Women's Basketball December 3, 2007

Hawkeyes Travel to Iowa State

Dec. 3, 2007

THE SETTING
The Iowa Hawkeyes (5-2) play its final non-conference road game Wednesday when it travels to Ames to challenge the Iowa State Cyclones (4-1). Tip-off is slated for 7:05 p.m. at Hilton Coliseum. Wednesday is the seventh event of the 2007 Hy-Vee Cy-Hawk Series.

Ticket prices for Wednesday are $5 and $10 and can be purchased at the door.

HY-VEE CY-HAWK SERIES
Iowa State currently leads the fourth annual Hy-Vee Cy-Hawk Series, 10-3. The Cyclones picked up victories in football, men’s golf, volleyball and men’s cross country. Iowa was victorious in women’s cross country. Both Iowa and Iowa State earned a point after a scoreless draw in women’s soccer.

Eight points are up for grabs this week: women’s basketball (Dec. 5), women’s swimming and diving (Dec. 7), men’s basketball (Dec. 8) and wrestling (Dec. 9). All competitions will take place in Ames.

The University of Iowa captured the third Hy-Vee Cy-Hawk Series, 14-9, last season. The Hawkeyes hold a 2-1 advantage in the in-state competition against their rivals from Iowa State that began in 2005.

ON TUBE
Wednesday’s game will be televised live in Iowa on Medicom Connections. B.J. Schaben and Lyndsey Medders will call the action.

ON THE RADIO
Brent Balbinot and Shelley Till will call Wednesday’s game for the Hawkeye Radio Network. Hawkeye fans can listen to the contest on KMJM 1030-AM in Cedar Rapids and KXIC 800-AM in Iowa City. Balbinot is in his fourth season as Iowa’s play-by-play voice, while Till is in her third providing analysis.

IOWA HISTORY
Iowa has played 945 games since beginning basketball in 1974. Overall, Iowa’s record is 573-372 (.606). That includes a 283-141 (.667) mark in Big Ten games and a 262-79 (.768) record in Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

ALL-TIME SERIES
Wednesday will be the 38th meeting between Iowa and Iowa State, with the Hawkeyes leading the series 20-17. Iowa State holds a 9-6 advantage in games played in Ames.

The home team has won the five of the last six meetings. Iowa State won at Iowa last year (80-74). The Hawkeyes have lost five straight at Iowa State. Iowa’s last victory at Hilton Coliseum was in 1989 (75-55).

There have been three overtime contests played between the two teams. Iowa State owns a 2-1 advantage in the overtime games, including winning a double overtime (101-94) in Ames in 2003.

SCOUTING IOWA STATE
Iowa State captured its 500th win in its program’s history with its 76-50 triumph over Montana State Friday night at Hilton Coliseum. The Cyclones have won nine consecutive home games, dating back to last season. Additionally, the Cyclones have won 11 straight home contests against non-conference opponents.

Iowa State’s only setback this season was at Vanderbilt (62-53). The Cyclones have picked up victories against Pepperdine, Sacramento State, Michigan and Montana State.

Iowa State has three players average double figures in scoring: Nicky Wieben (15.8), Heather Ezell (13.0) and Alison Lacey (12.2). The Cyclones boast a +21.2 scoring margin and +14.0 rebounding margin. Iowa State averages 73.0 points per contest, while allowing only 51.8.

The Cyclones return 10 letterwinners from its 2006-07 NCAA Tournament team. Iowa State lost four players from last season, including two four-year starters (Lyndsey Medders and Megan Ronhovde). The Cyclones have only one senior on this year’s squad (Toccara Ross).

Iowa State is coached by Bill Fennelly, who is in his 20th year (429-173, .713) as a head coach, and his 13th season (263-120, .687) with the Cyclones.

IOWA, IOWA STATE NOTES
? Iowa is 56-27 (.675) in non-conference contests, including boasting a 34-11 (.756) mark in non-league home games, under Coach Bluder.
? Kristi Smith averages 10.5 points, Megan Skouby averages 10.0 points, Johanna Solverson averages 9.7 points and Krista VandeVenter averages 7.3 points and 8.3 rebounds in games against Iowa State.
? Five of Iowa’s first seven games were against teams it has never faced.
? Iowa is 5-0 when scoring 60 points or more, having a higher field goal and 3-point percentage than its opposition and 4-0 when securing more rebounds and assists.
? Only four points separate Kristi Smith and Wendy Ausdemore in season scoring. Smith has amassed a team-best 85 points, while Ausdemore has 81.
? Iowa’s trip to Cancun during Thanksgiving week will be its only road trip outside the state of Iowa until it travels to Ann Arbor, MI, to compete against Michigan on Dec. 30.
? Krista VandeVenter recently moved into 10th place in Iowa career rebounding (667).
? Iowa is 107-13 when leading at the half in eight years under Coach Bluder. Iowa is 87-16 when holding opponents to 69 points or less, including a 38-1 mark when opponents score 59 points or less.
? Megan Skouby (93) is only one block from matching fourth-place Jaime Cavey’s total of 94 on Iowa’s career blocks list. Johanna Solverson (847) is only four points from equaling 26th-place Lynn Kennedy’s total of 851 on the Hawkeyes’ career scoring chart and two steals from tying Tia Jackson (168) for 10th in career thefts. Wendy Ausdemore is only one trey from reaching 100 for her career. Furthermore, she is nine triples from tying Jenna Armstrong’s sixth-place mark of 108 career 3-pointers.
? Iowa has won two contests against in-state rivals (Drake and UNI). The Hawkeyes will gun for the mythical state title when it competes at Iowa State, Wednesday.

LAST MEETING
Iowa State recorded an 80-74 win at Iowa on Novwember 30, 2006. The Cyclone victory marked the first time the visiting team has won in six games.

The Hawkeyes raced out to an 11-0 lead in the first 4:30 of the game. Iowa State chipped its way back into the game and trailed by only three at the half (38-35).

The second half was a see-saw affair that saw five ties and seven lead changes. Ultimately, is was Iowa State’s hot shooting down the stretch that doomed the Hawkeyes. The Cyclones made nine of last 10 shots from the field in the last 8:30 minutes of the game to pull away. Iowa State shot 57.1 percent (16-28) from the field in the second half.

Iowa State was led by senior Lyndsey Medders, who posted game highs in points (21) and assists (8).

The Hawkeyes had five players score figures, paced by Abby Emmert. Emmert was 4-6 from the field and a perfect 6-6 from the foul line, netting a career-high 17 points. Stacy Schlapkohl and Kristi Smith each contributed 15 points, while Megan Skouby tallied 12 and Jenee Graham 10. Graham also grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds in posting her first career double-double.

The Cyclones hurt the Hawkeyes in transition, out-scoring Iowa 14-2 in fast break points.

The game also marked the first time Krista VandeVenter (shoulder) saw game action after missing the first seven games of the 2007-08 season to injury.

IOWA OVERWHELMS DETROIT, 65-42
Seven Hawkeyes tallied six points or more en route to a 65-42 victory over Detroit Sunday afternoon at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

Junior Kristi Smith netted a game-high 10 points, while reserve Nicole VanderPol secured a team-high six rebounds.

Leading by only five at half (25-20), Iowa opened the second half on a 13-2 run to build a 16-point cushion and never look back.

The Hawkeyes held Detroit to 25.9 percent (15-58) shooting from the field, including 16.9 percent (3-17) from behind the arc. Additionally, Iowa out-rebounded the Titans by 13 (44-31).

LAST OUTING TIP-INS
? After collecting 17 career blocks (all accumulated in different games), Stacy Schlapkohl finally rejected two in a game. The senior blocked a career-high two shots against the Titans.
? Freshmen Kachine Alexnader and Kelsey Cermak saw significant minutes in Sunday’s game. Alexander posted six points, two rebounds and two assists. Cermak had five points and three rebounds.
? All 12 Hawkeyes that played scored at least two points.
? Detroit became the third team (Drake and Mississippi State) this season to shoot below 20 percent from 3-point range against the Hawkeyes.
? Iowa scored a season-high 40 second-half points and allowed an opponent season-low 20 first half points against Detroit.

GRAHAM SIDELINED
Iowa will be without the services of its leading rebounder for the next 1-3 weeks. Jenee Graham suffered a broken bone in her right shooting hand in practice, Nov. 26. She is in a cast for another week and then will be re-evaulated. The senior averaged 6.8 rebounds and had 11 assists to only five turnovers through five games.

IMPROVING DEFENSE
Last season Iowa ranked last in Big Ten scoring defense (71.7) and field goal percentage defense (.447). Through seven games this year, Iowa ranks second in scoring defense (56.0) and third in field goal percentage defense (.360).

DOWNTOWN SUCCESS
Iowa has been very accurate shooting the ball behind the arc this season. The Hawkeyes rank first in the Big Ten, shooting 38.6 percent (32-83) from 3-point range. Three Hawkeyes have combined for 30 of their 32 triples (Wendy Ausdemore, 17; Kristi Smith, 7; Johanna Solverson, 6). Iowa has shot 40 percent or better from 3-point range in four of seven games this year, including a season-best 61.5 percent (8-13) against Mississippi State. Last season, Iowa ranked third nationally in 3-point shooting percentage (.402).

SHARP-SHOOTER
Junior Wendy Ausdemore doesn’t get to the free throw line very much, only 1.7 attempts in 66 games the last three years, but rarely misses when she toes the line.

Ausdemore has missed only nine free throws in her career (.918, 101-110). The native of Neola, IA, broke the Iowa single-season free throw percentage (.902, 55-61) and Big Ten-season free throw percentage (.975, 39-40) records her sophomore campaign.

BLUDER APPROACHES MILESTONE
Head Coach Lisa Bluder, the dean of Big Ten coaches, is only 12 victories (485) from reaching her 500th career win. Bluder amassed 127 wins at St. Ambrose (1984-1990), 187 victories at Drake (1990-2000) and 132 at Iowa (2000-07).

BIG TEN RANKINGS
Iowa ranks first in the Big Ten in 3-point field goal percentage (.386) and second in scoring defense (56.0), field goal percentage (.459) and rebounds allowed (31.3). Individually, Wendy Ausdemore ranks first in 3-point percentage (.548), third in 3-pointers made (2.43) and 18th in scoring (11.6). Kristi Smith ranks ninth in assists (3.43), 14th in free throw percentage (.818) and 15th in scoring (12.1). Megan Skouby ranks sixth in blocks (1.29) and eighth in field goal percentage (.542).

OUTSIDE-INSIDE
Wendy Ausdemore has a better shooting percentage behind the arc than from two-point range. The junior is shooting at a 55 percent (17-31) clip from 3-point range, while her shots inside the arc fall 50 percent (11-22) of the time.

HAWKEYES PEN FIVE TO NATIONAL LETTER OF INTENT
Hannah Draxten, Shante Jones, Kelly Krei, Tia Mays and Kamille Wahlin have signed National Letters of Intent to attend the University of Iowa.

“This is a large balanced class that covers every position,” said Bluder. “We are proud to sign two Iowa student-athletes, two of Minnesota’s top recruits and an outstanding player from Ohio.”

Draxten, a 6-0 wing player, has been a varsity starter since eighth grade, starting in 104 consecutive games for Fergus Falls High School in Minnesota. She has been the team’s leading scorer all four years. A two-year team captain, Draxten holds the all-time Fergus Falls High School records (boys and girls) for scoring (1,830) and rebounding (755). She has averaged 17.6 points and 7.3 rebounds over her career. Draxten is a two-time Class 3A first team all-state and all-conference honoree.

Wahlin, a native of Crookston, MN, is a 5-8 left-handed point guard who averaged 19.9 points for her Crookston High School basketball team that went 24-3 a year ago. A third-year captain, she boasts career averages of 16.5 ppg, 4.8 apg and 3.0 spg. Wahlin established school records in scoring, assists, steals and field goals. Her team finished second in the Minnesota state tournament her sophomore campaign, where she was recognized on the all-tournament squad. She was tabbed Minnesota Coaches Association All-State and was her team’s MVP the last two seasons. Wahlin sank 47 consecutive free throws last year. Wahlin played on the same AAU team (North Tartan Larson) as Draxten last summer.

Krei, a native of Iowa City, has averaged 17.9 points, 8.5 rebounds, 2.5 steals and 2.1 assists the last three years for City High. A two-time captain, she was a first team all-state honoree her freshman and junior years and was a second team selection as a sophomore. Krei is a three-time first team all-conference, all-district and all-area honoree. The 6-2 forward was named the 2007 Mississippi Valley Conference Player of the Year in basketball and track.

Mays, a native of Des Moines, is a four-year starter for Des Moines East High School. She was a pre-season Street & Smith’s honorable mention all-American in 2006. Last season as a junior, she was an all-state, all-conference and all-district performer. A second-year captain, she helped lead her team to a school-best 19-5 record and a berth to the Girls State Tournament. A 6-1 forward, she led the Lady Scarlets in points (15 ppg), rebounds (10 rpg), blocks (4 bpg) and field goal percentage (63%).

Jones is a 5-9 guard/forward from Dayton, OH. Jones played her first two years at Stivers School for the Arts and competed for Carroll High School last season. She averaged 17.8 points her junior year and was tabbed first team all-league and second team all-conference, all-district and all-southwest. Jones was named MVP of Carroll High School her junior season. She was selected first team all-league, all-conference and all-district her sophomore campaign. Jones was the highest scorer in the area her sophomore year (28.0 ppg) and named Stivers High School MVP.

PRE-SEASON RANKINGS
Iowa has been picked to finish fifth in the Big Ten by a selected media panel and seventh by the league coaches. Ohio State, a team that has won outright or shared the last three regular season conference titles, is picked to win its fourth straight. Wisconsin senior Jolene Anderson was selected as the pre-season Player of the Year by both voting groups.

HAWKEYES RETURN THREE ALL-BIG TEN PERFORMERS
Iowa returns third team all-Big Ten performers Wendy Ausdemore and Kristi Smith and honorable mention honoree Megan Skouby from a year ago. All three juniors averaged double digits to lead the Hawkeyes. Smith averaged a team-best 13.4 points, followed by Skouby (13.2) and Ausdemore (12.7).

SILVER ANNIVERSARY
Iowa will honor and celebrate the 1992-93 team that posted a 27-4 overall record, captured first place in the Big Ten with a 16-2 mark and advanced to the Final Four in Atlanta. The team will be recognized at halftime of the February 17th game vs. Minnesota.

SOLVERSON RETURNS FOR SIXTH SEASON
Johanna Solverson has been granted a sixth year of eligibility by the NCAA after missing the last two seasons due to consecutive ACL tears in her right knee. The 6-2 small forward played in all but one game her first three seasons. One of Iowa’s most versatile players, she boasts a career average of 8.5 points, 4.3 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.67 steals in 94 games.

Solverson becomes only the second Iowa women’s basketball player to receive a sixth year from the NCAA. Simone Edwards (1993-97) received a sixth year after suffering two season-ending knee injuries. Edwards played two full seasons and a partial third with the Hawkeyes after transferring to Iowa from Seminole Junior College.

HOME GROWN HAWKEYES
Iowa’s roster features five players from the state of Iowa (Wendy Ausdemore, Kelsey Cermak, Abby Emmert, Stacy Schlapkohl and Nicole VanderPol). The Hawkeyes also have two players from Illinois (Jenee Graham and Johanna Solverson) and Minnesota (Kachine Alexander and Krista VandeVenter). Iowa’s 13-person roster also features players from Colorado (Kristi Smith), Kansas (JoAnn Hamlin), Michigan (Lindsey Nyenhuis) and Ohio (Megan Skouby).

BLOGGING
Iowa Hawkeye fans will again be treated to behind-the-scenes information this season as seniors Jenee Graham and Johanna Solverson and junior Lindsey Nyenhuis will blog during the season, which will be posted on hawkeyesports.com. The trio will share their thoughts on practices, games, road trips, and everything else concerning the program.

BIG TEN TOURNAMENT TICKETS ON SALE
All-session tickets for the 2008 Big Ten Women’s Basketball Tournament presented by Xbox 360 Live are $45 through Jan. 7, 2008, that’s a $20 discount from the regular price. After Jan. 7, all-session tickets will be $65. Tickets can be purchased at the Conseco Fieldhouse box office, Ticketmaster outlets, ticketmaster.com or by calling Ticketmaster at (319) 363-1888.

The tournament returns to Indianapolis for the 13th time in 14 years and has attracted more than 29,000 fans for each of the last six events. The 2006 tournament attendance of 38,638 and session average of 7,728 were both event records. In the past 13 years of Big Ten Tournament play, the conference has welcomed more than 382,000 fans. Six different league representatives have become tournament champions. Purdue leads all teams with six titles followed by two championships for both Iowa and Penn State and a single title for Indiana, Michigan State and Ohio State.

IOWA INFORMATION ON THE WEB
Statistics and play-by-play accounts of all 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 Hawkeye 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 6-7 p.m.

Fans can call toll-free at (800) 332-5401 or locally at (319) 365-0600. The show originates from Bob’s Your Uncle restaurant on the eastside of Iowa City.

ON THE HORIZON
The Hawkeyes return home to host the KCRG-TV9 Hawkeye Challenge Saturday and Sunday. Joining Iowa in the four-team field is Northern Illinois, Saint Joseph’s and nationally-ranked Wyoming. After hosting its annual tournament, Iowa will have a 12-day layoff between games. The Hawkeyes will entertain Western Illinois (Dec. 22) in their final non-conference game of the season.

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