Dec. 8, 2009
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IOWA CITY – THE SETTING
The Iowa Hawkeyes (5-4) hit the road to take on Iowa State (5-1) Thursday at Hilton Coliseum in Ames. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m.
ON YOUR TELEVISION
Thursday’s game will be televised live to a local cable audience on Mediacom Connections (check local listings). B.J. Schaben and Lyndsey Fennelly will call the action.
ON YOUR COMPUTER
Fans can watch a live webcast of Thursday’s game on cyclones.com. The webcast will require an $8.95 subscription fee.
Live stats links can be found on the women’s basketball schedule page of hawkeyesports.com, or on cyclones.com.
ON YOUR RADIO
Brent Balbinot and Shelley Till will call Thursday’s game for the Hawkeye Radio Network. The game can be heard on AM-800 KXIC, AM-600 WMT, 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 1,011 games, since beginning basketball in 1974. Iowa’s overall record is 615-396 (.608). That includes a 309-151 (.672) mark in regular season Big Ten contests and a 288-86 (.770) mark in Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
ALL-TIME SERIES
Iowa leads the all-time series, 21-18, after winning last year’s matchup, 66-46 in Iowa City. The Cyclones have won three of the last five meetings. Iowa is looking for its first win in Ames since a 75-55 win in 1989. Three matchups between the two schools have gone to overtime.
SCOUTING IOWA STATE
The Iowa State Cyclones are 5-1, with their only loss coming against Drake (78-75) in the second game of the season.
Iowa State defeated Arkansas-Pine Bluff, 80-64 Sunday, without starters Anna Prins and Kelsey Bolte. Alison Lacey led the way with 27 points and eight assists, while Shellie Mosman and Whitney Williams each added 14 points. Denae Stuckey scored 10 points and grabbed eight boards.
The Cyclones have four players scoring in double figures, including Lacey (16.0), Prins (13.0), Bolte (12.6) and Williams (10.3). Lacey also leads the team with 51 assists to just 10 turnovers. Lacey leads the nation in assist-turnover ratio.
Four players are also averaging at least six rebounds a game. Those players include Stuckey (6.7), Bolte (6.4), Prins (6.0) and Chelsea Poppens (6.0).
The Cyclones hold an impressive +25 scoring margin and a +10 rebound margin. As a team, Iowa State is shooting .448 from the field and .456 from distance.
Bill Fennelly is in his 15th season as head coach at Iowa State. He entered the season with a 307-141 overall record.
IOWA STATE VS. IOWA NOTES
? Two experienced coaches will face off Thursday night. Lisa Bluder is the dean of Big Ten coaches, and is in her 10th season at Iowa. Bill Fennelly is the dean of Big 12 coaches, and is in his 15th year at Iowa State.
? Both teams have four players from the state of Iowa on the roster. Iowa’s include Trisha Nesbitt (Ames), Kelly Krei (Iowa City), Kelsey Cermak (Norwalk) and Jaime Printy (Marion). Iowa State’s players are Kelsey Bolte (Ida Grove), Shellie Mosman (Carroll), Chelsea Poppens (Aplington) and Amanda Zimmerman (Huxley).
? Two excellent three-point shooting teams will take the court Thursday. Iowa State leads the nation in three-point field goals made per game (11.2), and ranks second in three-point percentage (.456). The Hawkeyes lead the Big Ten and rank 26th in the country in three-point field goals made per game (7.7).
HY-VEE CY-HAWK SERIES
Iowa leads the sixth annual Hy-Vee Cy-Hawk Series, 7-6, after gaining points in football, soccer and wrestling. Iowa State notched wins in volleyball and both men’s and women’s cross country. Thursday’s game is worth two points.
Iowa has claimed three of the five Hy-Vee Cy-Hawk Series crowns, since the event was created during the 2004-05 athletic season.
The series awards two points (except football, which is worth three) to the winning school in each head-to-head match-up between the two institutions. Additionally, two points are awarded to an institution if the graduation rate of its student-athletes is greater than the national average as reported each fall by the NCAA.
HAWKEYES LOSE CLOSE GAME TO MICHIGN
Iowa once again fought back from an early deficit, but couldn’t come away with a win, as Michigan topped the Hawkeyes, 54-51 to open Big Ten play Sunday.
The Hawkeyes could never grab a lead in the contest, and trailed by 14 points at halftime. Iowa opened the second half with a 14-6 run to pull within six points (40-34) at the 13:43 mark. After Michigan stretched its lead to 49-38 at the 7:33 mark, the Hawkeyes used a 13-3 run to come within one point (52-51) with 2:02 remaining.
Iowa wasn’t able to convert from the free throw line, missing the front end of two one-and-one situations, and did not score in the final 2:02.
Freshman Theairra Taylor led the way with 13 points, and was one of four players to grab seven rebounds. Taylor scored 10 of her 14 points in the second half, and also added four assists, four blocks and three steals. Sophomore Kelly Krei and freshman Morgan Johnson each added 12 points.
OH, SO CLOSE
Three of Iowa’s four losses have been by five points or less, with two of those being by three points.
The Hawkeyes had a three-point attempt at the buzzer against West Virginia fall short, that would have sent the game to overtime.
Against Boston College, Iowa missed a three-pointer with seven seconds left that would have tied the game.
Against Michigan, Iowa missed the front-end of a one-and-one from the free throw line with both 27 and 11 seconds left, each time trailing by only one point.
JOHNSON EMERGING IN THE PAINT
Freshman Morgan Johnson has had three solid games in a row for the Hawkeyes in the paint.
Johnson notched her first-career double-double in Iowa’s win over Columbia, scoring 18 points and grabbing 12 rebounds. She followed with a 16-point, six-rebound performance against Boston College. Most recently, she added 12 points and seven boards against Michigan.
Johnson had only scored in double figures twice in Iowa’s first six games, but has had three-straight games with at least 10 points.
WAHLIN STEPPING UP
Sophomore Kamille Wahlin has filled Iowa’s scoring role since Kachine Alexander, the team’s leading scorer, went down with an injury.
Wahlin is averaging 18.6 points (.457 FG%, .417 3PT%, .917 FT%) in the six games since Alexander’s injury. She has also played an average of 38.2 minutes in those six games.
NOT PLAYING LIKE A FRESHMAN
Freshman Jaime Printy has started all nine games for the Hawkeyes, and hasn’t looked like a rookie on the court.
Printy has scored double figures in six of her nine starts, and is averaging 11.3 points per game and has played 32.8 minutes per contest.
The Marion, IA, native has also secured at least five rebounds in all nine games, and has had at least three assists in all but two games.
LOGGING MAJOR MINUTES
Due to injuries, Iowa’s roster has been forced to play a large amount of minutes so far.
Three players (minus the injured Kachine Alexander), have played over 30 minutes a game. Kamille Wahlin is playing 36.8 minutes per game, freshman Jaime Printy is at 32.8 minutes per contest and sophomore Kelly Krei is playing 31.6 minutes.
In addition, freshman Theairra Taylor is at 27.9 minutes per game, while fellow freshman Morgan Johnson has played 26.9 minutes.
NEVER RIDING THE PINE
Sophomores Kelly Krei and Kamille Wahlin have both played all 40 minutes in back-to-back games this season.
Krei never left the court in consecutive games against Illinois State (Nov. 15) and Kansas (Nov. 18). Wahlin did the same against Boston College (Dec. 2) and Michigan (Dec. 6).
DRAINING FROM DISTANCE AND THE LINE
The Hawkeyes lead the Big Ten in three-pointers made (69, 7.67 per game), rank second in free throw percentage (.758, 97-128) and rank third in three-point percentage (69-195, .354). Iowa also ranks 26th nationally in three-point field goals made per game (7.7) and 31st in free throw percentage (.758).
Individually, sophomore Kamille Wahlin is leading the conference in three-pointers made (26, 2.89 per game) and minutes played (331, 36.78). She also ranks fifth in scoring (17.1). Nationally, Wahlin ranks 33rd in three-pointers made per game (2.9).
Freshman Morgan Johnson is fourth in the Big Ten and 35th nationally in blocked shots (18, 2.0 per game).
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 2-3 weeks with a stress fracture in her right leg.
Sophomore Hannah Draxten is sidelined with a herniated disc in her back, and her return is unknown at this time.
ALEXANDER’S NUMBERS WILL BE MISSED
Junior Kachine Alexander had a solid start to the season. Alexander 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 responsible for 87 percent of the teams’ points (534-612), 71 percent of rebounds (252-356), 86 percent of minutes played (1556-1800), 87 percent of assists (118-135), 84 percent of steals (49-58) and 89 percent of blocks (34-38).
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
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.
ON THE HORIZON
The Hawkeyes host Drake (Dec. 20) and South Dakota State (Dec. 22), before returning to league play at Penn State (Dec. 28).