No. 16 Iowa Puts Wisconsin Away, 78-74

Feb. 26, 2015

Coach Bluder Interview

By DARREN MILLER
hawkeyesports.com

IOWA CITY, Iowa — Lisa Bluder won her 300th game as head coach of the University of Iowa women’s basketball team Thursday in front of 4,536 in Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

If she repurposes the message she delivered to her team at the under-12 minute media timeout, win No. 600 with the Hawkeyes could come much sooner.

A Kali Peschel 3-point field goal with 12:20 to play pulled No. 16 Iowa into a tie with upset-minded Wisconsin, 52-52. But the Hawkeyes had a 10-point lead six minutes earlier.

“I probably said to get our act together and maybe not in those nice of words,” Bluder said with a smile after the Hawkeyes’ 78-74 victory. “I felt there was a section of time we weren’t playing like ourselves.”

The Badgers grabbed their final lead, 54-52, at the 10:46 mark of the second half. Then — after hearing Bluder’s message — Iowa went on a 15-0 run, built a 13-point lead with 3:27 to go, and improved to 15-0 at home this season.

Iowa heads into its final regular-season game with a record of 22-6 overall, 13-4 in the Big Ten. Wisconsin lost for the sixth straight time and fell to 8-19, 4-13.

1st 2nd Final Wisconsin (8-19, 4-13) 33 41 74 No. 16 Iowa (22-6, 13-4) 35 43 78 ? Box Score | Attendance: 4,536 Statistical Leaders ? Samantha Logic — 20 points, 10 rebounds, 9 assists ? Bethany Doolittle — 22 points, 6 rebounds, 4-4 FT ? Ally Disterhoft — 17 points, 8 rebounds Stats at a Glance WIS IOWA FG Percentage 48.2 43.1 3-Point FG Percentage 55.6 28.6 FT Percentage 66.7 80.0 Total Rebounds 38 33 Points in the Paint 28 28 Points off Turnovers 9 13

UI senior center Bethany Doolittle finished with a game-high 22 points with 14 coming in the second half. She was 8-of-16 from the field and 6-of-6 from the line with six rebounds and two blocked shots. Once again the bulging statistics line belonged to senior All-America guard Samantha Logic. This time she scored 20 points with 10 rebounds and nine assists.

“There are times when I still say `Oh wow’ because of what she does,” Bluder said of Logic. “She’s a pretty special player.”

Sophomore Ally Disterhoft scored 10 of her 17 points in the second half. She made 6-of-7 free throws and grabbed eight rebounds.

Wisconsin showed plenty of spunk for a team that is 1-10 in its last 11 games. The Badgers out-shot Iowa from the field (48.2 percent to 43.1) and made four more 3-point field goals in three fewer attempts. They pulled to within three points at 75-72 with 23 second left, but could get no closer. Jacki Gulczynski scored 19 points with 11 rebounds for Wisconsin.

Bluder improved to 300-172 in her 15th season at Iowa. When she entered the locker room after the game, her players held numbers and letters that read “300 Wins at Iowa!”

“It just means I have been here a long time,” Bluder said, before acknowledging associate head coach Jan Jensen and assistant coach Jenni Fitzgerald, who have been with her the entire time. “They have been here for every single one of those wins. You think about the players that have worn the uniforms — unbelievable. I’m so fortunate to be at a place that supports women’s basketball so much and to have great players. You don’t do it without them.”

The Hawkeyes conclude the regular season Sunday against Minnesota (22-7, 11-6) inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Tipoff for Senior Day is 2 p.m. (CT); it will be televised by BTN. The Gophers prevailed in the first meeting Feb. 17, 93-80. In that game, Minnesota sophomore center Amanda Zahui B. amassed 39 points with 29 rebounds and four blocked shots in 39 minutes.

“We have an opportunity to do a lot of great things Sunday,” Bluder said. “Go 16-0 (at home for the first time ever), finish second in the Big Ten, give a great finish to these four seniors who really, really deserve it.”