Hawkeyes To Host Boston College

Dec. 1, 2009

Complete Release in PDF Format

IOWA CITY – THE SETTING
The Iowa Hawkeyes (5-2) return to Carver-Hawkeye Arena to host Boston College (3-3) in the third annual Big Ten/ACC Challenge. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.

PROMOTIONS
Wednesday’s game will be “Men’s Basketball Fan Appreciation Night.” Any fan who shows their ticket stub from Tuesday’s men’s game vs. Virginia Tech will be admitted free. The team will also be signing autographs after the game.

TICKET INFORMATION
Season ticket prices are $70 for adults, $56 for UI faculty and senior-citizens and $15 for youth (18 and under). UI students are admitted free with student I.D.

Single-game tickets are $9 for adults. Youth (18 and under) are admitted free for weekday games and are charged $5 for weekend games.

ON YOUR TELEVISION
Wednesday’s game will be televised live on the Big Ten Network (HD). Tracy Warren and Mary Murphy will call the action.

ON YOUR COMPUTER
Hawkeye fans can follow the game via live stats (Gametracker). The “GT” link can be accessed under the “Calendar” tab on the front page of hawkeyesports.com or on the women’s basketball schedule page.

ON YOUR RADIO
Brent Balbinot and Shelley Till will call Wednesday’s game for the Hawkeye Radio Network. The game can be heard on AM-800 KXIC, AM-600 WMT and AM-1040 WHO, and also on the Hawkeye All-Access page of hawkeyesports.com. Balbinot is in his sixth season as Iowa’s play-by-play voice, while Till is in her fifth year providing analysis.

IOWA HISTORY
Iowa has played 1,009 games, since beginning basketball in 1974. Iowa’s overall record is 615-394 (.610). That includes a 309-151 (.672) mark in regular season Big Ten contests and a 288-84 (.774) mark in Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

BIG TEN/ACC CHALLENGE
Tonight’s game is a part of the third annual Women’s Big Ten/ACC Challenge.

Iowa is 0-2 in Challenge games, losing to Georgia Tech (76-57) at home in 2007, and at Duke (71-47) in 2008.

The Big Ten Conference is looking for its first win, as a conference, in the annual Challenge.

ALL-TIME SERIES
This is the first meeting between the two schools.

SCOUTING BOSTON COLLEGE
The Boston College Eagles are 3-3, and have won their last two games. Last weekend, Boston College won the Hoops For the Cure Tournament in Dallas by defeating Fresno State, 83-75 in the first round, and SMU, 69-68, in the championship.

Carolyn Swords was named the Hoops For the Cure Tournament MVP after scoring 20 points and 13 rebounds in the championship game. She is both the team’s leading scorer (17.2) and rebounder (10.3). Michel Picco was named to the all-tournament team, and is averaging 13.8 points and leads the team with 23 assists. Jasmine Gill (11.8) and Ayla Brown (10.5) are also averaging double figures.

Sylvia Crawley is in her second season at Boston College. She entered the season with a 61-37 overall record, including a 23-12 mark at Boston College.

HAWKEYES SPLIT GAMES IN RENO
Iowa went 1-1 at the Nugget Classic in Reno, hosted by the University of Nevada, last weekend. The Hawkeyes were edged by West Virginia, 69-66, but rebounded with a 72-69 victory over Columbia in the consolation game.

The Hawkeyes led by as many as 11 against West Virginia, but couldn’t hold on to the victory. West Virginia limited Iowa to just one field goal in the final 4:35, and out-scored the Hawkeyes, 44-24 in the paint. Freshman Jaime Printy led Iowa with 17 points, six rebounds and eight assists in the loss.

Iowa came away with a nailbiting three-point win against Columbia Saturday. Sophomore Kamille Wahlin hit the game-winning three with 10 seconds left for the win. Saturday’s game was close throughout, with 15 ties and 30 lead changes. Wahlin, along with Morgan Johnson led the way with 18 points.

PRINTY NAMED BIG TEN FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK
Jaime Printy was named Big Ten Freshman of the Week, after her performances against William & Mary, West Virginia and Columbia.

Printy averaged 16.3 points, 6.7 rebounds and 5.3 assists, as the Hawkeyes posted a 2-1 record last week. Printy recorded her first-ever 20-point game against William & Mary, adding nine rebounds with five assists. Against West Virginia in the first round of the Nugget Classic in Reno, Printy netted 16 points with four boards and five assists in the close, three-point loss. The Marion, IA, native scored Iowa’s first eight points against the Mountaineers, and made her first four shots, including a perfect 3-3 from distance.

Printy saved her best for last in Iowa’s win over Columbia. She scored 12 points with five rebounds and three assists in the thrilling win. Printy nailed a three-pointer with 52 seconds left to tie the game, giving Iowa a chance to win on its next possession.

WAHLIN ON ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAMS
Sophomore Kamille Wahlin was chosen to both the KCRG-TV9 Hawkeye Challenge and Nugget Classic all-tournament teams.

In the season-opening Hawkeye Challenge, Wahlin netted 13 points and added three rebounds.

She was clutch down the stretch in the championship against Illinois State, scoring seven points during Iowa’s crucial 12-2 run in the final three minutes of the second half to give the Hawkeyes the victory. Wahlin drained a three-pointer with 3:46 left to give Iowa a one-point lead (64-63). She then hit a jumper with 37 second left, extending Iowa’s lead to five points (70-65). Wahlin added two free throws on the next trip down the court to seal the win.

Wahlin scored 16 points, grabbed four rebounds and dished out five assists against West Virginia in the Nugget Classic. She followed with 18 points, including the game-winning three-pointer with 10 seconds left, to go along with three points and four assists against Columbia in the consolation game.

JOHNSON’S BIG GAME AGAINST COLUMBIA
Freshman Morgan Johnson recorded the first double-double of her career Saturday vs. Columbia.

Johnson finished with 18 points on 6-8 shooting, along with 12 rebounds (three offensive, nine defensive). Both numbers are career-highs.

HAWKEYES TIE FREE-THROW MARK
Iowa tied the school record for single-game free throw percentage, converting all 16 attempts against Columbia (1.000).

Freshman Morgan Johnson led the way, going 6-6. Sophomore Kamille Wahlin and freshman Theairra Taylor each went 4-4, while freshman Gabby Machado finished 2-2.

NUGGET CLASSIC TIP-INS
? Iowa shot a season-high .552 percent (16-29) from the field in the first half against Columbia. The Hawkeyes finished shooting a season-high .500 (9-18) from behind the arc.

? The Hawkeyes converted .467 (7-15) from distance in the second half against Columbia, which was a season-high.

INJURY UPDATE
Senior JoAnn Hamlin is out for the season after having a blood clot removed from her right leg.

Junior Kachine Alexander is expected to miss 3-4 weeks with a stress fracture in her right leg.

Sophomore Shante Jones is questionable for Wednesday’s game with a foot injury.

Sophomore Hannah Draxten is questionable for Wednesday’s game with a herniated disc in her back.

ALEXANDER’S NUMBERS WILL BE MISSED
Junior Kachine Alexander had a solid start to the season. Alexander has recorded a double-double in each of Iowa’s first three games, and was averaging 21 points and 15.7 rebounds, before suffering a stress fracture in her right leg.

UNDERCLASSMEN CONTRIBUTING
Iowa’s freshmen and sophomore class are putting up big numbers for the Hawkeyes this season.

Hawkeye underclassmen are for 85 percent of the teams’ points (418-494), 68 percent of rebounds (194-285), 84 percent of minutes played (1172-1400), 86 percent of assists (93-108), 75 percent of steals (33-44) and 87 percent of blocks (27-31).

DRAINING FROM DISTANCE
Entering Wednesday’s game, the Hawkeyes lead the Big Ten in three-pointers made (55, 7.86 per game), and rank third in three-point percentage (.367, 55-150).

Individually, sophomore Kamille Wahlin is leading the conference in three-pointers made (22, 3.14 per game) and 10th in three-point percentage (.431, 22-51). She also ranks third in scoring (17.7) and has played the most minutes of any player in the conference (251, 35.9).

ALEXANDER NAMED CO-BIG TEN PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Junior Kachine Alexander was named co-Big Ten Player of the Week Nov. 16 after earning MVP honors at the KCRG-TV9 Hawkeye Challenge.

Alexander recorded double-doubles in each of Iowa’s first two games. She tied a Hawkeye Challenge tournament record by grabbing 18 rebounds (nine offensive, nine defensive), along with netting 19 points in Iowa’s season-opening win over Santa Clara. Both her 19 points and 18 rebounds were game highs.

Alexander followed on Sunday with a 21 point, 12 rebound (nine offensive, three defensive) performance in the championship game against Illinois State. Alexander was clutch down the stretch at the free-throw line, making 13-16 attempts from the charity stripe.

JOHNSON TIES SCHOOL RECORD
Freshman Morgan Johnson tied a school record with seven blocked shots against Northern Iowa (Nov 22). Johnson now holds the record with Jerica Watson (vs. Kent State, 12/8/01) and Tangela Smith (at Michigan State, 1/15/95). She currently ranks third in the Big Ten in blocks per game (2.75).

Johnson added 11 points and eight rebounds in the win.

PRINTY ALL OVER THE COURT
Freshman Jaime Printy continued her impressive start in Black and Gold over the weekend by filling up the stat sheet.

Printy led the team with 17 points, along with six rebounds, eight assists and two steals against West Virginia.

She added 12 points, five rebounds and three assists in Iowa’s win over Columbia.

CAREER DAY FOR WAHLIN
Sophomore Kamille Wahlin poured in a career-high 33 points against Northern Iowa. She also notched career-highs in field goals made (11) and attempted (19), three-pointers made (6) and attempted (10) and free throws made (5) and attempted (6). Her five five three-pointers were just one shy of the school record.

Wahlin led Iowa’s second-half comeback with 21 points on 6-10 shooting, including 4-5 from three point range and all five free throws in the final half.

TAYLOR SHINES IN FIRST START
Fresh off her first significant action of the season at Northern Iowa, freshman Theairra Taylor made the most of her first-ever start as a Hawkeye.

Taylor poured in 16 points (7-15 FGs, 2-3 3PT FGs), along with nine rebounds, five assists, three blocks and a steal in 36 minutes of play in her first start Nov. 24 vs. William & Mary.

PRESEASON RANKINGS
Iowa was picked to finish fifth in the Big Ten by both the league coaches and media. Ohio State was tabbed as the favorite to win the Big Ten, with Michigan State coming in second.

WELCOME TO IOWA CITY
The Hawkeyes welcome five freshmen to the squad this season, one at each position.

Trisha Nesbitt (Ames, IA), will most likely play point guard for Iowa this season. She was a three-time all-conference and two-time first team all-district and all-state selection.

Jaime Printy (Marion, IA) could play both guard positions. She became the youngest player (15) ever to verbally commit to the Iowa Women’s Basketball team. She also played high school basketball at Coach Bluder’s alma mater (Linn-Mar). She was a three-time consensus first team all-state, all-district, all-metro and all-conference pick.

Theairra Taylor (St. Paul, MN) is a 5-11 guard. She was a finalist for 2009 Miss Minnesota Basketball award and was the 2009 St. Paul City Conference Player of the Year. Taylor also earned Associated Press and Pioneer Press first team all-state honors.

Gabby Machado (Pontiac, MI) ranked in the Top 10 in the state of Michigan’s 2009 recruiting class. She was a Detroit News Class “A” all-state honorable mention selection.

Morgan Johnson (Platte County, MO) was the Miss Show Me Basketball Award winner, given to the top prep senior in the state of Missouri. She was also named the 2009 Direnna Award winner, given to top prep in the Kansas City Area, and the Kansas City Star Scholar Athlete of the Year.

HOME GROWN HAWKEYES
Four Hawkeyes prepped in the state of Iowa. Those players are junior Kelsey Cermak (Norwalk), sophomore Kelly Krei (Iowa City) and freshmen Trisha Nesbitt (Ames) and Jaime Printy (Marion).

LAND OF 10,000 HAWKEYES
The 2009-10 edition of the Iowa Women’s Basketball team has four players from the state of Minnesota. They include junior Kachine Alexander (Minneapolis), sophomores Kamille Wahlin (Crookston) and Hannah Draxten (Fergus Falls) and freshman Theairra Taylor (St. Paul).

HAWK TALK WITH Lisa Bluder
“Hawk Talk With Lisa Bluder” is the weekly radio call-in show of Iowa’s head women’s basketball coach. Hosted by Brent Balbinot, the radio voice of the Hawkeyes, “Hawk Talk With Lisa Bluder” is 60 minutes of discussion about Iowa women’s basketball. All shows begin at 6 p.m. and originate from Bob’s Your Uncle restaurant on North Dodge Street (Highway 1) in Iowa City, and are open to the public. Everyone who attends receives a free game ticket and discounts on “Show Night Specials” on the Bob’s Your Uncle menu.

Dates are listed below. December 7, 14, 21 and 30, January 4, 11, 18 and 25, February 1, 8, 15 and 22 and March 1.

THE Lisa Bluder SHOW
“The Lisa Bluder Show,” featuring Iowa Head Coach Lisa Bluder and KCRG-TV9’s John Campbell, will air four times during the regular season on KCRG-TV9. Dates and times are listed below. Thursday, December 31 – 6:30 p.m. Sunday, January 16 – 5 p.m. Sunday, January 20 – 5 p.m.

ON THE HORIZON
Iowa will open Big Ten play Sunday by hosting Michigan at 5 p.m. The Hawkeyes then step back out of conference play when they travel to Ames to take on Iowa State Thursday, Dec. 10 at 7 p.m.

The Hawkeyes then host Drake (Dec. 20) and South Dakota State (Dec. 22), before returning to league play at Penn State (Dec. 28).