March 7, 2009
Iowa Post-Game Notes
The 12th-ranked Ohio Buckeyes defeated the Iowa Hawkeyes, 72-56, tonight at Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, IN. Ohio State improves to 26-5, while Iowa falls to 21-10.
Tonight’s loss snapped a seven-game winning streak for the Hawkeyes, which was the longest active streak among Big Ten teams. Iowa will enter NCAA post-season competition winners of 13 of its last 16 games. Iowa will find out its NCAA post-season fate the night of Monday, March 16.
This year marks the second-straight season Iowa advanced to the Big Ten Tournament semifinals, but lost. The Hawkeyes fell to Purdue a year ago. Iowa has advanced to the semifinals a total of seven times.
Tonight was only the second time Iowa and Ohio State have met in a Big Ten Tournament contest. The Hawkeyes previously beat the Buckeyes 72-54 in the 1998 quarterfinals when Iowa was a No. 1 seed and Ohio State was seeded eighth. With tonight’s win, Ohio State now leads the all-time series, 26-25.
Kristi Smith made Iowa history tonight. The senior becomes the first Hawkeye student-athlete to accumulate 400 points and 100 assists in three seasons. After tonight’s totals, Smith has 414 points and 100 assists. Smith assisted on Wendy Ausdemore’s 3-pointer at the 9:09 mark of the second half to reach 100 assists and break the record.
A Kristi Smith 3-pointer with 5:26 left in the game, cut the Iowa deficit to 59-47. The 12 points was the closest Iowa came to the top-seeded Buckeyes in the second stanza.
Ohio State outscored Iowa 30-16 in the paint, 15-5 in points off turnovers tonight.
Kamille Wahlin and Kristi Smith were Iowa’s leading scorers tonight. Wahlin finished with 11 points, seven rebounds and a game-high six assists. The seven rebounds is one shy of her career high. Wahlin had five of Iowa’s eight total assists. Smith tallied 11 points and had one assist and one rebound. Megan Skouby and Wendy Ausdemore each netted nine points each. All nine of Ausdemore’s points came in the second half. Hannah Draxten chipped in with eight points.
Iowa, who averages over 68 points per game, was held to only 56 points tonight.
Ohio State owned the advantage on the free throw line tonight, but didn’t necessary take advantage. The Buckeyes were 9-22 (.409) from the charity stripe to only 6-9 (.667) for the Hawkeyes. In the only regular season meeting, Iowa was 26-32 (.813) from the foul line to only 3-9 (.333) for Ohio State.
Kamille Wahlin scored seven-straight points in a span of 1:15 in the second half.
After committing 11 first-half turnovers, the Hawkeyes had only three in the second half.
Kachine Alexander attempted two free throws tonight bringing her season total to 162. The sophomore needs only seven more free-throw attempts to tie the Iowa single-season record, currently held by Amy Herrig, who had 169 attempts during the 1998-99 campaign. Alexander finished the contest with eight points, six rebounds, one steal and one assist in 27 minutes of action.
Ohio State scored the game’s first 13 points. Iowa missed its first five field goal and two free throw attempts in the game. Kachine Alexander ended the scoring drought with a driving layup at the 15:32 mark. Ohio State made nine of its first 13 attempts (.692). The first eight minutes of the contest, Iowa had only one field goal and seven turnovers.
Iowa was unable to get its long range game going in the first half. The Hawkeyes missed all six of its 3-point attempts. The Buckeyes took a 34-17 cushion into the locker room at intermission.
Ohio State played solid defense tonight, holding Iowa’s top two scoring threats in check. Iowa shot only 28.6 percent (8-28) from the floor the first 20 minutes. Kristi Smith scored only five first-half points, while Wendy Ausdemore was held scoreless. Ausdemore had 25 points in yesterday’s win over Minnesota.
Iowa made six three-pointers in the second half (6-9).