs. Alabama A&M).
? Iowa converted 31-38 from the charity stripe. The Hawkeyes, who rank fourth in the country in free throw percentage, has shot at above 80 percent from the charity stripe 13 times this season. Both free throws made and attempted numbers by Iowa rank second in school and Carver-Hawkeye Arena history. The Hawkeyes were 38-43 (.884) from the foul line vs. Indiana State on Nov. 15, 2006, earlier this season.
? Iowa scored 56 second-half points, an arena record. The previous best was 55 established vs. Western Illinois (11/25/00) and Illinois (1/1/06).
? Wendy Ausdemore drained six 3-pointers, shooting at a .750-clip (6-8). The six triples are a new arena record by an Iowa player, besting a mark established 11 times before, including once by Ausdemore. The sophomore made five treys vs. Quinnipiac on Nov. 17, 2006, earlier this season. She was only one trey shy of the school record set by Lindsey Meder, also against Wisconsin. Meder sank seven triples at Wisconsin on Dec. 31, 2000.
? Wendy Ausdemore netted 24 points, shooting 6-10 from the field, including 6-8 from 3-point range, and a perfect 6-6 from the free throw line. Ausdemore scored a combined 54 points in two games against Wisconsin this season. On Feb. 11, Ausdemore poured in 27 against the Badgers.
? Kristi Smith scored 24 points, one shy of a career high. The native of Thornton, CO, was 6-9 from the field, including 1-1 from behind the arc, and 11-13 from the foul line. The 11 free throws made, equals a career high, while the 13 attempts is a career best. Smith also collected a game-high four steals and a team-high six assists.
? Iowa, a team that ranks second nationally in 3-point field goal percentage shot at a 61.5 percent clip, draining 8-13, bolstered by 6-8 from sophomore Wendy Ausdemore.
Trio ? Three Hawkeyes have had great finishes to the regular season campaign. Wendy Ausdemore averaged 19.6 points and 4.4 rebounds the last five games, Nicole VanderPol averaged 11.4 points and 4.6 rebounds the last five games and Kristi Smith averaged 15.8 points and 5.2 assists the last six contests.
Raining Threes ? Iowa finished the season on fire from behind the 3-point arc. The Hawkeyes sank 48-93 (.516) from 3-point range the last seven games of the regular season. For the season, Iowa ranks second in the nation, making 153-372 (.411). Iowa’s 41.1 percent shooting behind the arc ranks second in Big Ten single-season history. Northwestern converted 41.8 percent (132-316) in 1991-92.
Iowa is the only Big Ten team who has three student-athletes make 35 or more treys (Wendy Ausdemore, 62; Kristi Smith, 45; Lindsey Nyenhuis, 37). Ausdemore has made 14 of her last 24 (.583) 3-point attempts, while Smith has made 32 of her last 50 (.640).
Iowa was 7-8 (.875) from 3-point range in its 79-72 triumph over Penn State on Feb. 18. 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.
Wendy Ausdemore is Iowa’s single-season leader in sophomore 3-pointers made, eclipsing Lindsey Meder’s mark of 60 set during the 1999-2000 campaign. Ausdemore’s six triples in the regular season finale vs. Wisconsin raised her season total to 62. The 62 treys rank third in a single-season at Iowa. Lindsey Meder drained a school-record 84 in 2001-02 and 68 in 2000-01. Kristi Smith (45) and Lindsey Nyenhuis (37) rank third and fourth, respectively, in Iowa’s single-season sophomore rankings for 3-pointers made.
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 in a limited capacity on Feb. 18. Skouby, who wears a soft cast on her left hand, came off the bench and collected seven points, four assists and two blocks vs. Penn State. The 6-6 center, started her first game since the injury at 15th-ranked Purdue on Feb. 22 and played 21 minutes, scoring six points. Skouby played only 11 minutes, off the bench, in the regular season finale vs. Wisconsin, scoring seven points.
Prior to the injury, she played in 51 consecutive contests, including 40 starts. Skouby ranks second in team scoring (13.5), first in blocked shots (36) and third in rebounding (4.6).
Hawkeyes Approaching Big Ten Record ? Iowa is approaching a Big Ten single-season record. The Hawkeyes are currently shooting at a .788 (456-579) 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.
The Hawkeyes will shatter the previous single-season school record of .769 (433-563) set during the 2003-04 season.
Inside-Outside Threat ? Wendy Ausdemore can score both inside and outside the 3-point arc. The 6-2 sophomore has made 70-148 (.473) of her two-point attempts and 62-144 (.431) from behind the 3-point arc.
Smith Lighting it Up Behind the Arc ? Kristi Smith has been shooting lights-out from 3-point range. Smith sank 13 triples in Iowa’s first 14 games, but since has drained 32 in only 50 attempts (.640) in the last 15 contests — she made all four attempts from behind the arc vs. Michigan on Feb. 8. Smith ranks first in 3-point field goal percentage (.593) and fourth in treys made (2.0) in league games.
For the season, her 3-point field goal percentage (.517, 45-87) 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 .857 (108-126) ranks fourth-best in Iowa single-season history.
Coming on Strong! ? Wendy Ausdemore has been terrific down the stretch, 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 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 win vs. Penn State, she tied a career high with three blocks to go along with 13 points. At 15th-ranked Purdue, she cleared a team-high seven rebounds. Against Wisconsin, in the regular season finale, she shared team high honors, scoring 24 points, bolstered by 6-8 shooting from behind the 3-point arc.
Ausdemore’s offensive explosion has vaulted her to fifth in Big Ten Conference scoring (15.2). The native of Neola, IA, also ranks first in league free throw percentage (.975, 39-40) and second in 3-pointers made (2.5) and 3-point field goal percentage (.519, 40-77).
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 seven times, Wendy Ausdemore six times, Megan Skouby three times, Krista VandeVenter twice and Stacy Schlapkohl once. The Hawkeyes have had a player score 20 points or more 12 of the last 17 games.
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).
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.
Smith Joining Iowa Point Guard Elite ? Kristi Smith’s numbers resemble a previous Hawkeye point guard who was an honorable mention all-American honoree, Cara Consuegra.
Smith has amassed 203 assists so far her first two seasons, 82 her freshman year and 121 this year. The native of Thornton, CO, scored 206 points her freshman campaign and 393 this season for a total of 599.
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 375 points in a single-season. She has 393 points and 121 assists in 2006-07.
The feat has been accomplished only six times by four players throughout their respective careers. Listed below are the players and the year the achievement was accomplished:
Player (Year) StatisticsKristi Smith (2006-07) 393 points and 121 assistsCara Consuegra (1999-00) 394 points and 138 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/pre%3E%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%3Cstrong%3ENo%20Sophomore%20Slump%20?%3C/strong%3E%20%3Ca%20href="/roster.aspx?rp_id=3340" class="imported_story_link" oldlink="/sports/w-baskbl/mtt/ausdemore_wendy00.html">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 62 triples rank first among sophomores, besting previous record-holder Lindsey Meder (60).
Smith’s 121 assists rank her third among Hawkeye sophomores. The record is 153 shared by Cara Consuegra (1998-99) and April Calhoun (2002-03).
Skouby’s 36 rejections rank third. She is four blocks from tying Toni Foster (1990-91) for second place. Tangela Smith (1996-97) is the record holder with 69. Furthermore, Skouby has 83 career blocks, which tie Lisa Becker (1983-87) for sixth-best in Iowa career annals. She needs only three more to equal Cathy Marx’s (1990-94) total of 86 for fifth place.
Double Trouble ? Sophomores Wendy Ausdemore and Kristi Smith really raised their level of play during conference season. In conference games only stats, Ausdemore ranked first in free throw percentage (.975), second in 3-point field goal percentage (.519) and 3-pointers made (2.5), fifth in scoring (15.2), seventh in field goal percentage (.494) and 13th in minutes played (33.38). Smith ranked first in 3-point field goal percentage (.593), second in assists (4.69), fourth in minutes played (35.62) and assist/turnover ratio (1.44), fifth in 3-pointers made (2.0) and free throw percentage (.862), seventh in scoring (15.0) and 13th in field goal percentage (.439).
Attendance Rankings ? Iowa ranks 26th nationally in attendance, averaging 4,132 fans. Iowa has ranked in the top-25, 15 of the last 17 seasons.
Freebies ? Iowa has made free throws when it counted — in the last five minutes of games. The Hawkeyes are 118-149 (.792) in the last five minutes, 56-76 (.737) under two minutes and 51-66 (.773) under a minute to play. Iowa made all six of its free throw attempts in the final 20 seconds, leading by single digits, at Indiana on Jan. 11.
Iowa has made 456-579 from the foul line this year. The Hawkeyes’ 78.8 percent shooting from the free throw line is tops in the Big Ten and fourth nationally. Iowa opponents are only 392-549 (.714) 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.
Wendy Ausdemore missed only one attempt (39-40) during the 16-game conference season. Her .975 free throw percentage ranks second-best in league play history behind Indiana’s Cyndi Valentin (.977, 42-43), who established the record during the 2004 season.
Smith Leads ? Kristi Smith has done a great job leading the Hawkeye offense as point guard. Smith ranks first in team scoring (13.6), assists (121) and free throws made (97) and attempted (126.
Smith has led the team in scoring 12 times, including scoring 20-plus points a team-best seven times, led the team in steals 16 times and assists 13 times.
The native of Thornton, CO, was on fire during conference play. She ranked high in eight statistical categories in league games only rankings: first in 3-point field goal percentage (.593), second in assists (4.69), fourth in minutes played (35.62) and assist/turnover ratio (1.44), fifth in 3-pointers made (2.0) and free throw percentage (.862), seventh in scoring (15.0) and 13th in field goal percentage (.439).
Home, Away Comparisons ? Iowa has a higher free throw percentage on the road than at home. The Hawkeyes have converted 82.4 percent (215-261) of its road foul shots, compared to 75.8 percent (241-318) at home. Iowa averages 10.0 more points per game, 4.8 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 .443 .429 .758 36.1 18.5 16.1 73.1Away .415 .392 .824 33.9 13.7 18.4 63.1
Wins, Losses Comparisons ? There are big differentials in the stats between Iowa’s wins and losses. The Hawkeyes score an average of 13.3 more points and shoot 7.4 percent better from the field, including 8.8 percent better from 3-point range, in their victories. Iowa averages 5.5 more rebounds and 3.8 more assists in wins than losses. Here are the wins and losses comparisons:
FG% 3-PT% FT% REB AST TO PTSWins .468 .468 .782 37.9 18.1 15.9 75.2Losses .394 .380 .795 32.4 14.3 18.4 61.9
Iowa vs. Ranked Teams ? Iowa is 0-6 against ranked opponents this season. Iowa 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 and No. 15 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
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 5.1 points, 7.8 rebounds and 3.1 assists. The native of Bolingbrook, IL, ranks fourth in Big Ten rebounding (7.8). The junior also ranks second in Big Ten assist/turnover ratio (1.53). Graham equaled a career high with seven assists and no turnover vs. Michigan on Feb. 8. Graham has dished out four dimes or more 14 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.
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.
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.
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.
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 711 career games (483-228, .679) and 213 contests (127-86, .596) on the Hawkeye sidelines. 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.
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.
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 on Feb. 17 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.