Hawkeyes face North Dakota in First Road Game of the Season

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THE SETTING
The University of Iowa women’s basketball team (2-0) hits the road for the fi rst time this season when it travels to North
Dakota (0-2) on Wednesday. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m. (CT) from the Betty Engelstad Sioux Center in Grand Forks, North
Dakota.

WATCH/FOLLOW ALONG

• Wednesday’s contest will air live on Midco Sports Network. Alex Heinert will handle the play-by-play with Val Sussex on color. To fi nd out more information on the Midco Sports Network, visit https://www.midcosn.com/schedule/.
• Live stats are available on the Iowa women’s basketball schedule page on hawkeyesports.com.

AUDIO COVERAGE

• Rob Brooks and Jamie Cavey Lang will call Wednesday’s game on Hawkeye All-Access. A link to the broadcast is available on the women’s basketball schedule page at hawkeyesports.com.
• Brooks has been Iowa football’s sideline announcer since the 2004-05 season. He has called seven different Iowa sports on radio or television.
• Lang lettered at Iowa from 2002-05. She finished her Hawkeye career with 1,265 points and 506 rebounds, and was a two-time All-Big Ten selection.

SEASON TICKETS

Season tickets are on sale for the 2016-17 Iowa women’s basketball season. General public season tickets are $100. UI
faculty/staff can purchase tickets for $80. Senior tickets are also $80, while youth season tickets (18 or younger) are $25. UI
students are admitted free to women’s basketball games. Fans can purchase tickets by visiting the ticket offi ce in Carver-
Hawkeye Arena, calling 1-800-IA-HAWKS, or online at hawkeyesports.com.

SCOUTING NORTH DAKOTA

• North Dakota enters Wednesday’s match up with a 0-2 record.
• The Fighting Hawks dropped a high-scoring thriller to Drake, 99-91, on Friday, Nov. 11, before falling to Texas Tech, 90-80, on Sunday, Nov. 13.
• Iowa leads the all-time series, 2-0. The Hawkeyes defeated UND, 88-62, in the fi rst meeting between the two teams on Dec. 28, 2013. Iowa improved to 2-0 in the season with an, 83-61, win at Carver-Hawkeye Arena last season.
• Sophomore Lexi Klabo registered the fi rst double-double of her career with 15 points and 10 boards against Texas Tech on Nov. 13.
• Senior Leah Szabla leads the team, averaging 23.0 points per game. She netted 21 points in UND’s season opener against Drake and a career-high 25 points against Texas Tech.
• The Fighting Hawks are coached by head coach J. Travis Brewster. The fifth-year head coach owns a 69-59 overall record.
• Junior Chastity Franklin has notched seven boards in back-to-back games.

BALANCED ATTACK LEADS IOWA PAST HAMPTON

• Eleven Hawkeyes played at least nine minutes in Iowa’s 84-51 victory over Hampton on Sunday, Nov. 13.
• Senior Ally Disterhoft led the way for the Hawkeyes with 16 points, six rebounds, and three assists. Sophomore Megan Gustafson registered her second straight double-double with 14 points and 11 boards. Sophomore Tania Davis was 5-for-6 from the field, scoring 15 points with five assists, while sophomore Hannah Stewart was 5-for-6 for a career-high 10 points.
• The Hawkeyes shot .565 percent from the fi eld in the contest and outscored the Pirates 60-18 in the paint.
• Iowa won the rebounding battle, 54-35. It marked the second straight game Iowa registered over 50 boards.

HAWKEYES DOWN ORAL ROBERTS IN SEASON OPENER

• The Hawkeyes defeated Oral Roberts, 96-76 in their season opener last Friday night in Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
• Senior Ally Disterhoft and sophomore Megan Gustafson combined to make 19-of-24 from the fl oor and 16-of-19 from the line.
• The Hawkeyes shot 50 percent from the fi eld (34-of-68). Disterhoft made 9-of-10 field goals, while Gustafson was 10-of-14 and sophomore Tania Davis was 6-of-10.
• Disterhoft netted a career-high 29 points, and Gustafson tied her personal best with 25 points.
• The Hawkeyes improved to 33-10 all-time in season openers.
• Iowa is now 17-0 in season openers under head coach Lisa Bluder.

GUSTAFSON NAMED B1G PLAYER OF THE WEEK

• Center/forward Megan Gustafson was named Big Ten Player of the Week, the conference office announced Monday. It is the second weekly honor of Gustafson’s career
• The Port Wing, Wisconsin, native posted back-to-back double-doubles to lead Iowa to wins overall Oral Roberts and Hampton last weekend. The sophomore tied career highs in points (25) and fi eld goals made (10), and recorded 12 rebounds, an assist and a block in 26 minutes of action against Oral Roberts on Nov. 11. Two days later, Gustafson netted 14 points and pulled down 11 boards to lead the Hawkeyes past Hampton. She also went a combined 7-for-8 from the free throw line.
• In two games this season, Gustafson is averaging 19.5 points and 11.5 rebounds. She has recorded a double-double in 11 of her last 15 games dating back to last season.
• Gustafson earned Big Ten Freshman of the Week honors on Feb. 22, 2016. She is the first Hawkeye to win Big Ten Player of the Week since Samantha Logic won the award on March 2, 2015.

RECEIVING VOTES

• Iowa is receiving three votes in the USA Today Preseason Coaches Poll. Three Big Ten teams are ranked in the poll, including No. 5 Maryland, No. 6 Ohio State, and No. 22 Michigan State, and Indiana (51), Michigan (10), Northwestern (7), and Iowa (3) are all receiving votes.
• Three Big Ten teams are included in the week two Associated Press Top 25. They include No. 6 Maryland, No. 7 Ohio State, and No. 23 Indiana. Michigan State is receiving 78 votes in the poll.

MOVIN’ ON UP

After netting a career-high 29 points in Iowa’s season opener against Oral Roberts on Nov. 11 and a team-high 16 points against Hampton on Nov. 13, senior Ally Disterhoft now ranks ninth on Iowa’s all-time career scoring list. Disterhoft has 1,587 career points and is 472 points from tying Iowa’s all-time scoring record of 2,059 set by Cindy Haugejorde (1976-80). Disterhoft also ranks 12th all-time in 3-point fi eld goals (116), 14th in career blocks (55), and 16th in rebounds (622).

NORTH DAKOTA TIES

• Sophomore Hannah Stewart is a native of Minot, North Dakota — just over three hours away from Grand Forks.
• Stewart netted a career-high 10 points in Iowa’s win over Hampton on Nov. 13. After scoring just fi ve points in 12 contests last season, Stewart has 13 points in two games this year.

DOUBLE-DOUBLE MACHINE

• Sophomore Megan Gustafson registered the 10th and 11th double-doubles of her career last weekend.
• Gustafson has registered a double-double in 11 of her last 15 games dating back to last season.
• The Port Wing, Wisconsin, native tied career highs in points (25), fi eld goals made (10), and free throws made (5) in Iowa’s season opener against Oral Roberts on Nov. 11. She followed that up with 14 points and 11 boards against Hampton on Nov. 13.
• Following the 2015-16 campaign, Gustafson was named to the Big Ten All-Freshman Team. She led league freshmen in blocks (58), was second rebounding (225), and fourth in scoring (352). She was one of just two freshmen in the conference to lead their team in rebounds.

THE PLATOON SYSTEM

• Head coach Lisa Bluder has utilized Iowa’s depth with the platoon system this season.
• Nine Hawkeyes played at least 13 minutes in Friday’s season opener against Oral Roberts, while six Hawkeyes played 19 or more minutes.
• Ten student-athletes are averaging 11.0 minutes or more in two contests this season.

CARVER-HAWKEYE ARENA ENHANCEMENTS
The Iowa Athletic Department upgraded Carver-Hawkeye Arena’s video boards, sound system, lighting, digital scorestable
displays, and playing surface this past summer.
A new four-sided centerhung video system is the centerpiece of the installation. The two main centerhung displays
measure approximately 14.5 feet high by 26 feet wide and the other two centerhung displays measure 9.5 feet high by 16.5
feet wide. The project also upgraded the auxiliary displays located near the ceiling at each side of the arena.

DISTERHOFT EARNS PRESEASON HONOR
Senior Ally Disterhoft was named Preseason All-Big Ten by the coaches and media, the Big Ten Conference announced Oct.
24. The Iowa City, Iowa, native was a second team All-Big Ten selection in 2015 and 2016 and an honorable mention All-Big
Ten honoree in 2014. She was also named to the Big Ten All-Freshman Team and Big Ten All-Tournament team in 2014.

RETURNING EXPERIENCE

• Iowa returns four of its fi ve starters from last season in senior Ally Disterhoft, junior Chase Coley, and sophomores Tania Davis and Megan Gustafson.
• Senior Ally Disterhoft garnered second team All-Big Ten accolades by coaches and media for the second consecutive season and received Iowa’s Sportsmanship Award. The preseason All-Big Ten pick by coaches and media scored in double figures in every game last season and in 78 of her 84 consecutive starts.
• Tania Davis and Megan Gustafson were named to the 2016 Big Ten All-Freshman Team.
• Davis was one of two Big Ten freshmen to lead her team in assists per game (3.4) and average at least one steal per game (1.2) last season. She has dished out 111 assists in 33 games played, the second-highest total recorded by a freshman at Iowa (Samantha Logic; 136).
• Gustafson was the only freshman and one of three players in the conference overall to lead her team in field goal percentage (.554), rebounds (225), and blocks (58) last season.
• Chase Coley averaged 11.1 points per game last season — the second highest mark on the team. The junior compiled 365 points, 194 rebounds, 53 assists, 37 blocks, and 24 steals in her sophomore campaign to receive Iowa’s Most Improved Award.

QUALITY YOUTH

• Iowa’s freshman class was ranked No. 7 nationally by Blue Star — the highest ranked recruiting class for head coach Lisa Bluder and her staff .
• Iowa’s freshmen class consists of Bre Cera (2016 Journal Sentinel Player of the Year), Kathleen Doyle (Illinois Miss Basketball), Makenzie Meyer (Iowa Miss Basketball), Amanda Ollinger (2016 Gazette Female Athlete of the Year), and Alexis Sevellian (finalist for Michigan Miss Basketball).
• Meyer and Cera each got the starting nod in Iowa’s fi rst two games of the season. Meyer netted six points and three assists in her Hawkeye debut against Oral Roberts and added seven points and two assists against Hampton. Cera tallied five boards in the fi rst contest of her career, and added four assists against Hampton.

CALL ON ME

• Senior Ally Disterhoft has netted double figures 80 of her 86 career starts.
• The Iowa City, Iowa, native has started 86 consecutive games and appeared in every game of her Hawkeye career (104).
• Disterhoft led the team with a career-high 29 points in Iowa’s season opener against Oral Roberts on Nov. 11. She also registered seven boards, two blocks, an assist and a steal in 27 minutes of play.
• Disterhoft’s 45 points in opening weekend action moved her past former Hawkeye Morgan Johnson into ninth on Iowa’s all-time career scoring list. She has netted 1,587 points her career.
• Last season, Disterhoft became the program’s highest scoring junior, netting 565 points to break Michelle Edwards’ record of 564 points in 1986-87.

HAWKEYES CONTINUE POSTSEASON STREAK

• Iowa made its ninth straight postseason appearance (8 NCAA, 1 WNIT) with an atlarge bid to the WNIT in 2016.
• Iowa was one of six Big Ten Conference teams (Minnesota, Michigan, Nebraska, Northwestern, Rutgers) and one of three teams from Iowa (Drake, UNI) to be included in the WNIT field of 64.

HOUSTON SIGNS WITH IOWA WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
Jinaya Houston has inked a National Letter of Intent to play basketball at the University of Iowa, UI head coach Lisa Bluder announced Nov. 9. Houston, a 6-1 guard from Davenport, Iowa, attends Davenport North High School where she is coached by Rob O’Brien. Houston is a three-time all-state, all-metro, and all-conference honoree and a two-time all-district selection. As a junior, Houston guided her high school team to a 20-3 overall record and its first state tournament appearance in school history. The second-year team captain averaged 19.4 points, 8.4 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.5 steals, and 1.6 blocks per game her junior campaign. The 2015-16 Mississippi Athletic Conference Player of the Year was named fi rst team all-state by the Iowa Newspaper Association and second team all-state by the Iowa Coaches Association. She earned all-metro co-captain, all-district, Chicago Showcase Player of the Game, Des Moines Register Elite 8 accolades, and was a finalist for the Quad City Times Female Athlete of the Year. As a sophomore, Houston averaged 21.4 points, 6.1 rebounds, 2.2 assists, two steals, and one block per game to help her team to a 17-5 overall record in its fi rst year as a 5A institution. The first-year team captain collected fi rst team all-conference and all-metro accolades following the season. She was also a second team all-state honoree (Iowa Newspaper Association) and a second team Sports Spotlight selection in the state of Iowa. Houston was named third team all-state by the Iowa Newspaper Association, second team all-metro, and fi rst team all-conference as a freshman. She averaged 17.8 points, 7.6 rebounds, one assist, two steals, and one block per game her freshman campaign.

THE BLUDER FILE

• Head coach Lisa Bluder begins her 17th season at the helm of the Iowa women’s basketball program this season. She owns a 324-188 (.633) overall record and a 160-106 Big Ten record at Iowa. In her 32 seasons as a head coach, Bluder is 680-330 (.673).
• Bluder is one of 14 active Division I coaches to collect 675 or more career wins.
• The head Hawkeye is second in career Big Ten wins (160) and in total wins among Big Ten coaches. She trails only C. Vivian Stringer who has compiled 189 Big Ten wins and 971 career wins.
• Bluder ranks third all-time among all Big Ten coaches with 160 conference victories.

ACADEMIC PROWESS

• Ally Disterhoft was named Academic All-America of the Year for Division I women’s basketball and a CoSIDA fi rst team Academic All-American last season. Disterhoft became the only junior to earn fi rst team Academic All-America recognition and owned the top GPA (4.03) of all Academic All-Americans this year.
• Christina Buttenham, Ally Disterhoft, Alexa Kastanek, and Hailey Schneden, earned Academic All-Big Ten recognition following the 2015-16 season. To be eligible for Academic All-Big Ten, student-athletes must be letterwinners and be in at least their second academic year at the institution. They must also carry a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or better.
• In 2014-15, Iowa was the only program to have two Academic All-Americans in Disterhoft and Samantha Logic. There were 15 total honorees.

IOWAWBB.COM

Check out the Iowa women’s basketball team’s website, iowawbb.com, devoted to everything on and off the court surrounding the program. Iowawbb.com allows fans to go behind the scenes with the Hawkeye basketball program. The site is complete with exclusive videos, photo galleries, and content featuring the basketball program.

UP NEXT

The Hawkeyes return to Carver-Hawkeye Arena this weekend when they host the 2016 Hawkeye Challenge. Iowa welcomes Massachusetts, Montana, and South Dakota State to Iowa City, Iowa, for the two-day tournament.