Women's Hoops Travels to Minneapolis

Jan. 28, 2014

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Iowa Game Notes: at Minnesota

THE SETTING:
The University of Iowa women’s basketball team (16-5, 5-3) continues Big Ten action Wednesday night, playing at Minnesota (13-8, 2-5). Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. (CT) at Williams Arena in Minneapolis.

QUICK HITS:
? Following an 0-2 start in Big Ten play, Iowa has won four-of-five. The stretch started with a 78-71 win over Minnesota on Jan. 8.
? Minnesota’s Rachel Banham leads the league in scoring (22.8 points/game), while the Gophers’ Amanda Zahui leads the conference in rebounding (10.7/game). ? Iowa leads the Big Ten in overall victories (16).
? Junior guard Samantha Logic is the only player in the Big Ten to average 13 or more points (13.9), six or more rebounds (6.4), and six or more assists (7.0).
? Freshman Ally Disterhoft posted a double-double in her first career start at Ohio State on Jan. 19 (24 points, 10 rebounds, 12-of-12 from the line), and netted 15 points in her second career start against Indiana on Jan. 25.
? Iowa is averaging 81.3 points and 18.3 assists per contest, leading the Big Ten in both categories. In addition, the Hawkeyes are 17th nationally in scoring offense and 15th in assists per game.
? Iowa has had three or more players score in double figures in each of the last 19 contests, including four in the win over Indiana (Taylor 20, Dixon 16, Disterhoft 15, Doolittle 11).
? Five Hawkeyes are averaging double figures (Logic, Dixon, Doolittle, Disterhoft, Taylor).
? Iowa is the only team in the Big Ten with three players averaging 13.9 or more points per game (Doolittle – 14.3, Dixon – 14.1, Logic – 13.9).
? Lisa Bluder needs three wins to surpass Hall of Famer C. Vivian Stringer (269 wins) as Iowa’s all-time winningest coach. Bluder is one of 13 active Division I coaches with 600 or more wins.

AUDIO COVERAGE:
Brent Balbinot and Shelley Till will call the action for the Hawkeye Radio Network. Hawkeye fans can listen to the contest on the Hawkeye Radio Network (AM-800 KXIC in Iowa City, AM-1360 KMJM in Cedar Rapids, AM-1040 WHO in Des Moines) or on the Hawkeye All-Access page of hawkeyesports.com. Balbinot is in his 10th season as Iowa’s play-by-play voice, while Till is in her ninth providing analysis.

FOLLOW THE ACTION:
Fans can watch the contest via the Big Ten Digital Network at video.BTN.com or via Hawkeye All-Access. 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 1,153 games since beginning basketball in 1974. Iowa’s overall record is 708-445 (.613). That includes a 352-181 (.660) mark in regular season Big Ten contests and a 345-99 (.776) mark in Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

IN THE RANKINGS:
Iowa is receiving votes in The Associated Press Top 25 poll this week. The Hawkeyes have been ranked as high as No. 21/24 this season. Three Iowa opponents are ranked in the latest Associated Press/USA Today polls: Penn State (12/13), Iowa State (23/17), and Purdue (19/20). In addition, Nebraska, Michigan State, USC, Syracuse, and Michigan are receiving votes.

CLIMBING TO THE TOP:
Lisa Bluder needs three 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 267-162 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.

SCOUTING MINNESOTA:
? Minnesota is 13-8 overall and 2-5 in Big Ten play following an 83-53 loss at Penn State on Sunday.
? The Gophers are 10-2 at home this season, with losses to UCLA and Michigan State.
? Minnesota is led in scoring by junior guard Rachel Banham (22.8 points/game) and redshirt freshman center Amanda B. Zahui (14.5). Banham leads the league in scoring, while Zahui is averaging a double-double, grabbing 10.7 rebounds per game. Zahui leads the conference in rebounding.
? Minnesota leads the Big Ten and ranks third nationally in 3-point field goal percentage (.422).
? Minnesota is coached by Pam Borton. Borton, in her 12th season at the helm, is the winningest head coach in program history.

IOWA-MINNESOTA SERIES NOTES:
? Iowa leads the all-time series against Minnesota, 46-23.
? Iowa has won five of the last six meetings, and nine of the last 12 in the series.
? The Hawkeyes and Gophers have split the last six meetings in Minneapolis.
? Wednesday’s meeting marks the second between the two in the last three weeks.

THE LAST MEETING:
Senior Theairra Taylor, a Minnesota native, guided the Hawkeyes past Minnesota on Jan. 8 in Iowa City, 78-71, on “Theairra Taylor Bobblehead Night”. Taylor finished the contest with a season-high 20 points, and matched her previous season-high point total of 16 before halftime. She scored her 12th point 11:36 into the contest, putting her on pace for more than a point a minute. At halftime she had made 6-of-8 field goals, 2-of-3 3-pointers, and 2-of-2 free throws. In the second half she scored four points, making her only field goal and both free throws. Taylor wasn’t alone, as it took an entire effort by the Hawkeyes to overcome a 32-point performance by Minnesota’s Rachel Banham. Bethany Doolittle scored 19 points, followed by Melissa Dixon with 13, Samantha Logic with 11, and Ally Disterhoft with nine.

THE LAST MEETING IN MINNEAPOLIS:
Minnesota claimed the only meeting between the two teams last season, winning 72-60 in Minneapolis. Rachel Banham led all scorers with 34 points. The Hawkeyes were led by Jaime Printy (21 points) and Morgan Johnson, who posted a double-double (13 points, 10 rebounds).

FUN FACTS:
? Iowa has not trailed during its last three victories (Jan. 25 vs. Indiana, 84-75; Jan. 19 at Ohio State, 81-74; Jan. 12 at Wisconsin, 82-65).
? Iowa, the Big Ten leader in assists/game (18.3) and assist/turnover ratio (1.3), is 15-1 when tallying as many or more assists than its opponents, and 12-2 when registering fewer turnovers.
? The Hawkeyes lead the Big Ten in scoring average (81.3 points/game), averaging nearly six more points than the second-highest average.
? Iowa is 14-0 when leading at the half this season.
? The Hawkeyes are 14-0 when holding their opponents to less than 80 points this season.
? Iowa is undefeated (7-0) when shooting over 40 percent from 3-point range, and undefeated (8-0) when grabbing more rebounds.

HAWKEYES AVENGE LOSS TO INDIANA:
Following an 86-84 loss at Indiana in the Big Ten opener on Jan. 2, the Hawkeyes returned the favor in Iowa City on Jan. 25, defeating the Hoosiers 84-75. Iowa never trailed in the win. Four Hawkeyes (Theairra Taylor 20, Melissa Dixon 16, Ally Disterhoft 15, Bethany Doolittle 11) scored in double figures as Iowa shot 53.7 percent from the field. Doolittle tallied seven blocked shots, equaling her career-best (also accomplished against Drake on Dec. 7, 2013). Doolittle surpassed Toni Foster (145) for fourth on Iowa’s career list with 146 career blocks.

A B1G WIN IN COLUMBUS IN LAST ROAD GAME:
The Hawkeyes (2-1 on the road in B1G games) are coming off an 81-74 win at Ohio State on Jan. 19 in their last road contest. Iowa never trailed on its way to its first win in Columbus since 1998. Five players (Disterhoft 24, Dixon 16, Doolittle 14, Taylor 11, Kastanek 10) scored in double figures. Iowa finished 17-of-19 (89.5%) from the foul line and 8-of-17 from 3-point-range (47.1%), while out-rebounding the Buckeyes (32-31). Four Hawkeyes (Disterhoft, Dixon, Taylor, Kastanek) tallied two 3-point field goals.

DISTERHOFT SHINES IN FIRST CAREER START:
Freshman Ally Disterhoft posted a double-double in her first career start at Ohio State on Jan. 19 (24 points, 10 rebounds, 12-of-12 from the line). She finished 6-for-6 from the charity stripe in the final 28 seconds. Her 12-for-12 mark from the line marks the third-best total (when shooting 100%) in the league this season, and the best performance from the line in conference only action. It also tied the program record for most free throws made (when making 100%) during a Big Ten game. Disterhoft averaged 18 points and 8.5 rebounds last week, both tying for the sixth-most in the Big Ten.

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).

DEFYING LOGIC:
? Samantha Logic is the only player in the Big Ten to average 13 or more points (13.9), six or more rebounds (6.4), and six or more assists (7.0).
? She ranks 18th in scoring, 14th in rebounding, second in assists, and third in steals (2.2) and assist/turnover ratio (1.8).
? Logic is second in career assists (501) at Iowa. Cara Consuegra (1997-2001) is Iowa’s all-time assists leader (576).
? Logic is one of 26 players in Big Ten history to total 500 or more career assists.
? She has posted 148 assists this season, the highest total for a junior in progam history. Cara Consuegra posted the second-most as a junior (138 in 1999-00).
? Logic is 15th in the NCAA in career assists among active players, and sixth in assists/game (5.83).
? Logic is nearly averaging a triple-double over the last nine contests (13.9 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 7.8 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 has led the Big Ten in the category for most of this season, and is eighth nationally.
? Logic’s 11 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 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 the season 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).

BALANCED ATTACK:
Five Hawkeyes are averaging double figures: Bethany Doolittle (14.3), Melissa Dixon (14.1), Samantha Logic (13.9), Ally Disterhoft (12.7), and Theairra Taylor (101.0). Iowa has had three or more players score in double figures in each of the last 19 contests, including four in the win over Indiana (Taylor 20, Dixon 16, Disterhoft 15, Doolittle 11). Iowa is the only team in the Big Ten with three players averaging 13.9 or more points per game (Doolittle – 14.3, Dixon – 14.1, Logic – 13.9).

MOVING UP CAREER CHARTS:
? Samantha Logic is second in career assists (501). Cara Consuegra (1997-2001) is Iowa’s all-time assists leader (576).
? Melissa Dixon is sixth in career 3-pointers (170). Dixon surpassed Kelli Krei (162) during Iowa’s win over Minnesota on Jan. 8. Kristi Smith is fifth with 185.
? Bethany Doolittle is fourth all-time with 146 career blocks. She surpassed Toni Foster, who is now fifth with 145, during Iowa’s win over Indiana on Jan. 25.

LEADING THE BIG TEN IN ASSISTS:
? The Hawkeyes lead the Big Ten in assists, averaging 18.3 per contest. Iowa also leads the league in assist/turnover ratio (1.3).
? 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.

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:
Iowa returns home to host Nebraska at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 1, inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena.