Hawkeyes, Spartans Set for Thursday Showdown

Jan. 14, 2014

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Iowa Game Notes: Michigan State

THE SETTING:
The University of Iowa women’s basketball team (14-4, 2-2) continues Big Ten action at home Thursday, hosting Michigan State (11-5, 3-0) at 7 p.m. (CT) on Mediacom Court at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. The Hawkeyes, 9-1 at home this season, have won 10-of-13 overall.

Thursday night’s game against Michigan State is “Buck Night;” all tickets are only $1 for adults. Youth and UI students are admitted free. Tickets can be purchased online at hawkeyesports.com, over the phone at 1-800 IA-HAWKS, and at the UI Athletics Ticket Office in Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

QUICK HITS:
? The Hawkeyes are 84-20 in their last 104 games inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
? Junior guard Samantha Logic, the Big Ten leader in assists, is nearly averaging a triple-double over the last six contests (16.3 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 8.0 assists). She has registered a triple-double and three double-doubles during the stretch.
? Iowa evened its Big Ten record at 2-2 last week, defeating Minnesota on Jan. 8 inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena, 78-71, and winning at Wisconsin on Jan. 12, 82-65.
? Iowa is averaging 81.7 points and 18.9 assists per contest, leading the Big Ten in both categories. In addition, the Hawkeyes are 18th nationally in scoring offense and 13th in assists per game.
? Iowa has had three or more players score in double figures in each of the last 16 contests, including four in the win at Wisconsin (Disterhoft 20, Doolittle 20, Logic 16, Taylor 13).
? Five Hawkeyes are averaging double figures (Logic, Dixon, Doolittle, Disterhoft, and Taylor).
? Iowa is the only team in the Big Ten with three players averaging 14 or more points per game (Logic – 14.7, Dixon – 14.6, Doolittle – 14.2).

ON YOUR TELEVISION:
Thursday’s game can be seen locally in the state of Iowa on Mediacom Connections (MC22) and online via video.BTN.com (Big Ten Digital Network). Rob Brooks and Shelley Till will call the action.

AUDIO COVERAGE:
Brent Balbinot and Aaron Blau will call the action for the Hawkeye Radio Network. Hawkeye fans can listen to the contest on the Hawkeye All-Access page of hawkeyesports.com. Balbinot is in his 10th season as Iowa’s play-by-play voice.

FOLLOW THE ACTION:
Fans can watch live on the Big Ten Digital Network (video.BTN.com). Fans can also follow the action 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. Follow @IowaWBB on Twitter for game updates.

IOWA HISTORY:
Iowa has played 1,150 games since beginning basketball in 1974. Iowa’s overall record is 706-444 (.613). That includes a 350-180 (.660) mark in regular season Big Ten contests and a 344-98 (.776) mark in Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

IN THE RANKINGS:
Iowa is receiving votes in The Associated Press Top 25 poll this week and the USA Today Coaches Poll. The Hawkeyes have been ranked as high as No. 21/24 this season. Five Iowa opponents are ranked in the Associated Press/USA Today polls: Iowa State (13/11), Penn State (16/17), Nebraska (18/16), Colorado (21/20), and Purdue (22/19). In addition, Indiana, Michigan State, Syracuse and Michigan are receiving votes.

FREE TICKETS AT MIDWESTONE BANKS:
MidWestOne Bank has partnered with the Iowa women’s basketball team by purchasing 2,500 tickets to the “Go Red for Women” game against Indiana on Saturday, Jan. 25, at 6 p.m. The Iowa Hawkeyes are encouraging fans to “Go Red For Women,” but wear “Black & Gold” for Iowa. Fans can pick up free tickets at any Johnson County branch of MidWestOne, while supplies last. “Go Red for Women” is a nationwide movement encouraging and celebrating heart health among women. This year marks the 10th anniversary of “Go Red for Women” and during that time, about 650,000 women’s lives have been saved from Cardiovascular diseases. Tickets are also available at the regular price of $10 for adults and $6 for youth by calling 1-800-IA-HAWKS or visiting hawkeyesports.com. Tickets are free for UI students.

SCOUTING MICHIGAN STATE:
? Michigan State is 11-5 overall and 3-0 in Big Ten play, with road wins at Minnesota (81-56) and Michigan (79-72), and at home over nationally-ranked Nebraska (70-57).
? Michigan State is the only remaining unbeaten team in Big Ten play (3-0).
? Three Spartans average double-figures: Annalise Pickrel – 13.7 points/game, Aerial Powers – 13.6, and Tori Jankoska – 11.0. Six Spartans average 8.6 points or more per contest.
? Michigan State is coached by Suzy Merchant. Merchant is in her seventh season at the helm of the program.
? Powers was named Big Ten Freshman of the Week on Monday after averaging 15 points and 11 rebounds, in helping Michigan State to a pair of wins over Nebraska and Michigan last week. She has garnered the honor three times this season.

IOWA-MICHIGAN STATE SERIES NOTES:
? Thursday’s game marks the only regular season meeting between the two teams this season.
? Iowa leads the all-time series against the Spartans, 34-25, and holds a 17-8 edge in Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
? Iowa has won four of the last six meetings in the series.
? The Hawkeyes have won the last four meetings in Iowa City.

THE LAST MEETING:
Michigan State claimed the only meeting between the two teams last season, winning 65-54 in East Lansing, Mich. The Hawkeyes led, 49-48, with 4:43 remaining, but were unable to finish against the Spartans. Three Hawkeyes scored in double figures (Morgan Johnson 13, Jaime Printy 11, Bethany Doolittle 10).

HAWKEYES EARN B1G ROAD WIN IN MADISON:
Iowa won at Wisconsin on Sunday inside the Kohl Center, 82-65. Iowa jumped out to a 16-6 lead and never trailed the Badgers. With 20 points each, Ally Disterhoft and Bethany Doolittle paced an Iowa attack that had four players in double figures. Logic added 16 points and 11 assists and seven assists, registering her 18th career double-double. Senior Theairra Taylor posted 13 points, seven assists, three rebounds, and four steals.

DEFYING LOGIC:
? Samantha Logic is the only player in the Big Ten to average 14 or more points (14.7), six or more rebounds (6.9), and six or more assists (7.0).
? She ranks 14th in scoring, 13th in rebounding, first in assists, and third in steals (2.2) and assist/turnover ratio (1.9).
? Logic is second in career assists (479) at Iowa. Cara Consuegra (1997-2001) is Iowa’s all-time assists leader (576).
? She has 126 assists this season, which ranks as the fifth-highest total for a junior in progam history.
? Logic is 15th in the NCAA in career assists among active players, and sixth in assists/game (5.77).
? Logic, the Big Ten leader in assists (7.0/game), is nearly averaging a triple-double over the last six contests (16.3 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 8.0 assists).
? She has registered a triple-double and three double-doubles during the stretch.
? Last season, Logic led the Big Ten and ranked 15th in the NCAA with 6.4 assists per game. She leads the Big Ten in the category this season, and is eighth nationally.
? Logic’s 10 career games with double digit assists are the most in program history. Cara Consuegra is second with nine games of 10 or more assists. The next closest Hawkeyes on the list are Kachine Alexander, Jolette Law and Michelle Edwards, with two career games.
? Logic — who now has 18 career double-doubles — became Iowa’s single-season assist record holder a year ago, breaking the mark in Iowa’s win at Northwestern (March 3). Logic entered the game tied with Cara Consuegra (2000-01) at 191 assists. Logic collected seven assists at Northwestern and finished with 217.
? Logic recorded her 13th career double-double (16 points, 14 assists) on Nov. 10, leading the Hawkeyes to a 97-93 overtime victory against No. 14 Dayton. Logic hit the game-tying 3-pointer with nine seconds remaining in regulation to send the game into overtime. The 14 assists equaled a personal best and Iowa school record, and are the most in Carver-Hawkeye Arena history. The previous high was 12 (three times).

HAWKEYES IN BIG TEN PLAY:
Iowa head coach Lisa Bluder, the dean of Big Ten coaches, is a three-time Big Ten Coach of the Year (2001, 2008 and 2010). She has guided Iowa to nine upper-division finishes in the Big Ten in 13 seasons. Iowa won a share of the Big Ten regular season championship in 2008 and finished in a three-way tie for second in 2009. The Hawkeyes clinched a share of the title in 2008 with a win at Wisconsin in the regular season finale (March 2, 2008).

BALANCED ATTACK:
Five Hawkeyes are averaging double figures: Samantha Logic (14.7), Melissa Dixon (14.6), Bethany Doolittle (14.2), Ally Disterhoft (12.0), and Theairra Taylor (10.6). Iowa has had three or more players score in double figures in each of the last 16 contests, including four in the win at Wisconsin (Disterhoft 20, Doolittle 20, Logic 16, Taylor 13).

MOVING UP CAREER CHARTS:
? Samantha Logic is second in career assists (479). Cara Consuegra (1997-2001) is Iowa’s all-time assists leader (576).
? Melissa Dixon is fifth in career 3-pointers (164). Dixon surpassed Kelli Krei (162) during Iowa’s win over Minnesota on Jan. 8. Kristi Smith is fifth with 185.
? Bethany Doolittle is fifth all-time with 132 career blocks. Toni Foster is fourth with 145.

CLIMBING TO THE TOP:
Lisa Bluder needs five wins to surpass Hall of Famer C. Vivian Stringer (269) as Iowa’s all-time winningest coach. Bluder — one of 13 active Division I coaches with 600 or more wins — is 265-161 all-time as the Hawkeye head coach.

NCAA STREAK LEADS THE BIG TEN:
Iowa is the only Big Ten team, and one of only 13 teams in the country, to have appeared in the last six NCAA Tournaments.

LEADING THE BIG TEN IN ASSISTS:
? The Hawkeyes lead the Big Ten in assists, averaging 18.9 per contest. Iowa also leads the league in assist/turnover ratio (1.3).
? Samantha Logic leads the league in assists, averaging 7.0 a game.
? Iowa tallied 28 assists on 31 made field goals on Dec. 7 in its win over Idaho State. The Hawkeyes have tallied 28 or more assists four times this season. The school record for assists in a game is 31.
? Iowa broke the school record for single-season assists last year in the win over Miami (March 24). The previous record of 514 was set in 2011-12. Iowa finished with 531 assists. Iowa finished second in the Big Ten and 26th in the NCAA with 15.7 assists per game. Iowa recorded at least 17 assists in 15 games, including five games with 20 or more.

B1G HONOR ROLL:
? Two Hawkeyes — Samantha Logic and Melissa Dixon — have been named to the Big Ten Player of the Week Honor Roll in the last eight weeks. Iowa has had a player named to the Honor Roll or be named Player of the Week in six of the last eight weeks.
? Logic was named Big Ten Player of Week on Nov. 12 for her efforts in Iowa’s wins against UC Riverside and No. 14 Dayton, and on Dec. 23 following her triple-double against Drake.
? Logic was named to the Honor Roll on Nov. 25 after averaging 21.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 2.0 steals as Iowa split a pair of road contests at No. 16 Colorado and UNI.
? Dixon was honored Dec. 2 after being named MVP of the Cancun Challenge Mayan Division, where she averaged 22.3 points per game, including a career-high 32 against UNC-Wilmington.
? Dixon was honored again on Dec. 9, after helping Iowa to wins over No. 22 Syracuse and Idaho State last week, averaging 25.5 points per game, while converting 13-of-21 3-point attempts.
? Logic was named to the Honor Roll on Dec. 31. She finished with 21 points, eight assists, seven rebounds and two steals while shooting 60 percent from the floor in a win over North Dakota.
? Logic was named to the Honor Roll on Jan. 13 after averaging 13.5 points, 9.5 rebounds, 7.5 assists and 4.0 steals in wins against Minnesota (Jan. 8) and Wisconsin (Jan. 12).

NCAA 1ST AND 2ND ROUND TICKETS ON SALE:
Tickets for the 2014 NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Championship First and Second Rounds, hosted by the University of Iowa, are now on sale for UI women’s basketball season ticket holders and the general public. Iowa’s First and Second Round Games will be played Sunday, March 23 (4:30 and 7 p.m.) and Tuesday, March 25 (8:30 p.m.). The UI was one of 16 sites chosen to host First and Second Round Games, and 1-of-8 chosen to host in back-to-back years. Fans can order tickets by calling 1-800-IA-HAWKS, visiting the Carver-Hawkeye Arena ticket office, or by visiting hawkeyesports.com.

FOLLOW THE HAWKEYES:
Check out the Iowa women’s basketball Facebook page (/iowawomenshoops) or the University of Iowa Athletics Facebook page. Fans can also follow @IowaWBB or @TheIowaHawkeyes on Twitter.

UP NEXT:
The Hawkeyes continue Big Ten action on the road this weekend, playing at Ohio State on Sunday. Tip is set for 2 p.m. (CT). The contest can be seen live on BTN (BTN2GO). Iowa returns home to host Indiana on Saturday, Jan. 25. Tip is set for 6 p.m. on Mediacom Court at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.