Iowa Hosts Minnesota Sunday at Carver-Hawkeye Arena

Feb. 15, 2008

THE SETTING
The Iowa Hawkeyes (17-8, 10-4) return home, after splitting a two-game road trip, to host the Minnesota Golden Gophers (18-8, 9-5). Tip-off is scheduled for 3:36 p.m. in Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Tickets are $7 for adults and $5 for youths, while UI students are free.

Iowa is tied with Purdue for first place, while Minnesota is alone in fourth only one game behind the Hawkeyes. The Hawkeyes have won eight of their last nine, while the Golden Gophers have won five of their last seven.

THINK PINK ON SUNDAY
? Iowa will be wearing pink-trimmed uniforms, shoelaces and warm-up shirts
? The first 1,500 fans receive a free pink Hawkeye cancer awareness koozie
? Hawkeye fans will be able to obtain the last of four trading card sets Sunday.
? Pink 3-point placards will be handed out
? Pink prizes will be given away throughout the game, including hats, crocs and tickets
? Players will be available for autographs, after the game, on the concourse.
? Both the American Cancer Society and Holden Cancer Research center on the UI campus will have tables on the concourse and accepting any outside donations. ACS will be handing out shower cards as well.
? During the second half of every home game, one lucky Hawkeye fan will win an iPod Shuffle, while another will win an iTunes gift card during “Big Ten SuperFan T-Shirt Toss”. Each winner will be included in a final drawing at Iowa’s home finale vs. Northwestern (Feb. 28) for an all-expenses-paid trip for two to the Big Ten Women’s Basketball Tournament in Indianapolis (March 6-10).

STREAK SNAPPED
Iowa had its eight-game winning streak snapped at Purdue Thursday night. The streak is the longest by any Big Ten team this year, besting six-game winning streaks by Ohio State and Minnesota earlier this season. The eight-game winning streak is the longest under Coach Lisa Bluder, during Big Ten play. Iowa’s 2000-01 squad strung together six-straight in Bluder’s first season on the sidelines.

BLUDER CAPTURES WIN NO. 500
Head Coach Lisa Bluder, the dean of Big Ten coaches captured her 500th career win last Sunday at Penn State. Bluder becomes the 35th Division I head coach to amass 500 career victories.

ON THE TUBE
Sunday’s contest will be televised live to a national cable audience on the Big Ten Network (HD). Mel Proctor and Stephanie White will call the action.

ON THE RADIO
Brent Balbinot and Shelley Till will call Sunday afternoon’s game for the Hawkeye Radio Network. Hawkeye fans can listen to the contest on WHO 1040-AM in Des Moines, WMT 600-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 963 games since beginning basketball in 1974. Overall, Iowa’s record is 585-378 (.607). That includes a 293-145 (.669) mark in Big Ten contests and 270-81 (.769) in Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

SOLVERSON TABBED BIG TEN CO-PLAYER OF THE WEEK
The Big Ten announced Monday that Iowa’s Johanna Solverson has been named co-Player of the Week with Purdue’s FahKara Malone.

Solverson takes home the first weekly honor of her career after helping the Hawkeyes claim sole possession of first place in the conference with wins over Michigan State and Penn State last week.

The sixth-year senior netted her 1,000th career point with 18 against the Spartans last Thursday, also adding a season-high eight assists. Against the Lady Lions on Sunday, the forward scored 16 points, including Iowa’s first seven, and also pulled down a game-high seven rebounds in just 24 minutes on the court. For the week, Solverson averaged 17 points, 6.5 rebounds and six assists per game while shooting .609 from the floor and .500 from 3-point territory.

Solverson has raised her level of play the last month. Solverson averaged 12.1 points, 5.5 rebounds and 4.3 assists the last 11 games. She currently ranks sixth in Big Ten assists (4.08).

The native of Lake Zurich, IL, is one of only two Hawkeyes to ever amass over 1,000 career points, 500 rebounds, 350 assists and 175 steals (Franthea Price).

Iowa’s last Player of the Week was Crystal Smith on Nov. 28, 2005.

ALL-TIME SERIES
Sunday will be the 59th meeting between Iowa and Minnesota, with the Hawkeyes leading the series 38-20. Minnesota has won three of the last five meetings. Iowa holds a 20-8 advantage in games played in Iowa City.

The road team has won the last four outings. The last three contests have each been decided by two points, with two going to overtime. Iowa won this season’s earlier match-up, 68-66, in overtime at Williams Arena on Jan. 3.

The Gophers escaped with an 80-78 overtime victory in their last visit to Iowa City. Iowa overcame a 24-point second-half deficit to tie the game and send it to overtime, but Minnesota prevailed in the extra session.

SCOUTING MINNESOTA
Sunday will be Minnesota’s second-straight road game after playing at Penn State Thursday. The Golden Gophers snapped a four-game conference losing streak Thursday night with a 56-48 triumph at Penn State. The Golden Gophers outrebounded the Lady Lions by 17 (38-21) en route to victory. Emily Fox led all scorers with 21 points. Leslie Knight contributed 12 points and eight rebounds, while Katie Ohm added 11 points.

The Golden Gophers boast an 11-2 home record, but are 6-5 in true road games, including losing four of their last five.

Minnesota is led by the trio of Emily Fox, Leslie Knight and Ashley Ellis-Milan. Fox averages a team-best 16.8 points and 4.2 assists. Knight ranks second in scoring (13.8), while Ellis-Milan ranks first in rebounding (7.1) and third in scoring (10.8).

The Golden Gophers rank first in Big Ten 3-point accuracy, making .397 of their attempts. However, Minnesota struggles from the free throw line, shooting only .673.

Pam Borton is in her sixth season (130-57, .695) as Minnesota’s head coach and 10th overall (199-103, .659). Borton will be gunning for her 200th career win Sunday in Iowa City.

AUSDEMORE LIKES PLAYING MINNESOTA
Wendy Ausdemore’s last three games against Minnesota have been tremendous. In the last three outings, Ausdemore averaged 17.7 points, seven rebounds and two assists. She shot 65.4 percent (17-26) from the field, 58.8 percent (10-17) from 3-point range and 100 percent (9-9) from the foul line.

LAST MEETING
Krista VandeVenter was successful on a field goal attempt from 15 feet with 13 seconds remaining in overtime to give Iowa a 68-66 win over Minnesota at Williams Arena on Jan. 3.

VandeVenter’s game-winner came off an assist by Kristi Smith (her seventh of the game). The Hawkeyes outscored the Golden Gophers, 4-2 in overtime. Smith made two free throws with 58 seconds left for the first points for either team in the extra stanza. Minnesota couldn’t convert on a final field goal attempt by Brittany McCoy as the buzzer sounded.

Iowa’s Wendy Ausdemore appears to have broken out of a mini shooting slump, making 6-8 field goals (4-6 behind the arc) for 16 points. She also grabbed a team-high five rebounds. Johanna Solverson, who scored 12 first-half points, matched Ausdemore with 16 points. She was 6-10 from the field with three three-point goals and four rebounds. Three other Hawkeyes scored in double figures — Smith with 13 and VandeVenter and Stacy Schlapkohl with 10 points apiece.

Iowa attempted 12 fewer field goals than the Gophers (65-53), but the Hawkeyes converted 27 times (50.9 percent).

Solverson’s hot hand allowed the Hawkeyes to grab a 36-33 lead at halftime. She made all four of her field goal attempts, including 3-3 from beyond the 3-point arc. As a team, Iowa made 15-28 field goals (53.6 percent) and grabbed six steals.

The Hawkeyes had two leads of nine points in the early going. T he first came at the 9:23 mark when VandeVenter converted a conventional 3-point play that gave Iowa a 22-13 advantage. Ausdemore, who was attracting substantial defensive pressure, made it 24-15 with a turn-around jumper off a VandeVenter assist with 8:43 to play in the half.

Minnesota clawed back and went on an 11-2 run during a 2:25 span late in the half and the Gophers took a 31-30 lead with 2:57 remaining before the break. VandeVenter then completed her second conventional three-point play to put the Hawkeyes in front 33-31. The third three-pointer by Solverson with 1:13 left broke a 33-33 tie and gave Iowa an edge heading into the break.

IOWA, MINNESOTA NOTES
? Iowa won a total of six conference games last season (6-10). The Hawkeyes are 10-4 after 14 games this year.
? Iowa’s Kristi Smith and Minnesota’s Emily Fox are two of only three Big Ten players to lead her team in scoring and assists (Indiana’s Jamie Braun)
? Iowa has had seven players lead the team in scoring at least once during the season (Kristi Smith, Wendy Ausdemore, Megan Skouby, Johanna Solverson, Krista VandeVenter, Stacy Schlapkohl and Lindsey Nyenhuis).
? Iowa’s Johanna Solverson averaged 6.4 assists per game the last five contests. She ranks fifth in Iowa career assists (363) and is only four dimes from tying Steph Schueler for fourth (367).
? Iowa has four players average double figures vs. Minnesota in their career: Wendy Ausdemore (14.8), Kristi Smith (11.8), Megan Skouby (10.8) and Krista VandeVenter (10.4). Smith also averages 4.75 assists, while Ausdemore pulls down 6.3 rebounds in four games against the Golden Gophers.
? Iowa boasts an 11-3 record in home games, including 6-1 in Big Ten play.
? Minnesota’s Leslie Knight (Hopkins HS) edged out Iowa’s Krista VandeVenter (Osseo HS) their senior year for the Miss Minnesota Basketball award in 2004. VandeVenter has been a four-year starter for the Hawkeyes, while Knight has started the last two seasons.
? The Hawkeyes have defeated every Big Ten team at least once this season, except Ohio State.
? Iowa is 17-2 when scoring 60 points or more and 15-1 when having a higher field goal percentage than the opposition.
? Iowa has held 12 opponents to 58 points or less this season (10-2).
? Kristi Smith has netted 15 points, or more, a team-best 10 times this year. She has topped 20 points three times this season.
? Iowa has begun playing its final 10 regular season games, a stat the NCAA Committee looks at when determining at-large berths for the NCAA Championship. The Hawkeyes are 5-1 in this final stretch.
? Iowa has two wins over top-40 RPI rated teams (Minnesota, 28 and Purdue, 36). Iowa ranks 43rd in the latest ratings, while Minnesota is 28th. The Golden Gophers have played the 25th-best strength of schedule in the country, while the Hawkeyes have played the 48th toughest schedule.
? Iowa is 117-15 when leading at the half in eight years under Coach Bluder. The Hawkeyes have led at half in 11 of their 14 conference games this year. Iowa is 98-20 when holding opponents to 69 points or less, including a 44-4 mark when opponents score 59 points or less.
? Kristi Smith collected seven assists four times this year (Dartmouth, Mississippi State, Western Illinois and Minnesota). Johanna Solverson has led the Hawkeyes in assists a team-best 11 times, including seven of the last eight contests.
? Iowa played five non-conference games against teams from a major conference: SEC (Mississippi State), Pac-10 (Arizona State), ACC (Georgia Tech), Big XII (Iowa State) and MWC (Wyoming).

IOWA AND PURDUE TIED FOR FIRST
Iowa’s loss at Purdue Thursday left the Hawkeyes and Boilermakers tied for first in the Big Ten standings with 10-4 records. Ohio State is only a half game back, while Minnesota is one game behind. This weekend has major implications on how the race for the Big Ten championship will shake up. Iowa hosts Minnesota Sunday (Big Ten Network), while Purdue visits Ohio State Monday night (ESPN2).

This is the latest, in a single-season, the Hawkeyes have been in first place under Coach Bluder. The last time Iowa was in first place this late in the season was 1998, when the Black and Gold last won a regular season title. Below are the Big Ten leaders’ final stretch of games:

IOWA (10-4): Minnesota, at Ohio State, Northwestern, at Wisconsin
PURDUE (10-4): at Ohio State, at Michigan, Michigan State, at Illinois
OHIO STATE (9-4): Purdue, Iowa, at Indiana, at Penn State, Northwestern
MINNESOTA (9-5): at Iowa, Wisconsin, Indiana, at Michigan

THE LAST TIME…
? Iowa won eight-straight games was during the start of the 2004-05 season. The Hawkeyes started the year 13-0 and were the last Division I team to lose a game.
? Iowa won eight-consecutive conference games was during the start of the 1995-96 Big Ten season. The Black and Gold started league play 12-0, before falling at Purdue. Iowa finished the 1995-96 season as Big Ten champions with a 15-1 record.

NUMBER OF THE WEEK – – 3
Iowa has three players who have scored over 900 career points: Johanna Solverson (1,024), Megan Skouby (988) and Kristi Smith (934). Solverson ranks 23rd in career Iowa scoring, followed by Skouby (24th) and Smith (26th). Smith is only three points from moving past Randi Peterson (936) into 25th.

PURDUE SNAPS IOWA’S EIGHT-GAME WINNING STREAK
Purdue won its eighth-straight game over the Iowa Hawkeyes at Mackey Arena and snapped Iowa’s eight-game winning streak with a 59-46 win over Iowa Thursday night. The loss was Iowa;s first since falling at Michigan State on Jan. 10.

The Boilermakers made four of their first six 3-point field goal attempts and forced Iowa out of its zone defense. Also, Iowa’s leading scorer, Kristi Smith, scored the game’s first two points, but then missed her last five attempts and was held scoreless the rest of the game.

Wendy Ausdemore scored 13 points and grabbed five rebounds, while Megan Skouby netted 12 points and collected five rebounds.

Iowa, a team that ranks first in rebounding margin and outrebounded its previous four opponents, was outrebounded 38-33. Also, the Hawkeyes shot only 34.6 percent (18-52) from the field.

LAST OUTING TIP-INS
? Iowa’s 46 points equaled its lowest scoring output in a Big Ten game this season (at Michigan).
? Iowa failed to score the last 4:28 of the game.
? Sophomore JoAnn Hamlin matched a career high with four blocks. Jenee Graham tied a career high with three steals.
? Senior Johanna Solverson dished out five of her game-high six assists in the first half. Solverson also netted six points.
? Purdue was 4-6 from 3-point range the first 10 minutes of the contest to build an 18-11 advantage. The Boilermakers finished 4-10 (.400) from long distance.
? Five different Iowa players scored at the beginning of the contest (Kristi Smith, Johanna Solverson, Wendy Ausdemore, Stacy Schlapkohl and Megan Skouby).
? Iowa was 4-8 from the foul line the final 20 minutes. The Hawkeyes missed four-straight free throws, including Johanna Solverson missing the front end of a one-and-one. Iowa finished the game 6-10 (.600) from the charity stripe.
? Iowa only scored 19 second-half points tonight, a season-low (20 at Michigan).

AUSDEMORE, VANDEVENTER EARN ACADEMIC HONOR
Wendy Ausdemore and Krista VandeVenter were named to the 2008 ESPN The Magazine Academic all-District third team, Feb. 7.

Ausdemore boasts a 3.67 cumulative GPA and is majoring in business. The junior ranks second in team scoring (11.4), second in Big Ten 3-point field goal percentage (.432) and second in 3-pointers made (2.28). Ausdemore, who was recognized on the all-district second team a year ago, ranks third in Iowa career 3-pointers (139). The native of Neola, IA, has netted double figures in 18 of Iowa’s 25 games this season, including the last eight.

VandeVenter has a 3.52 cumulative GPA and is majoring in integrative physiology. The senior has started 104 of 110 career games, averaging 7.3 points and 6.9 rebounds. She ranks seventh in Iowa career rebounding (757).

Iowa and Minnesota were the only Big Ten teams with at least two student-athletes honored.

SKOUBY IN REACH OF MILESTONE
Iowa junior Megan Skouby is only 12 points from scoring her 1,000th career point. She has tallied 988 points in 80 games. Skouby, who was recognized as the 2006 Big Ten Freshman of the Year, is coming off the bench this season averaging 9.2 points and 3.3 rebounds. She ranks third in team scoring. In Iowa’s last game at Purdue, she made her first 3-pointer in three career attempts.

CLEANING THE GLASS
Since Big Ten Conference play began, Iowa ranks first in rebounds allowed (32.9) and rebounding margin (+4.9), third in rebounding (37.7) and fourth in offensive (13.21) and defensive (24.5) rebounding.

Iowa boasted a +13.5 rebounding margin in its last four victories. Iowa boasted a +18 rebounding edge (49-34) at Northwestern, +18 (44-26) vs. Indiana, +13 (43-30) vs. Michigan State and +5 (29-24) at Penn State. The Hawkeyes have out-rebounded seven opponents during the eight-game winning streak. Iowa was outrebounded by five (38-33) in its loss at Purdue Thursday night.

Iowa’s leading rebounders are Jenee Graham (5.1) and Krista VandeVenter (5.0). In fact, Iowa has four players (Graham, VandeVenter, Wendy Ausdemore and Johanna Solverson) who average better than 4.1 boards per contest.

IMPROVED DEFENSE
Last season Iowa ranked last in Big Ten scoring defense (71.7) and field goal percentage defense (.447).

Through 25 games this year, Iowa ranks first in conference field goal percentage defense (.379) and 3-point field goal percentage defense (.293) and fourth in scoring defense (59.3).

SOLVERSON JOINS ELITE COMPANY
Johanna Solverson joined elite company Thursday night when she collected 18 points and eight assists. She is one of only two Hawkeyes to ever amass over 1,000 points, 500 rebounds, 350 assists and 175 steals (Franthea Price). Solverson currently has 1,024 points, 527 rebounds, 363 assists and 187 steals. Price totaled 1,742 points, 726 rebounds, 387 assists and 321 steals.

SMITH AND SOLVERSON’S NUMBERS RISE DURING BIG TEN PLAY
Point guard Kristi Smith and small forward Johanna Solverson’s numbers have improved since conference play.

Smith averaged 11 points and 3.2 assists in Iowa’s 11 non-conference games. In 15 Big Ten games, she is averaging 14.6 points and three assists. Furthermore, she is averaging 15.1 points and three assists the last 11 games.

Solverson, a team co-captain, averaged 5.8 points and 1.8 assists during non-league play and 11.3 points and 4.21 assists during conference action. In Iowa’s last 12 games, she averaged 11.6 points, 5.4 rebounds and 4.4 assists. She is Iowa’s assists leader during conference play.

HOME, AWAY COMPARISONS
Iowa averages eight more points at home than on the road. The Black and Gold also averages 3.1 more assists and 3.6 more rebounds at home than on the road. Iowa has a higher free throw percentage on the road (.747) than at Carver-Hawkeye Arena (.723). Here are the home and away comparisons:

    FG%  3-PT%   FT% REB AST TO  PTSHome    .446    .386    .723    38.4    16.6    16.6    68.6Away    .422    .365    .747    34.8    13.5    17.1    60.6

WINS, LOSSES COMPARISONS
The Black and Gold average 16.5 more points in their victories (70.4) than their losses (53.9). Furthermore, Iowa shoots 10.3 percent better from the foul line and pulls down six more rebounds in wins. Here are the wins and losses comparisons:

    FG%  3-PT%   FT% REB AST TO  PTSWins    .454    .397    .755    38.8    16.4    16.5    70.4Losses  .395    .327    .652    32.8    12.8    17.8    53.9

DOWNTOWN SUCCESS
Iowa has been very accurate shooting the ball behind the arc this season. The Hawkeyes rank third in the Big Ten, shooting 37.7 percent (143-379) from 3-point range. Three Hawkeyes have combined for 123 of their 143 triples (Wendy Ausdemore, 57; Kristi Smith, 38; Johanna Solverson, 30). Iowa has shot 40 percent or better from 3-point range 11 times this year, including a season-best 62.5 percent (10-16) against Northern Illinois. Iowa was 10-20 (.500) vs. Indiana. Last season, Iowa ranked third nationally in 3-point shooting percentage (.402).

Ausdemore ranks second in 3-pointers made by an Iowa junior (57). Lindsey Meder ranks first for Hawkeye juniors with 68, established during the 2000-01 season. Ausdemore’s 3-point percentage (.432) ranks 18th in the country. She has attempted the fifth-most triples amongst the nation’s leaders.

BIG TEN RANKINGS
Iowa ranks in the top three in nine Big Ten statistical categories. The Hawkeyes rank first in field goal percentage defense (.379) and 3-point field goal percentage defense (.293), second in and 3-pointers made (5.72) and scoring margin (+5.8) and third in field goal percentage (.436), rebounds allowed (33.1), assists (15.24), 3-point field goal percentage (.377) and assist/turnover ratio (0.9). Individually, Wendy Ausdemore ranks second in 3-point field goal percentage (.432) and 3-pointers made (2.28) and 19th in scoring (11.4). Kristi Smith ranks seventh in 3-pointers made (1.52) and 3-point field goal percentage (.345), ninth in assist/turnover ratio (1.28), 10th in free throw percentage (.814),12th in scoring (13.0) and 14th in assists (3.08).

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).

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 Head Coach Lisa Bluder.

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.

SOLVERSON RETURNS FOR SIXTH SEASON
Johanna Solverson, who’s next start will be the 100th of her career, 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. Solverson has played with 27 different players during her six years at Iowa.

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 8.6 points, 4.4 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.6 steals in 119 games.

Solverson is 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.

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.

UI TO HOST NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP GAMES IN 2009
The UI has been selected by the NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Committee to serve as one of 16 first and second round hosts for the 2009 NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Championship. Games will take place Saturday, March 21, and Monday, March 23 or Sunday, March 22 and Tuesday, March 24, 2009.

“We are thrilled to have the opportunity to host the first and second rounds of the NCAA Championship in 2009,” said Iowa Head Coach Lisa Bluder. “It has been a long time since Iowa has hosted the NCAA Championship and we are excited to bring the competition and atmosphere back to Carver Hawkeye Arena!”

The UI first hosted a NCAA Championship site in 1986. Carver-Hawkeye Arena has hosted NCAA Women’s Championship games 11 years (1986-90, 92-94, 96-98). The last time Iowa City hosted a first and second round site was in 1998.

BIG TEN TOURNAMENT TICKETS ON SALE
All-session tickets for the 2008 Big Ten Women’s Basketball Tournament presented by Xbox 360 Live are $65, while single-session tickets range from $12-16. 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 night featuring Iowa Hawkeye Women’s Head Coach Lisa Bluder, on KXIC-AM 800 in Iowa City, 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 east side of Iowa City.

ON THE HORIZON
The Hawkeyes hit the road again for another test against a team they are fighting against for Big Ten supremacy. Iowa will play at Ohio State Thursday (Feb. 21) at 6:05 p.m. (CST).

Complete Game Notes in PDF Format

Click HERE for the Big Ten Network home page.