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THIS WEEK
The University of Iowa women’s basketball team travels to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, for the Puerto Rico Classic from Nov. 22-25. The Hawkeyes open tournament action against Morgan State on Nov. 22, before taking on Charlotte on Nov. 23, and Elon on Nov. 25. All three games will be played at Cardinal Gibbons High School in Fort Lauderdale.
WATCH/FOLLOW ALONG
All three contests will be streamed live via FloHoops ($). Links are available on the Iowa women’s basketball schedule page on hawkeyesports.com.
AUDIO COVERAGE
• Rob Brooks will call the action on Hawkeye All-Access. A link to the broadcast is available on the women’s basketball schedule page on hawkeyesports.com.
• Brooks is in his second year as the play-by-play announcer for the Iowa women’s basketball team. He has been Iowa football’s sideline announcer since 2004. He has called seven different Iowa sports on radio or television.
SCOUTING MORGAN STATE
• Morgan State is 2-2 on the season with wins over Cheyney (123-53) and Lincoln (Pa. 60-41). • The Lady Bears are are averaging 75.8 points per game and holding their opponents to 69.2 points.
• Senior guard Braennan Farrar leads the Lady Bears, averaging 14.5 points per game and 6.3 rebounds. • Junior guard/forward Adre’onia Coleman (12.0), senior forward Tykyrah Williams (11.0), and senior forward Lexus Spears (10.8) are also averaging double figures in points. • Wednesday will be the first ever meeting between the Hawkeyes and Lady Bears.
SCOUTING CHARLOTTE
• Charlotte is 2-2 on the season with wins over Duquesne (75-72) and UNC Asheville (51-47). • The 49ers are averaging 61.5 points per game and holding their opponents to 69.0.
• Senior guard Amaya Ransom leads the 49ers, averaging 14.0 points per game.
• Freshman guard Octavia Wilson (13.5) and junior guard Laia Raventos (12.3) are also averaging double figures this season.
• Redshirt sophomore forward Dara Pearson leads the team with 7.5 rebounds per game.
• Iowa leads the all-time series, 2-0. The teams last met on Nov. 24, 2002. The Hawkeyes defeated the 49ers, 85-70 in Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
SCOUTING ELON
• Elon is 3-0 on the season with wins over Winthrop (98-37), North Carolina AT&T (90-59), and Hampton (82-59).
• Elon won the Colonial Athletic Association Tournament Championship last season with a 78-60 win over James Madison in the tournament final.
• The Phoenix advanced to the NCAA Tournament. Elon lost to No. 6 West Virginia, 75-62, in the first round.
• Sophomore center Ra’Shika White leads the Phoenix, averaging 18.0 points per game
• Senior guard Shay Burnett (15.7) and senior center Malaya Johnson (14.0) are also averaging double figures in scoring.
• Burnett leads the team in rebounding, averaging 8.0 points per game.
• Saturday will be the first ever meeting between the Hawkeyes and Phoenix.
SHARING IS CARING
• Iowa leads the Big Ten Conference in assists (97) and assists per game (24.3). Its 97 assists ranks fourth nationally, while its 24.3 assists per game ranks eighth.
• Iowa registered assists on 24 of its 29 field goals against Western Michigan on Nov. 19. Redshirt freshman Alexis Sevillian led the team with six assists.
• The Hawkeyes assisted on 29 of their 42 field goals against Northern Illinois on Nov. 15 — just three assists shy of tying the program record for assists in a game (32 at Northwestern, 1/29/15).
• The Hawkeyes recorded assists on 28-of-35 field goals against Western Kentucky on Nov. 11.
• Iowa’s three starting guards — Kathleen Doyle (7), Tania Davis (8), and Makenzie Meyer (7) — accounted for 23 of Iowa’s 28 total assists against the Hilltoppers.
• Meyer has set a career high in assists in each of the last two games. The sophomore recorded seven in Iowa’s win over Western Kentucky, before assisting on eight field goals in Iowa’s win over Northern Illinois.
SEVILLIAN STEPS IN
• In her first career start against Northern Illinois on Nov. 15, redshirt freshman Alexis Sevillian scored a then career-high 15 points.
• On Nov. 19, Sevillian set career highs in points (19), rebounds (5), and assists (6).
• Sevillian has scored in double digits in each of her first four games.
• The Goodrich, Michigan, native has scored at least three 3-point field goals in every game this season.
IOWA DOWNS WESTERN MICHIGAN, 79-56
• The Hawkeyes shot 44.6 percent from the field and made 11-of-26 3-point field goals en route to a 79-56 victory over Western Michigan on Nov. 19.
• Sophomore Makenzie Meyer converted 8-of-12 field goals, including 5-of-8 from 3-point range to finish with a game-high 21 points.
• Four Hawkeyes scored in double-figures, including Meyer (21), Sevillian (19), junior Megan Gustafson (15), and junior Tania Davis (10).
• Iowa assisted on 24-of-29 made field goals in the contest and turned the ball over a season-low eight times.
• Sophomore Amanda Ollinger registered a career-high nine rebounds.
• Junior Hannah Stewart recorded a career-best four steals.
BALANCED ATTACK LEADS HAWKEYES PAST HUSKIES
• Six Hawkeyes scored in double figures to lead the Hawkeyes past Northern Illinois, 105-80, on Nov. 15. • Iowa shot 60 percent from the field (42-of-70) and 100 percent from the free throw line (15-of-15).
MEYER’S CAREER DAY
• Sophomore Makenzie Meyer netted a career-high 21 points on 8-of-12 shooting from the field against Western Michigan on Nov. 19.
• Meyer scored a career-high five 3-pointers and was 5-for-8 from behind the arc.
• She also dished out four assists and added a block in 27 minutes of action.
THE CENTURY MARK
• For the first time in school history, Iowa scored 100 or more points in back-to-back contests.
• Iowa scored 104 points in an overtime win against Western Kentucky on Nov. 11, before netting 105 against Northern Illinois on Nov. 15.
• Iowa’s scoring average of 97.3 ranks third in the Big Ten Conference and 13th in the nation.
LOCKED IN AT THE LINE
• Iowa leads the nation in free throw percentage (91.5).
• The Hawkeyes have shot 83.3 percent or better from the line in every contest this season.
• Iowa was a perfect 15-for-15 from the line against Northern Illinois on Nov. 15.
• The Hawkeyes made 17-of-19 (89.5 percent) from the line against Quinnipiac, including 10-of-11 in the fourth quarter.
• Iowa shot 92.0 percent from the line against Western Kentucky. The Hawkeyes were a perfect 8-for- 8 in the fourth quarter and overtime period.
DOUBLE THE DOUBLE-DOUBLE
• Junior Megan Gustafson and Tania Davis each registered double-doubles in Iowa’s win over Northern Illinois on Nov. 15.
• Gustafson led the team with 22 points and 11 rebounds. It marked the 30th double-double of her career and her third of the season.
• Davis registered 12 points and a career-high 10 rebounds to record her second career double-double. Davis also chipped in seven assists in the contest.
700 CLUB
• Head coach Lisa Bluder collected her 700th victory on Nov. 10 against Quinnipiac.
• Bluder is one-of-10 active Division I head coaches with 700 or more victories and one-of-29 women’s coaches to ever accomplish the feat. Bluder is one of 80 coaches (men or women) to win 700 or more contests.
• Bluder is in her 34th season as a head coach and her 18th at the helm of the Hawkeyes.
• In her 18 seasons in Iowa City, Bluder — Iowa’s all-time winningest coach — has accumulated 347 wins. • Bluder has collected 10 20-win seasons as a Hawkeye.
GUSTAFSON NAMED BIG TEN PLAYER OF THE WEEK HONOR ROLL
• Junior Megan Gustafson was named to the Big Ten Women’s Basketball Player of the Week Honor Roll, the conference office announced Nov. 20.
• It marked the eighth weekly honor of Gustafson’s career and her second in as many weeks.
• Gustafson averaged 18.5 points, 12.0 rebounds, and shot 70.0 percent from the field in a pair of wins last week. She netted a game-high 22 points on 8-of-11 shooting from the field and pulled down 11 boards to guide the Hawkeyes to a 105-80 victory over Northern Illinois on Nov. 15.
• On Nov. 19, Gustafson recorded 15 points and 13 rebounds against Western Michigan. She shot 67.7 percent (6-for-9) from the field to help the Hawkeyes improve to 4-0 on the season. She now has 31 career double-doubles.
• Gustafson was named the Big Ten Player of the Week on Nov. 13. She averaged 25.5 points and 16.0 rebounds and shot 67.7 percent from the field in a pair of season-opening wins over Quinnipiac and Western Kentucky on Nov. 10-11. MS. 1,000
• Junior Megan Gustafson surpassed the 1,000 career point milestone on Saturday, Nov. 11.
• She is the 35th Hawkeye in program history to surpass 1,000 career points.
• Gustafson’s 1,068 points ranks 32nd all-time at Iowa.
STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE
• Seven of Iowa’s nonconference opponents made the 2017 NCAA Tournament, including Quinnipiac, Western Kentucky, Elon, Florida State, Iowa State, Northern Iowa, and Drake.
• Two of Iowa’s nonconference opponents are ranked or receiving votes in the AP Top-25 Poll (Nov. 13). They include: No. 13 Florida State and Western Kentucky (2 votes).
• Iowa received five votes in this week’s poll.
HAWKEYES WIN OVERTIME THRILLER
• The Hawkeyes battled back from a 10-point fourth quarter deficit to defeat Western Kentucky, 104-97, on Nov. 11.
• Down by five with 1:05 left in the fourth quarter, Makenzie Meyer knocked down a three to bring Iowa within two. After a defensive stop, Gustafson grabbed the rebound and drew a foul. Gustafson, who finished the day 7-for- 7 from the charity stripe, knocked down both shots to tie the game at 93.
• Gustafson scored six of Iowa’s 11 points in the overtime period to lead the Hawkeyes to the Hawkeye Challenge Tournament title.
• Iowa’s three starting guards — Tania Davis, Kathleen Doyle, and Makenzie Meyer — combined for 23 of Iowa’s 28 assists.
• The Hawkeyes shot 92 percent (23-of-25) from the free throw line.
SEASON OPENING WIN
• Iowa outscored Quinnipiac, 28-13, in the fourth quarter to win its season opener, 83-67, on Nov. 10 in Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
• The Hawkeyes were 15-17 from the free throw line in the second half after getting to the line just two times in the first half.
• Iowa held a 50-29 rebounding advantage, led by Gustafson’s 15 and a careerhigh nine from Kathleen Doyle.
• Hannah Stewart led the Hawkeyes with a career-best five assists.
HAWKEYE CHALLENGE ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
• Junior Megan Gustafson was named the Hawkeye Challenge Most Valuable Player, while sophomore Kathleen Doyle was named to the all-tournament team.
• Gustafson averaged 25.5 points and 16.0 rebounds and shot .677 from the field to take home MVP honors. Doyle averaged 16.0 points and 8.0 rebounds per game. She shot .579 from the field and was a perfect 8-for-8 from the free throw line.
DOUBLE-DOUBLE MACHINE
• Junior Megan Gustafson has 31 double-doubles in her Hawkeye career, including double-doubles in nine of her last 12 games.
• Last season, Gustafson broke a program record with 18 double doubles on the season.
• Gustafson leads the nation with four double-doubles this season.
TANIA DAVIS — THE RETURN
• Junior point guard Tania Davis returned to the Iowa lineup on Nov. 10 after suffering a season-ending knee injury at Michigan on Feb. 5, 2017.
• In 23 games last season, Davis averaged 10.9 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 4.3 assists.
• Davis is averaging 13.0 points, 4.8 rebounds, and shooting 47.4 percent from 3-point range so far this season.
EXPERIENCED SOPHOMORES
• Iowa’s sophomore class of Kathleen Doyle, Makenzie Meyer, and Amanda Ollinger combined for 89 games played and 52 starts last season.
• The class accounted for a combined 38 percent of Iowa’s total steals (88/231), 37 percent of Iowa’s assists (221/600), and 22 percent of Iowa’s total points (565/2588).
GUSTAFSON EARNS PRESEASON HONOR
Junior Megan Gustafson was named Preseason All-Big Ten by league coaches and media, the conference office announced Oct. 23. The Port Wing, Wisconsin, native was a first team All-Big Ten selection (league coaches and media) in 2016. She was named to the Big Ten All-Freshman Team in 2015.
UP NEXT
The Hawkeyes return to Carver-Hawkeye Arena on Nov. 29, hosting No. 13 Florida State in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. (CT) in Carver-Hawkeye Arena. All fans are encouraged to wear black.
