Printy Bombs Her Way into Record Book

Feb. 12, 2010

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Editor’s Note: The following article first appeared in the Feb. 11 edition of the Official Sports Report (OSR) for the University of Iowa. OSR is a daily e-newsletter exclusively about the Iowa Hawkeyes. Click HERE to learn more.

IOWA CITY, Iowa — Jaime Printy doesn’t remember many details of a 67-51 victory by the University of Iowa over Santa Clara on Nov. 14 in Carver-Hawkeye Arena. For the Hawkeye women’s basketball team, that was the season-opener, 24 games ago.

It is also the only time Printy has played a collegiate game without making a 3-point field goal.

Printy, a freshman from Marion, Iowa, and Linn-Mar High School, has gone 23 consecutive starts with at least one made 3-point field goal. On 17 occasions, she has sunk multi shots from beyond the arc. During an 86-82 loss at nationally ranked Ohio State on Feb. 4, Printy made all four of her 3-point attempts, giving her 50 made for the season. The previous best for an Iowa freshman from long range was 49 by Lindsey Meder during a 27-game season in 1998-99.

“(Lindsey) was amazing,” Printy said. “I don’t really think about (the record) a lot, but it’s a great honor to have. She was a great, great player. It’s an honor to have, but I would much rather just win than set any records.”

Printy can extend her streak and record Sunday as the Hawkeyes play Illinois with a 2 p.m. start from Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Iowa has won five of its last six games and is now 13-11 overall, 6-7 in the Big Ten Conference.

There have been six games this season when Printy has led the team in 3-point goals; she shared team-high honors five other times. After 24 games, sophomore Kamille Wahlin has made 58 of 150 treys (38.7 percent) and Printy has been successful 57 times in 145 attempts (39.3 percent).

Not only does Printy have the highest 3-point percentage on the team, but she also owns a keen eye from the free throw line. Printy is the top Hawkeye in that category as well, making 62 of 69 (89.9 percent). Her 69 attempts are second on the team to junior Kachine Alexander, who has been to the line 117 times in 17 games.

“If I hit a couple (3-pointers) they have to guard me,” Printy said. “So when they come out for the shot, I can drive, too. I could shoot free throws all day and never get bored. I love shooting free throws.”

What about firing away from behind the arc?

“I can do that, too,” said Printy with a smile. “But free throws are much more relaxing.”

Things didn’t begin well from the outside for the rookie. She was 0-for-4 on opening night, 2 of 11 after two games and 4 of 21 after the first four contests. That early slump was corrected in a hurry and some of Printy’s biggest games have come against Ohio State (4 of 4), Drake (4 of 5), Penn State (4 of 8), Minnesota (4 of 8), Columbia (4 of 9) and most recently during a 71-67 win at Indiana on Feb. 11 (4 of 10). She made 3 of 4 against West Virginia.

“This speaks volumes of what Jaime’s potential is and I know Jaime is going to keep working,” UI head coach Lisa Bluder said. “I know that records don’t really mean a lot to her. It’s not a big deal to her, but to break it this early in her freshman year with still quite a bit of basketball to go, that’s pretty big.”

Meder holds the school record for 3-point field goals in a career with 261 from 1998-2002. That total is 40 more than Wendy Ausdemore made from 2005-09. Meder and Ausdemore are the only Hawkeyes with 200 or more 3-pointers in a career.

“You look at Lindsey Meder and think of what she accomplished here and now you’re talking about breaking some of Lindsey Meder’s records?” Bluder said. “That’s an accomplishment in itself, because of just the quality of shooter that Lindsey Meder was.”

Meder was selected by the Minnesota Lynx in the third round (38th overall) of the 2002 WNBA Draft.

Entering Sunday’s battle against the Illini, Printy leads in Big Ten Conference-only games with 2.46 made 3-point field goals per game. Carmen Reynolds of Michigan is second with 2.43 made 3-pointers per outing (34 in 14 games). In all games, Wahlin (2.52) and Printy (2.38) are 1-2 in the league.

For the season, Printy is averaging 15.5 points, 4.4 rebounds and a team-high 3.1 assists per game. Her 371 points is 45 less than Lisa Becker scored in 1983-84, when Becker established the scoring mark for a Hawkeye freshman.

With at least six games remaining, the total points goal appears well within Printy’s reach as well.