A Record Rout

Nov. 14, 2014

By DARREN MILLER
hawkeyesports.com

IOWA CITY, Iowa — It wasn’t a matter of if, but when.

The record for points in a game by a University of Iowa women’s basketball team fell Friday during a 107-56 season opening victory against South Carolina Upstate on Mediacom Court inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena. The old record was 106 against North Carolina in 1990 and Northern Iowa in 1978.

Senior captain Kathryn Reynolds tied the scoring mark with her third 3-point field goal of the game with 2:10 remaining; freshman Christina Buttenham set the record with a free throw 65 seconds later.

“I thought it was a good first game of the year for us,” UI head coach Lisa Bluder said. “I feel like our offense is clicking pretty well for this early in the year.”

The Hawkeyes made 35-of-62 field goals (56.5 percent) with 11-of-22 3-pointers. They won the rebounding battle, 49-32.

Those are impressive numbers, but not the one Bluder liked most.

1st 2nd Final USC Upstate (0-1) 22 34 56 Iowa (1-0) 59 48 107 ? Box Score | Attendance: 5,291 Statistical Leaders ? Ally Disterhoft — 19 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists ? Bethany Doolittle — 15 points, 10 rebounds ? Melissa Dixon — 16 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists Stats at a Glance USCU IOWA FG Percentage 32.3 56.5 3-Point FG Percentage 21.4 50.0 FT Percentage 68.4 66.7 Total Rebounds 32 49 Points in the Paint 24 36 Points off Turnovers 13 35

“I was happy to see the amount of assists,” Bluder said. “Twenty-seven assists on 35 baskets; I love the team work there. I love that we’re looking for good shots and we’re finding people in transition.”

Senior Samantha Logic was the leader with seven assists; sophomore Ally Disterhoft and freshman Whitney Jennings had five apiece.

Five Hawkeyes scored in double figures, led by Disterhoft with 19 points and five rebounds. Senior Melissa Dixon added 16 points, five rebounds, and three assists, and senior Bethany Doolittle compiled a double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds. Also scoring in double figures for the UI were Logic (11) and sophomore Alexa Kastanek (10).

Fourteen Hawkeyes played in the game, led by Jennings’ 28 minutes. The other freshmen: Buttenham (14 minutes), Carly Mohns (14), and Chase Coley (11) also saw action, a trend that is expected to continue.

“You have to see how things shake out, but right now they earn the opportunity to go in there another day and to do as well,” Bluder said.

Iowa returns to Mediacom Court on Sunday to take on Robert Morris. Last season the Colonials went 21-12 and won the Northeast Conference regular season and tournament championships before falling to Notre Dame in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Tipoff is set for 2 p.m. (CT).

“We don’t know what (Robert Morris is) going to do,” Bluder said. “We have to go on what they did last year. This is a good team, so it goes up a notch — a big notch — on Sunday.”