May 5, 2009
IOWA CITY – – The University of Iowa women’s basketball team will host Boston College as part of the third annual Big Ten/ACC Challenge. The game will be held at Carver-Hawkeye Arena on Dec. 2.
This will be the first-ever meeting between Iowa and Boston College. Overall, Iowa is 9-4 against teams from the ACC.
“We are excited to host Boston College in the third Big Ten/ACC Challenge,” said Iowa Head Coach Lisa Bluder. “Boston College is a team that advanced to the semifinals of the WNIT last year and returns all five starters. They will be a tremendous opponent and our fans will have the opportunity to see a great battle.”
The Big Ten/ACC Women’s Basketball Challenge matches 11 teams from each conference in head-to-head competition traditionally on the first Wednesday, Thursday and Friday after Thanksgiving, following the men’s basketball Big Ten/ACC Challenge. Last year, the ACC won seven of the 11 Big Ten/ACC Challenge games, while the inaugural Challenge in 2007 saw the ACC collect eight victories.
Iowa is 0-2 in the Challenge, falling at home to Georgia Tech in 2007 and at Duke last season. This will be Boston College’s second Challenge contest. The Eagles did not play in the 2007 Challenge and were defeated by the Golden Gophers, in Minneapolis, a year ago.
Boston College was seventh in the ACC last season with a 7-7 mark and finished the season 23-12 overall after advancing to the semifinals of the WNIT. They ultimately fell to runner-up South Florida in the WNIT. Iowa tied for second in the Big Ten a year ago with a 13-5 league mark and finished its season 21-11 after losing to Georgia Tech in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
The Eagles return 10 letterwinners from a year ago. The Hawkeyes return seven letterwinners and two starters. Boston College is coached by Sylvia Crawley, who will be in her second season mentoring the Eagles.
Boston College senior-to-be Carolyn Swords (15.4) and sophomore-to-be Mickel Picco (15.1), ranked sixth and seventh, respectively, in ACC scoring last season. Iowa sophomore-to-be Kachine Alexander ranked second in Big Ten rebounding (9.7) and assists (4.5), while sophomore-to-be Kamille Wahlin ranked first in Big Ten assist/turnover ratio (2.04).
The Big Ten and ACC offices determine the 11-game schedule each season, and matchups may repeat from year-to-year in efforts to coordinate similar opponents and reach competitive equity. Each of the Big Ten’s 11 institutions will participate, while the ACC will select 11 teams from its 12-team membership.
The Big Ten and ACC have long been among the most dominant conferences on the women’s basketball scene. This past season, the ACC was represented by six teams in the NCAA Women’s Basketball Championship, making it the seventh straight year the league has had at least six in the Big Dance. Maryland advanced to the NCAA Regional Finals, giving the ACC at least one team in the Elite Eight for the eighth consecutive year. In 2005-06, the ACC became the first conference to send three teams – Duke, Maryland and North Carolina – to the same Final Four. Overall, the ACC has made 11 Final Four trips, including six in the past 13 years.
The Big Ten sent seven teams to the 2009 postseason, including five squads to the NCAA Championship. Three teams advanced to the Sweet 16, making the Big Ten one of just four conferences in the nation with multiple representatives in the regional round. In addition, Purdue advanced to the Elite Eight, giving the Big Ten its second regional finals appearance in the last three years. The conference has sent at least one team to the NCAA’s Sweet 16 in 24 of the last 25 years and has had at least one squad participate in five of the last 11 Final Fours, owning eight overall appearances.
Game times, as well as television and broadband coverage, will be announced at a later date. Iowa’s complete 2009-10 schedule will be released later this summer.
2009 BIG TEN/ACC WOMEN’S BASKETBALL CHALLENGE
SCHEDULE
December 2
Georgia Tech at Penn State
Illinois at Wake Forest
Boston College at Iowa
December 3
Michigan at Virginia Tech
Clemson at Northwestern
Minnesota at Maryland
North Carolina at Michigan State
Ohio State at Duke
Purdue at Virginia
Florida State at Indiana
Wisconsin at NC State
SERIES RECORDS
Michigan leads Virginia Tech, 1-0 (Last Meeting: Michigan, 79-63, 11-29-96)
Clemson and Northwestern tied 1-1 (Last Meeting: 2008 Big Ten/ACC Challenge: Clemson, 78-75, OT, 12-4-08)
Maryland leads Minnesota, 1-0 (Last Meeting: Maryland, 86-74, 12-22-80)
North Carolina leads Michigan State, 3-0 (Last Meeting: North Carolina, 82-65, 12-19-99)
Florida State leads Indiana, 3-1 (Last Meeting: Florida State, 85-78, 11-30-07)
Wisconsin Leads NC State, 1-0 (Last Meeting: Wisconsin, 65-48, 12-8-01)
FIRST IMPRESSIONS
Five of this year’s Challenge contests will feature a pair of teams that have never faced one another. Georgia Tech takes on a first-time opponent for the third consecutive year in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge. First-year opponents include:
Georgia Tech at Penn State
Illinois at Wake Forest
Boston College at Iowa
Ohio State at Duke
Purdue at Virginia