Jan. 4, 2012
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IOWA CITY, Iowa — THE SETTING
The University of Iowa women’s basketball team returns to Mediacom Court at Carver-Hawkeye Arena on Thursday to face the Illinois Fighting Illini. Tip-off is slated for 7 p.m.
Tickets are $9. Youth (18 and under) and UI students (with valid student ID) are admitted free.
PROMOTIONS
Thursday is Facebook/Twitter Fan Appreciation night. Any fan who “likes” the Iowa Hawkeyes or Iowa women’s basketball Facebook page, or follows @TheIowaHawkeyes or @goIowa on Twitter, can print a coupon for free admission.
Fans can also take advantage of Dollar Dog night, with $1 hot dogs at all concession stands.
ON YOUR TELEVISION
Thursday’s game will be televised live by Mediacom. Rob Brooks and Shelley Till will call the action.
AUDIO COVERAGE
Brent Balbinot and former Hawkeye JoAnn Hamlin 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.
ON YOUR COMPUTER
Thursday’s contest vs. Illinois will be streamed live on hawkeyesports.com via the BTN Digital Network. Hawkeye All-Access subscribers can watch live video streams of UI events on the BTN Digital Network at no extra charge.
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 1,082 games since beginning basketball in 1974. Iowa’s overall record is 661-420 (.611). That includes a 330-166 (.665) mark in regular season Big Ten contests and a 316-90 (.778) mark in Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
SCOUTING ILLINOIS
The Illinois Fighting Illini are 6-9 overall and 0-2 in Big Ten play.
Illinois dropped a heartbreaking 64-63 decision at home against nationally ranked Purdue Monday. Purdue’s Courtney Moses drained a three-pointer at the buzzer to knock off the Fighting Illini. Kersten Magrum led Illinios with 18 points, followed by Ivory Crawford at 14 points and Lydia McCully at 12 points. Karisma Penn and McCully each pulled down eight rebounds.
Penn leads Illinois with 14.3 points and 7.8 rebounds per game. Kersten Magrum is next at 11.8 points and 6.3 rebounds per contest.
As a team, Illinois is scoring 63.3 points per game and shooting .410 (351-856) from the field, including .285 (45-158) from three-point distance.
ILLINOIS VS. IOWA NOTES
? Thursday is the 65th meeting between Iowa and Illinois, with the Hawkeyes holding a 48-16 advantage in the all-time series. The 48 victories are the most the Hawkeyes have against any other Big Ten opponent. Iowa has won 45 of the last 52 meetings, including 13 of the last 14. Iowa won 21-straight games in the series between 1986 and 1996. The Hawkeyes are 25-5 in games played in Iowa City. Iowa has won six of the last seven games in Iowa City.
? Illinois fourth-year Head Coach Jolette Law is a 1990 graduate of the University of Iowa. Law, who was an All-American in 1990, played four years (1986-90) for former Iowa Hall of Fame Coach C. Vivian Stringer. Law currently ranks 23rd in Iowa career scoring (1,137), sixth in steals (205) and ninth 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.
LAST MEETING
Iowa used a late second half run to blow past Illinois, 83-64 Feb. 24, 2011, in Iowa City.
Iowa trailed 54-53 at the 8:28 mark, but went on a 20-3 run over the next 4:50 to put the game out of reach. Jaime Printy ignited the run with a three-point play, and the Hawkeyes went a perfect 9-9 from the free throw line during the run line to seal the win.
Four Hawkeyes scored double figures, including Jaime Printy with a game-high 32 points. Kachine Alexander added 16 points, six rebounds and eight assists, while Kamille Wahlin chipped in 11. Morgan Johnson had 10 points and five blocks.
OPPONENTS IN THE RANKINGS
Five Iowa opponents are ranked in the AP or ESPN/USA Today polls: Ohio State (8/11), Texas A&M (9/8), Purdue (18/22), Nebraska (19/RV) and Penn State (22/19).
In addition, Michigan is receiving votes.
OHIO STATE SURGES PAST IOWA
The ninth-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes used two runs late in the first half and early in the second to take down Iowa, 84-71.
Iowa sprinted out to a 37-22 lead with 5:19 left in the first half. Ohio State responded with a 17-3 run to close the period, as Iowa took a 40-39 lead into halftime.
The Buckeyes then used an 11-2 surge to open the second half and held on to the advantage throughout the final 20 minutes.
Ohio State limited Iowa to just a .323 (10-31) field goal percentage in the second half. Iowa only made two of its eight three-point attempts in the second half.
The Hawkeyes were led by Morgan Johnson’s 25 points on 11-16 shooting. Kamille Wahlin was 4-5 from three-point distance and added 17 points. Jaime Printy scored six of her 13 points from the free throw line and also added five assists.
IOWA GUARDS LIKE TO SHARE
Iowa is the only team to have three players ranked inside the top 15 in assists in the latest Big Ten statistics.
Jaime Printy (sixth – 4.2), Kamille Wahlin (eighth – 3.7) and Samantha Logic (13th – 3.5) are all ranked. Northwestern and Michigan State each have two players ranked.
The trio has combined for 84 of Iowa’s 121 assists over the last six games. Printy has tallied 31 assists, Wahlin has 30 and Logic has 23.
In the latest NCAA statistics, Iowa ranks 27th in assists per game (17.0).
IMPROVING FROM LONG DISTANCE
The Hawkeyes have improved their three-point shooting by 28 percentage points over the past two games.
Iowa entered its final non-conference game vs. Missississippi Valley State shooting .322 (78-242) from beyond the arc. Entering Thursday’s game vs. Illinois, the Hawkeyes are at .348 (111-319).
In their last three games, the Hawkeyes have shot a combined .429 (33-77) from three-point distance. Iowa drained 14 three-pointers to set a new school record against Mississippi Valley State and followed with 12 treys against Northwestern. Iowa went 7-15 from distance at Ohio State.
CHARITY STRIPE SUCCESS
The Hawkeyes have cashed in from the free throw line so far this season.
Iowa is 244-295 from the charity stripe and their .827 free throw percentage ranks first in the Big Ten and is ranked third-best in latest NCAA statistics.
Individually, Jaime Printy leads the Big Ten with a .915 percentage and is ranked 11th-nationally in the latest NCAA statistics.
The Hawkeyes haven’t missed more than six free throws in any game this year and have attempted at least 10 in every contest, including seven games with 20 or more attempts.
JOHNSON AMONG THE BEST AT HER POSITION
Junior Morgan Johnson’s .814 (57-70) free throw percentage is the best percentage in the country for players listed as true centers.
According to the latest NCAA statistics, Johnson’s .814 free throw percentage tops Air Force’s Megan O’Neil (.795) for the best among centers.
JOHNSON FROM THE FIELD
Junior Morgan Johnson leads the Big Ten and ranks 47th in the nation with a .542 (83-153) field goal percentage.
Johnson has atttempted at least 10 shots in seven of Iowa’s 15 games this season. In six of those games, Johnson has shot .500 or better.
Johnson was 5-10 (.500) vs. Harvard, 9-13 (.692) at Northern Iowa, 6-11 (.545) at Kansas State, 5-10 (.500) at Iowa State, 13-20 (.650) at Bradley and 11-16 (.688) at Ohio State.
The only game Johnson failed to shoot .500 with 10 or more shots was vs. Virginia Tech (8-21, .381).
STATS DON’T LIE
In eight of Iowa’s nine victories this season, the Hawkeyes have recorded a higher field goal percentage than their opponents.
In all six of Iowa’s losses, the Hawkeyes have had a lower shooting percentage than their opponents.
The only opponent to record a higher field goal percentage and still lose was Mississippi Valley State (Dec. 22).
REACHING DOUBLE FIGURES
Iowa’s game at Ohio State (Jan. 2) marked the eighth time this season that at least three players have scored 10 or more points. In those games, Iowa is 6-2 (losses at Kansas State and at Ohio State).
The Hawkeyes had all five starters score double figures against Mississippi Valley State. Four players hit double figures against Northern Iowa, Kansas State, Western Illinois and Northwestern. Three players reached double digits against Harvard, Albany and at Ohio State.
CONSISTENT STARTS
Two Hawkeyes have recorded consistent starts in certain statistical categories through 15 games this season.
? Junior Jaime Printy has scored at least 15 points in all but five games, including six 20 point performances.
? Freshman Samantha Logic has grabbed at least five rebounds and dished out at least four assists in nine of Iowa’s 15 games.
MOVING UP CAREER CHARTS
Four Hawkeyes are currently working their way up the career records lists at Iowa.
? Kamille Wahlin ranks third in career three-pointers made (194), seventh in career assists (364) and 17th in career scoring (1,240). She needs 28 more three-pointers to move past Wendy Ausdemore into second place, four more assists to move past Steph Schueler for sixth place and three more points to past Kristi Faulkner for 16th place.
? Morgan Johnson ranks second in career blocks (186) and 20th in career rebounds (506). She needs 50 more blocks to move past Tangela Smith for first place and two more rebounds to move past Tia Jackson for 19th place.
? Jaime Printy ranks fifth in career three-pointers made (181), 14th in career scoring (1,277) and 16th in career assists (271). She needs five more three-pointers to move past Kristi Smith for fourth place, seven more points to move past Necole Tunsil for 13th place and nine more assists to move past Necole Tunsiil and Laurie Aaron for 14th place.
? Kelly Krei ranks seventh in career three-pointers made (142) and needs 15 more to move past Leah Magner into sixth place.