Jan. 11, 2011
- ‘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
PARDON OUR PROGRESS! As friends of the University of Iowa and fans of the Hawkeyes know, the UI Athletics Department is well into a multi-million dollar revitalization of Carver-Hawkeye Arena. This important and exciting project has reduced for this season the number of ticket windows that are operational on game nights. Fans attending the home events of the 2010-11 UI men’s basketball, women’s basketball and wrestling teams are invited to avoid game night delays by purchasing their event tickets online or in advance of game day. If your schedule doesn’t allow for an advance purchase, we recommend you consider arriving at the Arena a little earlier than originally planned. Go Hawks!
Michigan State Game Notes in PDF Format
IOWA CITY, Iowa – THE SETTING
The University of Iowa women’s basketball team travels to East Lansing, MI, to take on the ninth-ranked Michigan State Spartans Thursday in a top-20 matchup. Tip-off is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. (CT) at the Breslin Center.
ON YOUR TELEVISION
Thursday’s game will be televised live to a national audience on the Big Ten Network (HD). Tom Hart and Katie Smith will call the action.
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.
ON YOUR COMPUTER
Hawkeye fans can also 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.
IOWA HISTORY
Iowa has played 1,051 games since beginning basketball in 1974. Iowa’s overall record is 643-409 (.612). That includes a 320-160 (.667) mark in regular season Big Ten contests and a 304-88 (.776) mark in Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
WIN NO. 300 AT HOME
The UI women’s basketball program picked up victory No. 300 inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena with a 90-79 win over Central Michigan Nov. 21. The Hawkeyes have compiled a 304-88 (.776) record inside their home venue since it opened in 1983.
SCOUTING MICHIGAN STATE
The Michigan State Spartans are 15-1 overall and 3-0 in Big Ten play. Michigan State’s only loss was at Baylor (52-78), who is currently ranked No. 1 in the nation. Michigan State has won 13-straight games.
In their last game, the Spartans knocked off Michigan, 63-56 in Ann Arbor. Lykendra Johnson scored 17 points, grabbed 17 rebounds and recorded four steals to pace Michigan State. Brittney Thomas added 13 points, seven rebounds and four assists, while Kalisha Keane had 12 points.
Keane leads the team with 16.2 points per game. She is followed by Johnson at 10.3 points per contest. Johnson is also the team’s best rebounder, averaging 7.9 boards per contest.
Michigan State leads the Big Ten in scoring defense (52.4 per game), scoring margin (+18.1), field goal percentage defense (.362), three-pointers made (7.4 per game), rebounding allowed (32.8 per game), rebounding margin (+8.5), offensive rebounds (15.1 per game) and steals (11.1 per game).
As a team, the Spartans are shooting .435 (418-960) from the field, including .349 (118-338) from three-point distance.
IOWA VS. MICHIGAN STATE NOTES
? Thursday will be the 56th meeting between Iowa and Michigan State, with the Hawkeyes leading the all-time series, 32-23. Iowa has won three of the last four meetings, but Michigan State has won nine of the previous 13 contests. Iowa is 13-12 in games played in East Lansing. Iowa’s last win at the Breslin Center was Feb. 1, 2004 (78-67).
? Iowa won both meetings last year, including a 77-66 win in Iowa City and a 59-54 victory in the semifinals of the Big Ten Tournament.
? Two of the top rebounding teams in the Big Ten will meet Thursday. Iowa leads the league in overall rebounding (42.9 per game), while Michigan State ranks third (41.3 per game). The Spartans and Hawkeyes are first and second, respectively, in rebounding margin (+8.5, +6.3) and offensive rebounds (15.1, 14.5).
LAST MEETING
Iowa defeated Michigan State, 59-54, in the semifinals of the Big Ten Tournament.
Iowa trailed by one point at halftime, but put together a solid second half for the win. Iowa converted all 12 free throw attempts in the second half, and turned 15 offensive rebounds in 19 second chance points.
Four Hawkeyes scored double figures, including Kachine Alexander (14), Kamille Wahlin (13), Trisha Nesbitt (10) and Jaime Printy (10).
JOHNSON’S BLOCK PARTY AGAINST MICHIGAN STATE
With three blocks against Michigan State in the Big Ten Tournament last season, Morgan Johnson set both the school and freshman record for single-season blocks. Thre previous record of 73 was held by Tangela Smith (1994-95). Johnson finished last season with 79 blocks.
IOWA IN THE RANKINGS
The Hawkeyes are ranked No. 16 in the AP poll and No. 20 in the ESPN/USA Today poll.
Four Iowa opponents are also ranked in the AP and the ESPN/USA Today polls: Michigan State (9/10), North Carolina (11/11), Iowa State (17/16) and Ohio State (24/24).
Michigan is receiving votes.
HAWKEYES TOP OHIO STATE
Iowa used a solid shooting performance and a balanced scoring attack to knock off No. 20 Ohio State, 89-76 Saturday inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
The Hawkeyes recorded season-highs in field goal (.492) and three-point (.421) percentages. Iowa shot a blistering .500 (6-12) from beyond the arc in the first half and .517 (15-29) from the field in the second half.
Four Iowa players scored double figures, led by Jaime Printy’s 25 points (8-10 FGs). Kamille Wahlin added 18 points and four assists, while Kachine Alexander scored 16 points and grabbed 13 rebounds. Morgan Johnson added 10 points, six rebounds, three assists and three blocks.
BIG GAME AGAINST THE BUCKEYES
Jaime Printy’s 25 points against Ohio State (Jan. 8) were the most for a Hawkeye player against the Buckeyes in nearly five years.
The last player to score 25 or more points against Ohio State was Crystal Smith, who recorded 26 points against the Buckeyes Jan. 12, 2006, in a 72-62 loss.
SEEING DOUBLE
Kachine Alexander recorded her fourth double-double of the season against Ohio State (Jan. 8), finishing with 16 points and 13 rebounds.
Alexander now has 28 career double-doubles, which is seven shy of Lisa Long’s school record for double-doubles (35, set from 1983-87).
Last season, Alexander finished with 15 double-doubles, which was one shy of tying Amy Herrig’s record for single-season double-doubles.
Alexander tallied nine double-doubles as a sophomore.
KASH GETS A GRAND
With a layup at the 11:54 mark in the first half against Minnesota (Jan. 5), senior Kachine Alexander became the 27th player in school history to record 1,000 career points.
Alexander is also the eighth player in school history to collect 1,000 career points and 700 career rebounds, and just the third in school history to record 1,000 career points, 700 career rebounds and 200 career assists.
If Alexander records 22 more assists, she would join Franthea Price as the only player in Iowa history to have 1,000 career points, 700 career rebounds and 300 career assists.
BALANCED SCORING ATTACK
Iowa is one of only three teams in the Big Ten to have four players ranked among the top 30 scorers in the conference.
Iowa, Ohio State and Northwestern and each have four players ranked. Penn State, Wisconsin and Indiana have three, while the remaining five schools have either one of two players ranked.
The Hawkeyes have had at least three players reach double figures in scoring in 16 of the 17 games this year. Five players scored 10 or more points against Bradley. Four players hit double digits against Northeastern, Central Michigan, Kansas State, Minnesota and Ohio State.
HAWKEYES HITTING THE BOARDS
Iowa’s rebounding numbers through its first 16 games are impressive. The Hawkeyes lead the Big Ten in total rebounding (42.9 per game) and rank second in rebounding margin (+6.3), offensive rebounds (14.5 per game) and defensive rebounds (28.4 per game).
Morgan Johnson and Kachine Alexander are tied for second in the league in offensive rebounding (3.5 per game). Alexander’s 18 rebounds against Central Michigan, Nov. 21, are the second most for any Big Ten player this season.
REBOUNDING NUMBERS IMPROVED FROM A YEAR AGO
Iowa’s rebounding has improved greatly from a year ago.
Through 17 games last year, Iowa had a -0.1 rebound margin The Hawkeyes were being outrebounded, 657-658, including a 206-213 deficit on the offensive glass.
This year through 17 games, Iowa holds a +6.3 rebounding margin and is outrebounding opponents 729-622. That includes a 247-204 advantage on the offensive glass.
TOP FIVE IN THE BIG TEN
Three of Iowa’s starters rank in the top five in the Big Ten in different statistical categories.
? Morgan Johnson is tied for second in offensive rebounds (3.5 per game) and ranks third in blocks (2.5 per game).
? Kachine Alexander is tied for second in offensive rebounds (3.5 per game) and ranks third in total rebounding (9.4 per game).
? Jaime Printy ranks second in three-pointers made (2.3 per game) and fourth in free throw percentage (.875).
MOVING UP CAREER CHARTS
Four Hawkeyes are currently working their way up the career records lists at Iowa.
? Kachine Alexander ranks second in career double-doubles (28), eighth in career rebounding (774), 13th in career assists (278) and 26th in career scoring (1,029). She needs 16 more rebounds to move past Amy Herrig for seventh place on the rebounding list and one assist to tie Laurie Aaron and Necole Tunsil for 12th on the assists list. She needs eight more double-doubles to take over first place (Lisa Long, 35).
? Morgan Johnson ranks fourth in career blocks (121) and needs 25 more to move past Toni Foster into third place.
? Kamille Wahlin ranks fifth in career three-pointers made (140) and needs 17 more to move past Leah Magner into fourth place.
? Jaime Printy ranks eighth in career three-pointers made (121) and needs five more to move past Johanna Solverson for seventh place.