Feb. 22, 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!
Illinois Game Notes in PDF Format
IOWA CITY, Iowa — THE SETTING
The University of Iowa women’s basketball team will take on the Illinois Fighting Illini Thursday at 7:30 p.m. on Mediacom Court at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Thursday will be the final home game of the season, and will also be “Senior Night” for Kachine Alexander and Kelsey Cermak.
Iowa has had seven days to prepare for Illinois.
Single-game tickets are $9 for adults. Youth (18 and under) and UI students are admitted free.
ON YOUR TELEVISION
Thursday’s game will be televised live to a national audience on the Big Ten Network (HD). Leah Secondo and Patricia Babcock-McGraw 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.
PROMOTIONS
Thursday is “Break the Record” night, as the Iowa women’s basketball team will try to break the all-time single-season attendance record of 83,945 fans, set during the 1993-94 season. Iowa needs a crowd of 7,464 to break that record. Plenty of promotions are planned for Thursday night.
? One season ticket for the 2011-12 women’s basketball season will be given away for every point that either Kachine Alexander or Kelsey Cermak score. Fans can register to win this season ticket at the South, East or West Entrance on the concourse when arriving at the game.
? Followers of @iowahawkeyes on Twitter or the Iowa Athletics Facebook page will have a chance to purchase $5 tickets for Thursday’s game. Information about purchasing those tickets will be announced on Facebook and Twitter this week. ? Subscribers of Hawk Talk Daily, the daily e-newsletter of the Iowa Hawkeyes, will also receive information on how to purchase $5 tickets for Thursday’s game.
? The popular bobbleheads will be back for Thursday’s game. Lisa Bluder, Kachine Alexander and Kelsey Cermak bobbleheads will be given out to select fans during the game. Hawkeye street banners and other prizes will also be handed out to winners.
MORE ON ATTENDANCE
Iowa ranks 13th in the nation in attendance, averaging 5,883 fans per home game. That figure would rank fourth in school history for average attendance. The school record for average attendance is 6,457, set during the 1993-94 season (13 games).
IOWA HISTORY
Iowa has played 1,062 games since beginning basketball in 1974. Iowa’s overall record is 649-413 (.611). That includes a 326-164 (.665) mark in regular season Big Ten contests and a 308-89 (.776) mark in Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
SCOUTING ILLINOIS
The Illinois Fighting Illini are 7-20 overall and 2-12 in Big Ten play. Illinois has lost its last 10 contests.
In their last game, the Fighting Illini were defeated by Michigan State at Assembly Hall, 69-56. Illinois trailed by 14 at halftime, but outscored the Spartans, 31-30 in the second half. Karisma Penn led Illinois with 33 points and 11 rebounds.
Penn is the only Illinois player to average double figures, scoring 18.3 points while also recording 10.3 rebounds per game. She ranks fourth in the Big Ten in scoring and second in rebounding. Amber Moore is averaging 8.5 points per game, while Adrienne GodBold is scoring 8.4 points per contest.
As a team, Illinois is shooting .402 (652-1,620) from the field, including .313 (129-412) from three-point distance.
ILLINOIS VS. IOWA NOTES
? Sunday is the 64th meeting between Iowa and Illinois, with the Hawkeyes holding a 47-16 advantage in the all-time series. The 47 victories are the most the Hawkeyes have against any other Big Ten opponent. Iowa has won 44 of the last 51 meetings, including 12 of the last 13. Iowa won 21-straight games in the series between 1986 and 1996. The Hawkeyes are 24-5 in games played in Iowa City. Iowa has won five of the last six games in Iowa City.
? Illinois third-year Head Coach Jolette Law is a 1990 graduate of the University of Iowa. Law, who was an all-American in 1990 and played four years (1986-90) for former Iowa Hall of Fame Coach C. Vivian Stringer. Law currently ranks 20th in Iowa career scoring (1,137), sixth in steals (205) and eighth in assists (353). The Hawkeyes won or shared four Big Ten championships, reached the Elite Eight twice and won 46-straight home games during her career.
PRINTY VS. THE FIGHTING ILLINI
In three career games vs. Illinois, Jaime Printy is averaging 18.7 points, shooting .462 (18-39) from the field and .500 (7-14) from three-point range.
LAST MEETING
Iowa knocked off Illinois in Champaign (Jan. 30), 80-69.
Iowa led for most of the first half, but a 14-2 run by Illinois gave the Fighting Illini the lead with 4:25 left in the first half. Iowa took a one-point lead into halftime and held on through the second half to earn the win.
Five players scored double figures for Iowa, led by Kachine Alexander’s 19 points. Morgan Johnson added 17 points and 13 rebounds, while Jaime Printy scored 15 points and had five assists. Kamille Wahlin chipped in 13 points and Kelly Krei had 11.
IOWA IN THE RANKINGS
The Hawkeyes are receiving votes in the AP and ESPN/USA Today poll.
Three Iowa opponents are also ranked in the AP and the ESPN/USA Today polls: Michigan State (10th/8th), North Carolina (13th/16th) and Iowa State (25th/24th).
Penn State, Ohio State, Northern Iowa and Kansas State are receiving votes.
IOWA AND RPI NOTES
? Iowa is currently ranked 14th in the latest NCAA RPI, which is the second-highest among Big Ten schools.
? Iowa’s schedule is rated the 13th-toughest in the nation, according to RealTimeRPI.com.
? Iowa has two wins over top 15 RPI teams (Michigan State – 11, Ohio State – 15) and five wins over top 50 RPI teams (Iowa State – 37, Northwestern – 50).
? All seven of Iowa’s losses are to teams with an RPI of 50 or better, with three of those losses to teams with an RPI of 20 or better. Three of those losses are also against teams ranked in the top-25 when the game was played.
SOLID DEFENSE LIFTS IOWA OVER WISCONSIN
The Hawkeyes defeated Wisconsin, 59-44 (Feb. 16) in Iowa City. Iowa limited Wisconsin to just .333 (18-54) shooting, including .231 (3-13) from three-point range.
Iowa outrebounded Wisconsin, 41-27, including 11-6 on the offensive glass. The Hawkeyes also netted eight fast break points and did not allow the Badgers to score on the break.
Kamille Wahlin led Iowa with 19 points, five rebounds and four assists. Morgan Johnson added 13 points and Jaime Printy chipped in 12. Kachine Alexander had 11 rebounds and seven assists.
HAWKEYES HOLD WISCONSIN TO SCHOOL RECORD LOW
Iowa tied a school record for fewest points allowed in a half, giving up just 11 first half points against Wisconsin (Feb. 16). The other two times Iowa allowed 11 points was in the first half against Illinois (March 1, 1992) and West Virginia (Dec. 11, 1992).
SUCCESS UNDER BLUDER
Iowa recorded its 20th win of the season Feb. 16 vs. Wisconsin. This is the sixth 20-win season under Head Coach Lisa Bluder, including each of the last four seasons.
In addition, Iowa will finish with a winning record for the 10th times in 11 seasons under Bluder.
Last year marked the seventh time in 10 seasons under Bluder that Iowa has been selected for the NCAA Tournament, including three-straight selections (2008-10). The Hawkeyes have participated in postseason play in all but one season under Bluder (two WNIT appearances).
WAHLIN LEADING THE WAY
Kamille Wahlin has turned in solid performances in Iowa’s last four contests.
Wahlin has dished out 20 assists to just seven turnovers in the four-game span. She is has also averaged 15 points, shot. 533 (24-45) from the field and .429 (12-18) from three-point range.
Wahlin scored 24 points vs. Penn State (Feb. 6), recorded nine assists at Northwestern (Feb. 13), collected four rebounds and four assists vs. Minnesota (Feb. 10) and scored 19 points against Wisconsin (Feb. 13).
ALEXANDER JOINS ELITE GROUP
Kachine Alexander became the first player in Iowa history, and just the fifth player in Big Ten history, to collect 1,000 career points, 800 career rebounds and 300 career assists vs. Penn State (Feb. 6). The other Big Ten players to accomplish the milestone include Janel McCarville (Minnesota), Jolene Anderson (Wisconsin) and Lacey Simpson and Tajua Catchings (Illinois).
MORE MILESTONES FOR ALEXANDER
? With 11 rebounds at Ohio State (Jan. 24), Alexander became just the sixth player in school history, and the first-ever guard, to collect 800 career rebounds.
? Alexander is the sixth player in school history to have 1,000 career points and 800 career rebounds.
ALEXANDER THE GREAT (REBOUNDER)
Kachine Alexander’s 9.5 rebounds per game are the most for any guard in the country.
Alexander ranks 40th in the country in rebounding, but the 39 players ranked above her are all listed as forwards or centers. Alexander, along with Morehead State’s Ashar Harris (11.8 rebounds per game), are the shortest players among the top 50, both listed at 5-9.
Alexander is the only guard listed among the top 50 rebounders in the NCAA.
ALEXANDER AND WAHLIN EACH GET A GRAND
Kachine Alexander and Kamille Wahlin both reached the 1,000 career point milestone this season.
Alexander hit the mark with a layup at the 11:54 mark in the first half against Minnesota (Jan. 5). She became the 27th player in school history to record 1,000 career points.
Wahlin also scored her 1,000th career point with a layup. Wahlin’s came at the 17:23 mark against Penn State (Feb. 6). She is the 28th player in school history to score 1,000 points in a career.
ALEXANDER MAKES FIRST CUT FOR WOODEN AWARD AND NAISMITH TROPHY
Senior Kachine Alexander was one of 20 players to be named to the Wooden Award Top 20 Midseason ist (Jan 11), and one of 30 players named to the Naismith Trophy Midseason Top 30 list (Feb. 14). She is also on watch list for the Wade Trophy. The “Wade Watch” list is made up of the top 25 preseason women’s basketball players.
The Wade Trophy, Wooden Award and Naismith Trophy are considered the three most prestigious awards in NCAA women’s college basketball.
JOHNSON AT .500 OR BETTER
When Morgan Johnson takes eight or more shots in a game, chances are she will make at least half of them.
Johnson has attempted eight or more shots in 20 of Iowa’s 27 games this year. In those 20 games, Johnson has shot .500 or better 11 times, including a 7-9 (.778) shooting performance at Illinois (Jan. 30).
Johnson has attempted 10 or more shots nine times, shooting. 500 or better in all but three games. Johnson was 8-13 (.615) against Northeastern, 10-16 (.625) against Central Michigan, 8-11 (.727) vs. Iowa State, 9-12 (.750) vs. South Dakota State, 5-10 (.500) vs. Michigan and vs. Ohio State and 7-12 (.583) at Ohio State.
She was 2-12 (.167) vs. James Madison, 4-12 (.333) at Minnesota and 5-12 (.417) vs. Wisconsin.
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 have four players ranked. Penn State, Wisconsin and Purdue have three ranked, while the remaining five school have either one or two players ranked.
The Hawkeyes have had at least three players reach double figures in scoring in 23 of the 27 games this year. Five players scored 10 or more points against Bradley and at Illinois. Four players hit double digits against Northeastern, Central Michigan, Kansas State, Minnesota, in both games vs. Ohio State, vs. Penn State and at Northwestern.
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 (32), third in career rebounding (872), 10th in career assists (315) and 18th in career scoring (1,171). She needs 16 more rebounds to move past Toni Foster for second place on the rebounding list and eight assists to move past Lisa Anderson for ninth on the assists list. She needs four more double-doubles to take over first place (Lisa Long, 35).
? Morgan Johnson ranks fourth in career blocks (143) and needs three more to move past Toni Foster into third place.
? Kamille Wahlin ranks fourth in career three-pointers made (161) and 27th in career scoring (1,045). She needs 25 more three-pointer to move past Kristi Smith into third place.
? Jaime Printy ranks sixth in career three-pointers made (139) and needs 18 more to move past Leah Magner for fifth place.