Iowa Hosts UNI on Sunday

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THE SETTING
The University of Iowa women’s basketball team (5-3) continues its home stand when it hosts in-state rival Northern Iowa on Sunday, Dec. 4. Tipoff is set for 2 p.m. (CT) in Carver-Hawkeye Arena. 

WATCH/LISTEN

• Sunday’s game will be streamed live on BTN Plus. Links can be found on the Iowa women’s basketball schedule page on hawkeyesports.com. 
• Rob Brooks and Jamie Cavey Lang will have the call on the Hawkeye Radio Network. Links to the broadcast are available on the women’s basketball schedule page at hawkeyesports.com. 

PROMOTIONS 

• Sunday is Kids Day. All kids, ages 18 and younger, will receive FREE admission. 
• The Hawkeyes will sign autographs following Sunday’s game. 

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 office in Carver-Hawkeye Arena, calling 1-800-IA-HAWKS, or online at hawkeyesports.com. 

SCOUTING NORTHERN IOWA

• UNI is 4-3 on the season with wins over IUPUI, Wisconsin-Parkside, Idaho, and Denver.
• Senior guard Madison Weekly leads the Panthers in scoring, averaging 16.0 points per game. Redshirt sophomore guard Ellie Herzberg (8.4) and sophomore guard Mikaela Morgan (8.7) are both averaging over eight points per game. 
• Senior forward Hannah Schonhardt leads the team with 7.3 rebounds per game. 
• Weekly was named the Missouri Valley Conference’s Player of the Week on Monday. She averaged 19.0 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 3.7 assists in games against Oklahoma State, Idaho, and Denver. 
• The Hawkeyes and Panthers have each played South Dakota State this season. UNI fell to the SDSU, 50-61, on Thursday night in Cedar Falls, Iowa. The Hawkeyes dropped a, 64-66, decision on buzzer beater in the fourth quarter. 
• Iowa leads the all-time series, 19-2. The Hawkeyes are 9-1 all time when playing the Panthers in Iowa City, Iowa.  Iowa has won the last nine meetings, dating back to 2006 when the Panthers defeated the Hawkeyes, 83-62, in Carver-Hawkeye Arena. 

DOYLE GETS STARTING NOD 

• Kathleen Doyle registered the first two starts of her career at the Cancun Challenge last weekend. She remained in the starting lineup against No. 1 Notre Dame on Nov. 30. 
• Since getting the starting nod, Doyle is averaging 7.0 points, 1.3 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 2.3 steals per game. 
• Doyle tied her career high with 11 points in Iowa’s win over James Madison on Nov. 25. Eight of her 11 points game in the second half. 
• The LaGrange Park, Illinois, native is tied for third in the Big Ten Conference, averaging 2.1 steals per game this season. 

DOUBLE-DOUBLE MACHINE

• Sophomore Megan Gustafson registered the 13th double-double of her career against No. 1 Notre Dame on Nov. 30. It was her fourth double-double of the season. 
• Gustafson is one of 34 NCAA student-athletes to record four or more double-doubles this season. 
• The Port Wing, Wisconsin, native ranks fifth in the NCAA in field goal percentage (.698) and sixth in field goals made (60). She also ranks seventh in double-doubles (4) and 23rd in points (139). 

DYNAMIC DUO

• Senior Ally Disterhoft and sophomore Megan Gustafson have each scored in double figures in every game this season. 
• Both Disterhoft and Gustafson have netted 20 or more points three times this season. They’ve accomplished the feat in games against Oral Roberts and James Madison. 
• Together, the pair averages 35.5 points per game. 

GUSTAFSON NAMED TO ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM 

• Sophomore Megan Gustafson was named to the 2016 Cancun Challenge All-Tournament Team. 
• Gustafson averaged 19.0 points and 7.5 rebounds in games against No. 9 UCLA and James Madison. She shot .720 from the field (18-for-25) in 51 minutes of action. 
• The all-tournament honor was the second of the season for Gustafson. She was named to the 2016 Hawkeye Challenge All-Tournament team. Gustafson averaged 17.0 points, 10.5 rebounds, and shot .727 (16-of-22) from the field in contests against Massachusetts and South Dakota State. 

AROUND THE NATION

• The Hawkeyes rank fifth in the nation in assists with 147 on the season. 
• Iowa also ranks 12 in rebounds (348), 17th in defensive rebounds (31), and 23rd assists per game (18.4). 
• Megan Gustafson ranks fifth in the NCAA in field goal percentage (.698) and sixth in field goals made (60). She also ranks seventh in double-doubles (4) and 23rd in points (139). 
• Senior Ally Disterhoft ranks 17th nationally in points (145) and field goals made (53), 20th in free throw attempts (20), and 21st in field goal percentage (.609). 

AROUND THE LEAGUE 

• Iowa ranks second in the conference in defensive rebounds (31.3), third in scoring margin (+11.8) and field goal percentage (.474), fourth in field goal percentage defense (.352), assists (18.4) and steals (8.0), and fifth in three point field goal percentage defense (.282), rebounding margin (+6.8), and rebounding offense (43.5).  
• Sophomore Megan Gustafson ranks second in the league with a .698 field goal percentage. She also ranks fourth in defensive rebounds (6.4), fifth in rebounding (9.5), sixth in offensive boards (3.1), and ninth in scoring (17.4). 
• Senior Ally Disterhoft is averaging 18.1 points per game, the eighth-highest average in the Big Ten. Disterhoft also ranks fifth in field goal percentage (.609) and 13th in three point field goal percentage (.400). 
• Freshman Kathleen Doyle is tied for third in the conference with 2.1 steals per game. 
• Three Hawkeyes rank within the top-15 in field goal percentage. They include: Megan Gustafson (.698; 2nd), Ally Disterhoft (.609; 5th), and Hannah Stewart (.549; 11th). 

HISTORICALLY GOOD DEFENSE

• The Hawkeyes held Massachusetts to just 30 points in the first game of the Hawkeye Challenge on Nov. 19, tying a Carver-Hawkeye Arena record for fewest points allowed. It also marked the fewest points allowed in the Big Ten this season. 
• Iowa held the Minutewomen to just 10 first half points, breaking a program record for fewest points allowed in a first half. 

HAWKEYE CHALLENGE ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM 

• Sophomore Megan Gustafson and senior Ally Disterhoft were one of five players named to the 2016 Hawkeye Challenge All-Tournament Team, as voted on by media. 
• Gustafson averaged 17.0 points, 10.5 rebounds, and shot .727 (16-of-22) from the field  in two contests. 
• Disterhoft averaged 13.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 3.0 steals per game.

MOVIN’ ON UP 
Senior Ally Disterhoft now ranks seventh on Iowa’s all-time career scoring list. Disterhoft has 1,687 career points and is 372 points from tying Iowa’s all-time scoring record of 2,059 set by Cindy Haugejorde (1976-80). Disterhoft also ranks 11th all-time in 3-point field goals (124), 13th in career blocks (57), and 14th in rebounds (658). 

IN THE POLLS

• Two Big Ten teams are included in the week four Associated Press Top 25. They include: No. 5 Maryland and No. 9 Ohio State. Michigan State (36), Michigan (22), and Northwestern (18) are receiving votes in the poll. 
• Three Big Ten teams are ranked in the USA Today Coaches Poll, including No. 5 Maryland, No. 10 Ohio State, and No. 22 Michigan State. Michigan is receiving 74 votes in the poll. 

STEWART STEPS UP

• Sophomore Hannah Stewart registered a career-high 11 points in Iowa’s win over James Madison on Nov. 25. She’s scored 10 points three times this season (Hampton, UMass, and UCLA). 
• The Minot, North Dakota, native is averaging 7.3 points through eight games this season.
• After scoring just five points in 12 contests last season, Stewart has netted 58 points in seven games this year. 

CALL ON ME

• Senior Ally Disterhoft has netted double figures 86 of her 92 career starts. 
• The Iowa City, Iowa, native has started 92 consecutive games and appeared in every game of her Hawkeye career (111). 
• 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 has 1,687 career points and is 372 points from tying Iowa’s all-time scoring record of 2,059 set by Cindy Haugejorde (1976-80). 
• Disterhoft has registered 20 or more points in three of seven games this season. 
• Last season, Disterhoft became the program’s highest scoring junior, netting 565 points to break Michelle Edwards’ record of 564 points in 1986-87. 

GUSTAFSON NAMED B1G PLAYER OF THE WEEK

• Center/forward Megan Gustafson was named Big Ten Player of the Week, the conference office announced Nov. 14.  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 on Nov. 11 and 13. The sophomore tied a career high in points (25) 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.
• 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.  

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 five 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). 
• Cera has started all seven games this season, while Meyer has started five and Doyle has started the last two. 

HAWKEYES CONTINUE POSTSEASON STREAK

• Iowa made its ninth straight postseason appearance (8 NCAA, 1 WNIT) with an at-large 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 first 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 first year as a 5A institution. The first-year team captain collected first 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 first 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 328-191 (.632) overall record and a 160-106 Big Ten record at Iowa. In her 32 seasons as a head coach, Bluder is 684-333 (.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 first team Academic All-American last season. Disterhoft became the only junior to earn first 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 host Iowa Corn Cy-Hawk Series foe Iowa State on Wednesday, Dec. 7. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. (CT) in Carver-Hawkeye Arena. The game will be a blackout and the first 1,000 fans will receive a free blackout t-shirt.