Hawkeyes, Huskers Set for Saturday Showdown

Jan. 31, 2014

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Iowa Game Notes: Nebraska

THE SETTING:
The University of Iowa women’s basketball team (17-5, 5-3) hosts No. 23 Nebraska (14-5, 4-3) on Saturday. Tip is set for 2 p.m. (CT) on Mediacom Court at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. The Hawkeyes are 10-2 at home this season and 85-21 in their last 106 games inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

Tickets are $10 for adults. Youth — high school-aged and younger — are admitted free to all weekday games, while weekend games are $6. Youth — five years old and younger — are admitted free to all games, 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.

CLIMBING TO THE TOP:
Lisa Bluder needs two 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 268-162 all-time as the Hawkeye head coach.

PROMOTIONS:
? Pack the House!
? Dollar Dog Day
? Girl Scout Day
? National Girls & Women in Sports Day – Free admission for kids wearing their youth jersey
? Several UI women’s teams will be signing autographs on the west side of the concourse before the game
? Camp Courageous Day
? Lemme, Horace Mann, & Penn Elementary Night
? Halftime entertainment: women’s teams recognition

QUICK HITS:
? Following an 0-2 start in Big Ten play, Iowa has won five-of-six overall.
? The Hawkeyes enter weekend action tied for third in the conference with Michigan at 5-3.
? Iowa leads the Big Ten in overall victories (17).
? Junior guard Samantha Logic is the only player in the Big Ten to average 13 or more points (13.8), six or more rebounds (6.5), and six or more assists (7.2).
? Logic is the only active player in the Big Ten with 500 or more rebounds (590) and assists (511). She has 916 career points.
? Freshman Ally Disterhoft has tallied double-digits in her first three career starts (24 at Ohio State, 15 vs. Indiana, 13 at Minnesota). Iowa is 3-0 when Disterhoft starts.
? Iowa is averaging 80.5 points and 18.3 assists per contest, leading the Big Ten in both categories. In addition, the Hawkeyes are 19th nationally in scoring offense and 14th in assists per game.
? Nebraska leads the Big Ten in scoring defense (61.3 points/game).
? Iowa has had three or more players score in double figures in each of the last 21 contests, including four in the win at Minnesota (Ally Disterhoft 13, Samantha Logic 12, Melissa Dixon 11, Bethany Doolittle 10).
? Five Hawkeyes are averaging double figures (Logic, Dixon, Doolittle, Disterhoft, Taylor).
? Junior center Bethany Doolittle has tallied 72 blocks this season, the most for a junior in program history; 72 blocks in a single season is the fourth-highest total in program history.

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 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.

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 1,154 games since beginning basketball in 1974. Iowa’s overall record is 709-445 (.613). That includes a 353-181 (.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. Four Iowa opponents are ranked in the latest Associated Press/USA Today polls: Penn State (12/13), Iowa State (23/17), Purdue (19/20), and Nebraska (RV/23). In addition, Michigan State, USC, Syracuse, Michigan, and Colorado are receiving votes.

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 NEBRASKA:
? Nebraska is 14-5 overall and 4-3 in Big Ten play following an 84-51 victory over Michigan in Lincoln on Wednesday night. Senior Jordan Hooper led the Huskers with a double-double, notching 25 points and 10 rebounds.
? Hooper is third all-time in program history in points and rebounds, and is averaging 19.4 points and 9.9 rebounds to pace the Huskers this season.
? Junior Emily Cady (14.1 points) and sophomore Rachel Theriot (13.0) are also averaging double figures.
? Nebraska is 2-3 on the road this season, with a 1-2 mark in conference road games. The Huskers won at Illinois (75-56), and dropped decisions at Michigan State (70-57) and Northwestern (63-59).
? Nebraska leads the Big Ten in scoring defense (61.3), scoring margin (+13.9), free throw percentage (.785), and defensive rebounds (31.6).
? Nebraska is coached by Connie Yori. Yori, in her 12th season at the helm, is the winningest head coach in program history.

IOWA-NEBRASKA SERIES NOTES:
? Nebraska leads the all-time series against Iowa, 10-7.
? The Huskers have have won all six meetings against the Hawkeyes since joining the Big Ten, with two coming in Iowa City, two in Lincoln, and two at the Big Ten Tournament. Iowa had won six of the previous seven meetings.
? Iowa freshman Alexa Kastanek is a native of Lincoln, Neb. She attended Lincoln Southeast High School.

THE LAST MEETING:
Iowa and Nebraska last met on March 8, 2013, in the quarterfinals of the 2013 Big Ten Tournament in Hoffman Estates, Ill. A 25-10 run spanning halves sent Nebraska to a 76-61 victory. Theairra Taylor paced Iowa with 22 points and seven rebounds, and Melissa Dixon added 18 points. Taylor and Dixon both converted four 3-point field goals.

THE LAST MEETING IN IOWA CITY:
Iowa dropped a 76-75 decision to Nebraska on Feb. 11, 2013, in the last meeting between the two league foes at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Down by 12 points with 8:32 remaining in the game, the Hawkeyes had three shots at a game-tying 3-pointer with less than a minute left before Nebraska held on for the victory. Melissa Dixon and Theairra Taylor both scored in double figures. Dixon sank five 3-pointers and tallied 19 points, while Taylor finished with 11 points.

FUN FACTS:
? Iowa has not trailed during three of its last four victories (Jan. 25 vs. Indiana, 84-75; Jan. 19 at Ohio State, 81-74; Jan. 12 at Wisconsin, 82-65). Iowa trailed for 1:56 during its 64-56 win at Minnesota on Jan. 29.
? Iowa, the Big Ten leader in assists/game (18.3) and assist/turnover ratio (1.2), is 16-1 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 (80.5 points/game), averaging nearly five more points than the second-highest average.
? Iowa is 15-0 when leading at the half.
? The Hawkeyes are 15-0 when holding their opponents to less than 80 points.
? Iowa is undefeated (7-0) when shooting over 40 percent from 3-point range, and undefeated (8-0) when grabbing more rebounds.

HAWKEYES COMPLETE SEASON SWEEP OF MINNESOTA, WIN 3RD-STRAIGHT:
Iowa won at Minnesota on Wednesday night, 64-56, completing the season sweep of the Gophers. Iowa has won six of the last seven meetings, and 10 of the last 13 in the series against Minnesota. The Hawkeyes handed Minnesota its third home loss of the season (10-3). Iowa limited Rachel Banham, the Big Ten’s leading scorer (22.8), to nine points, marking the second time this season she has been held below double digits. Samantha Logic was two rebounds from a triple-double, finishing with 12 points, 10 assists, and eight boards. Four Hawkeyes scored in double figures (Ally Disterhoft 13, Samantha Logic 12, Melissa Dixon 11, Bethany Doolittle 10).

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 (13.8), six or more rebounds (6.5), and six or more assists (7.2).
? She leads the the Big Ten in assists (7.2/game), ranks 19th in scoring, 14th in rebounding, 13th in field goal percentage (.489) and free throw percentage (.809), fifth in defensive rebounds (4.7) and second in steals (2.4) and third in assist/turnover ratio (1.9)
? Logic is second in career assists (511) 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 158 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 10 contests (13.7 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 8.0 assists).
? She has registered a triple-double and four 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 12 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 19 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 (14.1), Melissa Dixon (14.0), Samantha Logic (13.8), Ally Disterhoft (12.7), and Theairra Taylor (10.9). Iowa has had three or more players score in double figures in each of the last 21 contests, including four in the win at Minnesota (Ally Disterhoft 13, Samantha Logic 12, Melissa Dixon 11, Bethany Doolittle 10). Iowa is one of two Big Ten teams, joining Illinois, with three players averaging 13.9 or more points per game (Doolittle – 14.1, Dixon – 14.0, Logic – 13.8).

MOVING UP CAREER CHARTS:
? Samantha Logic is second in career assists (511). Cara Consuegra (1997-2001) is Iowa’s all-time assists leader (576).
? Melissa Dixon is sixth in career 3-pointers (173). 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 150 career blocks. She surpassed Toni Foster, who is now fifth with 145, during Iowa’s win over Indiana on Jan. 25. Megan Skouby is third with 153.

HAWKEYES CONTINUE TREND AGAINST RANKED FOES:
? Iowa is 2-3 this season against ranked opponents:
– W vs. No. 14 Dayton (97-93 in overtime) – Nov. 10
– L at No. 16 Colorado (90-87) – Nov. 20
– W vs. No. 22 Syracuse (97-91) – Dec. 5
– L at No. 11 Iowa State (83-70) – Dec. 12
– L vs. No. 15 Penn State (87-71) – Jan. 5
? The Hawkeyes have defeated nine top-25 opponents since the start of last season (9-7 record).
? Iowa is averaging 84.4 points per game during its five contests against ranked teams this season.
? The Hawkeyes have recorded at least one win against a top-25 team in all but two seasons under Bluder. In nine of those seasons, Iowa has knocked off at least one top-15 opponent.
? This year marked the seventh time in school history that Iowa played at least three ranked teams prior to conference action. Iowa faced five ranked opponents in 1990 (2-3 record) and three in 2012 (3-0), 1999 (0-3), 1995 (2-1), 1993 (3-0), and 1989 (1-2).
? Last season marked just the second time in school history that Iowa defeated three ranked teams prior to Big Ten play (No. 12 West Virginia, No. 22 Iowa State, No. 20 Texas). The only other time Iowa defeated three ranked opponents was in 1993 (No. 4 Louisiana Tech, No. 20 Missouri State, No. 9 Southern California).
? Iowa tied the school record for number of wins over ranked teams in a season last year with seven. The Hawkeyes have accomplished the feat three other times (1995-96, 1993-94, 1992-93). Iowa faced 11 ranked teams last season, which tied for the most games against ranked opponents in a season. The only other time Iowa played 11 ranked teams in a season was in 1992-93 (7-4 record).

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 (1.2).
? 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.

BLUDER GETS WIN NO. 600:
Head coach Lisa Bluder became the 42nd coach in NCAA women’s basketball history (all divisions), and only the 25th Division I head coach (minimum 10 years at a DI school) to collect 600 wins, Jan. 20 vs. Purdue. Bluder is one of 13 active Division I coaches with 600 or more wins.

BLUDER SIGNS CONTRACT EXTENSION:
Head coach Lisa Bluder has agreed to a one-year contract extension that secures her as head coach of the women’s basketball program at the University of Iowa through the 2019 basketball season, UI Director of Athletics Gary Barta announced Dec. 26, 2013.

B1G HONOR ROLL:
? Three Hawkeyes — Samantha Logic, Melissa Dixon, Theairra Taylor — have been named to the Big Ten Player of the Week Honor Roll this season.
? 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 Northern Iowa.
? 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, 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).
? Taylor was honored Jan. 28 after equaling a season high with 20 points on 72.7 percent shooting, adding two rebounds and two steals in Iowa’s win over Indiana (Jan. 25).

LOGIC NAMED B1G PLAYER OF THE WEEK:
Iowa junior guard Samantha Logic was named Big Ten Player of Week on Dec. 23 following her second career triple-double in Iowa’s 73-51 win over Drake on Dec. 21. Logic (5-foot-9) tallied 12 points, 10 assists and 17 rebounds, while shooting 85.7 percent from the field on 6-of-7 shooting and adding two steals. She last accomplished the feat on Feb. 26, 2012, against Michigan (13 points, 11 rebounds, 11 assists). Logic, the only current Big Ten player with two career triple-doubles, has two of the five triple-doubles in program history — Cara Consuegra, Kachine Alexander (twice). The award marked Logic’s fourth career Player of the Week honor, and second this season (Nov. 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 next week, playing at Penn State at 5 p.m. (CT) on Thursday, Feb. 6. Iowa returns home to host Northwestern on Monday, Feb. 10, and Illinois on Thursday, Feb. 13. All three contests will be televised live on BTN.