Nov. 22, 2010
- ‘Kash’ Alexander: All-America Candidate
- Vote ‘Kash’ For Premier Player Award
- Women’s Basketball – W.I.N. Video
- Buy Women’s Basketball Tickets
- Iowa and the Big Ten Network
- Big Ten Network: Free Hawkeye Video
- 24 Hawkeyes to Watch
Complete Release in PDF Format
IOWA CITY, Iowa – THE SETTING
The University of Iowa women’s basketball team will face James Madison in the first game of the 2010 Caribbean Challenge, held at the Aventura Spa and Cove Palace in Cancun, Mexico. The Hawkeyes and Dukes will play Thanksgiving Day at 6:30 p.m.
AUDIO COVERAGE
Brent Balbinot and Shelley Till will call Thursday’s game for the Hawkeye Radio Network. Hawkeye fans can listen to the contest on AM-800 KXIC in Iowa City, AM-600 WMT in Cedar Rapids, AM-1040 WHO in Des Moines or on the Hawkeye All-Access page of hawkeyesports.com. Balbinot is in his seventh season as Iowa’s play-by-play voice, while Till is in her sixth providing analysis.
CARIBBEAN CHALLENGE NOTES
? This week marks Iowa’s second trip to Cancun and the Caribbean Challenge. Iowa holds a 1-1 record at the Caribbean Challenge after defeating Mississippi State (60-54), but falling to 13th-ranked Arizona State (58-60) over Thanksgiving break in 2007.
? The Caribbean Challenge is normally held at the Moon Palace Resort in Cancun (where Iowa played in 2007). Tournament officials were forced to move the Challenge to the Aventura Spa and Cove Palace due to the international United Nations Climate Summit being held at the Moon Palace.
IOWA HISTORY
Iowa has played 1,041 games, since beginning basketball in 1974. Iowa’s overall record is 635-406 (.610). That includes a 318-158 (.668) mark in regular season Big Ten contests and a 300-87 (.775) mark in Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
HAWKEYES PICK UP HOME WIN NO. 300
The UI women’s basketball program recorded victory No. 300 inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena with a 90-79 win over Central Michigan Nov. 21. The Hawkeyes have compiled a 300-87 (.775) inside their home venue since it opened in 1983.
SCOUTING JAMES MADISON
The James Madison Dukes are 2-1 on the season. James Madison dropped its season opener to Hampton (64-69) before picking up wins against St. Francis (64-49) and Central Florida (82-78 in overtime). All three games have been at home.
Dawn Evans leads the team with 25.7 points per game. She has 77 of the team’s 210 points on the season. Evans has played 38 minutes per game and is 20-21 (.952) from the free throw line. Jalissa Taylor is the team’s leading rebounder with 15 boards per game.
James Madison is shooting .353 (72-204) from the field, including .266 (17-64) from three-point.
JAMES MADISON VS. IOWA NOTES
? Thursday will be the third meeting between the two schools, with Iowa holding a 2-0 record. Iowa won the first matchup Dec. 19, 1993, 72-44 in Harrisonburg, VA. The Hawkeyes won the return match in Iowa City Nov. 26, 1994 (60-30).
? Two of the top guards in the country will face off Thursday at the Caribbean Challenge in James Madison’s Dawn Evans and Iowa’s Kachine Alexander. Both are on the Naismith Trophy, Wade Trophy and Wooden Award watch lists. Both guards are also candidates for the Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award and were named the top five at their position by ESPN.com and FanHouse.com. Evans was named the preseason CAA Co-Player of the Year and Alexander was a preseason all-Big Ten selection.
IOWA IN THE RANKINGS
The Hawkeyes are ranked No. 22 in the AP poll and No. 24 in the ESPN/USA Today poll.
Four Iowa opponents are also ranked in the AP and ESPN/USA Today polls: Ohio State (7/7), North Carolina (14/15), Iowa State (19/17) and Michigan State (25/22).
Kansas State, Penn State, Wisconsin, Northwestern, Purdue and James Madison are receiving votes.
HAWKEYES WIN SHOOTOUT AGAINST CENTRAL MICHIGAN
Iowa captured the 2010 KCRG-TV9 Hawkeye Challenge title with a 90-79 win over Central Michigan Sunday.
Four Hawkeyes hit double figures, led by Morgan Johnson with a team-high 21 points. Kachine Alexander added 20 points and 18 rebounds, while Jaime Printy chipped in 18 points, six rebounds and five assists. Kamille Wahlin had 13 points and five assists.
The Hawkeyes out-rebounded Central Michigan, 53-49, including 20 offensive boards.
BLUDER CLOSING IN ON MILESTONE
Iowa Head Coach Lisa Bluder is just six wins away from becoming only the second coach in school history to reach the 200-win milestone.
Bluder currently has 194 wins in her 11 years at Iowa. C. Vivian Stringer is the only other Hawkeye head coach to reach the 200-win plateau at Iowa, finishing her time in Iowa City with 269 wins.
Ohio State Head Coach Jim Foster is the only other active Big Ten coach to have reached 200 wins at his/her current school.
DOUBLE TROUBLE
Kachine Alexander has collected double-doubles in Iowa’s last three games and earned MVP honors at the KCRG-TV9 Hawkeye Challenge.
Alexander’s first double-double of the season came against Bradley Nov. 16, recording 14 points and 10 rebounds. Alexander was 8-10 from the free throw line and also had five assists and three steals.
Alexander started the KCRG-TV9 Hawkeye Challenge with 21 points and 12 rebounds in a win over Northeastern Nov. 20, adding six assists, two steals and a block.
She wrapped up the tournament MVP award with 20 points and 18 rebounds against Central Michigan in the championship.
Alexander now ranks second in career double-doubles at Iowa with 27. The school record is 35, held by Lisa Long.
TWO HAWKEYE CHALLENGE RECORDS SET
Kachine Alexander’s 18 rebounds against Central Michigan tied a Hawkeye Challenge record for single game rebounds. The original record of 18 rebounds was set by North Carolina State’s Trena Trice in the 1985 Challenge. Alexander tied the record last year with 18 boards in the season opener against Santa Clara.
Iowa’s 31 three-point attempts against Central Michigan also broke the team single-game record for three-pointers attempted. The previous record was 29, held by the Hawkeyes against Kent State in the 2001 championship.
JOHNSON SCORING VEINTE PUNTOS
Morgan Johnson has scored 20 or more points in her past two games. Johnson scored a career-high 22 points against Northeastern and followed with 21 against Central Michigan.
Johnson was yet to hit the 20-point mark in her career before her outburst against Northeastern.
Johnson was named to the KCRG-TV9 Hawkeye Challenge all-tournament team.
KREI CLEANING SOME GLASS
Kelly Krei is giving Iowa yet another rebounding presence in the paint.
Krei has 35 rebound through the first five games of the season. It took Krei eight games last year to reach 35 boards.
Krei also grabbed double-digit rebounds in the season opener Nov. 12 against Southern, finishing with 10. Krei did not grab 10 or more rebounds until Feb. 25 last season at Indiana.