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By DARREN MILLER
hawkeyesports.com
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Four University of Iowa women’s basketball players scored in double figures leading the Hawkeyes to a 90-46 victory over Morgan State on Wednesday at Cardinal Gibbons High School.
Iowa improves to 5-0 for the third time in the last four seasons; the Lady Bears are 2-3.
Although the tempo wasn’t as high as the Hawkeyes have played in many of their first four games, they still managed 90 points and held a 20-3 edge on fast break points.
“We pushed the ball very well, especially in the second half,” Iowa head coach Lisa Bluder said.
For the fifth time this season, junior Megan Gustafson compiled a double-double with 18 points and 10 rebounds. It is the 32nd double-double of her career. The other Hawkeyes to score in double figures were junior Hannah Stewart (13), senior Chase Coley (11), and freshman Alexis Sevillian (11).
Sophomores Makenzie Meyer and Amanda Ollinger added nine points apiece and junior Tania Davis scored eight points. Meyer handed out seven assists.
Iowa shot 68 percent from the field in the second half (21 of 31) and for the game, made 34 of 53 for 64.2 percent.
If there was a down side in a 44-point victory it was ball security. The Hawkeyes committed a season-high 21 turnovers, three days after having just eight against Western Michigan.
“It started out a little slow,” Bluder said. “We had too many turnovers in the first half, gave up too many offensive rebounds. The second half we did a much better job and hit some shots.”
Iowa received a season-high 33 points off the bench.
QUOTING COACH BLUDER
“Isn’t it nice when you can go to your bench when you have people like Hannah Stewart come in and go 6-of-7 from the field and have 13 points and seven rebounds? Or Carly Mohns goes 2-for-3 from the field and has six points? Chase (Coley) had a nice game, too. Chase got us going early in this game.”
STATISTIC OF THE GAME
Six Hawkeyes came off the bench to score 33 points on 13 of 19 shooting from the field. The bench also accounted for 18 rebounds and seven assists.
STATISTIC OF THE GAME II
Iowa dominated the boards, holding a 49-22 advantage. Ironically, Morgan State held a 15-13 edge in offensive rebounds.
THE CHASE FOR PERFECTION
Coley was a perfect 4 for 4 from the field with eight rebounds.
UP NEXT
The Hawkeyes put their undefeated record on the line Thursday against Charlotte (2-2) in the second round of the Puerto Rico Challenge in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The Thanksgiving Day game tips off at 11 a.m. (CT).
“We want (our team) to rest a little bit, go outside and breathe some good, fresh air, but also rest and get off those legs,” Bluder said. “Scoring 90 points today wasn’t as much up and down as our past games because Morgan State tried to slow it down and we were OK with that.”
