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THIS WEEK
The 25th-ranked University of Iowa women’s basketball team returns to Carver-Hawkeye Arena on Thursday, hosting eighth-ranked Ohio State. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. (CT). Tickets are $12 for adults and free for youth (18 & younger) and UI students.
WATCH/FOLLOW ALONG
- The contest will be streamed live on BTN Plus. Links are available on the Iowa women’s basketball schedule page on hawkeyesports.com.
- Live stats are also available on the women’s basketball schedule page on hawkeyesports.com.
AUDIO COVERAGE
- Rob Brooks and Jamie Cavey Lang will call the action on the Hawkeye Radio Network. 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.
- Lang is in her second year as Iowa’s color commentator. She lettered at Iowa from 2002-05. Lang finished her Hawkeye career with 1,265 points and 506 rebounds. She was a two-time All-Big Ten selection.
PROMOTIONS
- Thursday is Lisa Bluder Bobblehead Day. The first 2,000 fans will receive a free Lisa Bluder Bobblehead. Bobbleheads will be distributed in sections A and NN.
- Two collectable Iowa women’s basketball trading cards featuring Megan Gustafson and assistant coach Raina Harmon will be available at all entrances on the promotions tables while supplies last.
IN THE POLLS
- Iowa is ranked No. 25 in the latest USA Today Coaches Poll. The Hawkeyes are receiving 18 votes in this week’s AP Poll.
- The Hawkeyes entered the USA Today Poll on Dec. 12 at No. 25. It marked the first time Iowa was ranked in the Coaches Poll since Jan. 5, 2016 (No. 23).
- Three other Big Ten teams are ranked in the polls (AP/Coaches), including No. 12/14 Ohio State, No. 14/13 Maryland, and No. 16/16 Michigan.
FAST START
The Hawkeyes started the season 15-2 — the best start for the program since 1995-96 (20-1). Iowa finished the 1995-96 season with a 27-4 overall record, a Big Ten title, and a Sweet 16 appearance.
STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE
- Iowa has defeated six teams — Quinnipiac, Western Kentucky, Elon, Iowa State, UNI, and Drake — that made the NCAA Tournament last season.
- Eleven of Iowa’s opponents made the 2017 NCAA Tournament, including Quinnipiac, Western Kentucky, Elon, Florida State, Iowa State, Northern Iowa, Drake, Maryland, Michigan State, Ohio State, and Purdue.
SCOUTING OHIO STATE
- No. 8/8 Ohio State is 16-4 overall and 5-2 in Big Ten action this season.
- The Buckeyes have dropped their last two contests. No. 14 Maryland defeated the Buckeyes, 99-69, in College Par5 on Jan. 22, while Michigan won, 84-75, in Columbus, Ohio, on Jan. 16.
- The Buckeyes are 5-2 in road contests.
- Senior guard Kelsey Mitchell leads the team, averaging 24.8 points per game. She is shooting 44.6 percent from the field and 39.4 percent from three-point range.
- Redshirt senior guard Linnae Harper (15.3), redshirt senior forward Stephanie Mavunga (15.2), and redshirt junior guard Sierra Calhoun (12.6) are also averaging double figures in scoring.
- Mavunga leads the team in rebounding, averaging 11.0 per game.
- Ohio State ranks third nationally in scoring offense (86.8), seventh in turnovers per game (11.9), ninth in turnover margin (6.85) and 3-point field goals attempted (533), 11th in 3-point field goals made (184), and 14th in 3-point field goals per game (9.2).
- Mitchell leads the nation in total points (480) and ranks second nationally in points per game (25.3) and total points (480), third in 3-point field goals attempted (183), fourth in 3-point field goals made (73), and fifth in 3-point field goals per game (3.84), field goals attempted (370), and field goals made (165).
THE SERIES
- Ohio State leads the all-time series, 35-31.
- The Buckeyes defeated Iowa, 88-81, in Columbus, Ohio, last season. Sophomore Makenzie Meyer netted 16 points on 6-of-7 shooting from the field. Junior Megan Gustafson added a double-double with 17 points and 10 rebounds, while sophomore Kathleen Doyle scored 11 points and dished out six assists.
- Ohio State has won the last four meetings, dating back to 2014-15.
B1G TIME
- Junior Megan Gustafson is averaging 26.1 points and 13.7 rebounds in Big Ten play.
- The Port Wing, Wisconsin, native is shooting 63.0 percent from the field and 92.2 percent from the free throw line in seven conference games this season.
- Sophomore Kathleen Doyle has dished out 56 assists (8.0 per game) in conference play. She is averaging 13.1 points and 3.4 rebounds in Big Ten play this season.
WELCOME BACK, MAK
- Sophomore Makenzie Meyer made her return to the starting lineup on Jan. 21 at Minnesota after missing seven games with a broken bone in her left hand.
- Meyer played all 40 minutes, finishing with four points, four assists, four steals, and three rebounds. The four steals marked a new career high.
- Meyer – Iowa’s second-leading scorer – is averaging 10.8 points and 4.9 assists per game. She is shooting 44.4 percent from the field and 38.2 percent from 3-point range in 14 contests this season.
DOUBLE-DOUBLE MACHINE
- Junior Megan Gustafson has 46 double-doubles in her Hawkeye career, including double-doubles in 24 of her last 28 games.
- Gustafson registered her NCAA-leading 19th double-double of the season with 20 points and 10 rebounds against Minnesota on Jan. 21, breaking her own school record for double-doubles in a single season (18, 2016-17).
STEWART MAKES AN IMPACT
- Junior Hannah Stewart is averaging 7.3 points and 5.0 rebounds off the bench for the Hawkeyes.
- Stewart registered 12 points, four assists, three rebounds, and two steals in 17 minutes of action off the bench at Minnesota on Jan. 21.
- Stewart has registered five or more rebounds in 11 games so far this season.
- Stewart recorded a career-best 12 rebounds to help the Hawkeyes to their first win in Hilton since 1989.
GUSTAFSON’S CAREER DAY
- Junior Megan Gustafson registered a career-high 37 points against Purdue on Jan. 13.
- Gustafson made 17-of-23 field goal attempts. Her 17 field goals tied a program record previously set by Amy Herrig against Northwestern on Feb. 12, 1999.
- The Port Wing, Wisconsin, native also pulled down 14 boards, registering her 17 double-double of the season.
GUSTAFSON EARNS 10TH CONFERENCE HONOR
- Junior Megan Gustafson was named Big Ten Co-Player of the Week, the conference office announced Jan. 15. It is Gustafson’s sixth Player of the Week award of the season — tying a Big Ten single-season record (Jantel Lavender, Ohio State, 2010-11).
- The Port Wing, Wisconsin, native has been recognized by the conference in 10 of the first 11 weeks of the season. She was named the Big Ten Player of the Week on Nov. 13, Dec. 4, Dec. 18, Dec. 26, and Jan. 2, and was named to the Player of the Week Honor Roll on Nov. 20, Nov. 27, Dec. 11, and Jan. 8.
- Gustafson had a career-day against the Boilermakers on Jan. 13. She netted a career-high 37 points, making 17-of-23 shots from the field (73.9 percent). Her 17 field goals tied a program record (Amy Herrig vs. Northwestern, 2/14/99). Gustafson also registered 14 rebounds, two assists, and a block in 37 minutes of action.
OLLINGER’S CAREER DAY AT NEBRASKA
- Sophomore Amanda Ollinger netted a career-high 12 points against Nebraska on Jan. 16.
- The Cedar Rapids, Iowa, native was 6-for-8 (75 percent) from the field in 21 minutes of action.
- She also registered eight rebounds — one rebound shy of her career-high.
GIVE THE ASSIST TO DOYLE
- Sophomore Kathleen Doyle is averaging 8.0 assists in Big Ten action.
- The LaGrange Park, Illinois, native registered the first two double-doubles of her career against Maryland and Illinois. Doyle became the third Hawkeye to register a double-double this season (Gustafson, Davis).
- Doyle has registered 10 or more assists in three of her last five games (11 at Maryland, 10 at Illinois, 10 vs. Purdue).
GUSTAFSON NAMED TO WOODEN AWARD MIDSEASON TOP-25
- Junior Megan Gustafson was named to the John R. Wooden Award Midseason Top-25 list on Jan. 11.
- Players on the list are considered strong candidates for the most prestigious national player of the year honor.
- Gustafson is one of three student-athletes not included on the preseason top-30 list to be added to the midseason top 25. She is one of three Big Ten student-athletes on the list (Katelynn Flaherty and Kelsey Mitchell).
CLIMBING THE CAREER CHARTS
- Junior Megan Gustafson’s 1,452 career points ranks 15th all-time. She needs three points to tie former Hawkeye Kristi Smith (05-09) for 14th (1,455).
- Gustafson has 824 rebounds in her career. She currently ranks ninth all-time. She is three rebounds shy of tying Jennie Lillis (827; 00-04) for eighth.
LOCKED IN AT THE LINE
- Junior Megan Gustafson is 47-for-61 (92.2 percent) at the free throw line in Big Ten play this season.
- Gustafson has netted 10 or more free throws in three of Iowa’s seven conference contests. She was a perfect 11-for-11 from the line in back-to-back games against Wisconsin and Michigan, and 10-for-10 in Iowa’s win at Illinois.
SHARING IS CARING
- Iowa ranks second nationally in assists (437) and third in assists per game (21.9).
- The Hawkeyes have registered 20 assists or more in 14 of their 20 contests this season.
- Nine Hawkeyes have registered 21 or more assists on the season.
A PERFECT DECEMBER
- Iowa finished the month of December with a perfect 7-0 record.
- Three of Iowa’s wins came against teams that made the NCAA Tournament.
- The Hawkeyes held their opponents to 55.7 points per game during the month.
- Junior Megan Gustafson averaged 22.0 points and 12.0 rebounds in December. Sophomores Makenzie Meyer (12.6) and Kathleen Doyle (10.0) also averaged double figures.
NATIONALLY SPEAKING
- The Hawkeyes are ranked in the top-15 in 10 categories. Iowa ranks second nationally in assists (437) and fewest fouls per game (12.5), third in assists per game (21.9) and defensive rebounds per game (32), eighth in field goal percentage (48.6), 11th in fewest fouls (25), 13th in rebounds (873) and assist/turnover ratio (1.41), 14th in free throw percentage (76.8), and 15th in blocked shots (113).
- Gustafson ranks in the top-5 in the nation in eight categories. She leads the nation in double-doubles (19) and field goals made (188), ranks second in field goal percentage (67.1), third in total points (472), fourth in points per game (23.6) and rebounds per game (12.8), and fifth in rebounds (256) and defensive rebounds per game (9).
- Sophomore Kathleen Doyle ranks 18th nationally in assists per game (6.3) and 22nd in assists (113).
TOTAL TEAM EFFORT
- Four Hawkeyes average double figures in scoring this season, while seven are averaging seven or more.
- Four Hawkeyes average 4.3 or more rebounds per game, including Megan Gustafson (12.8), Hannah Stewart (5.0), Chase Coley (5.4) and Kathleen Doyle (4.3).
- Nine Hawkeyes have registered 21 or more assists on the season.
COLEY’S TURNAROUND
- After scoring in double figures once last season, senior Chase Coley has scored 10 or more points in six contests this season.
- Coley netted 20 points in Iowa’s win over Northern Illinois on Nov. 15 — her most points since scoring 20 against Michigan on March 3, 2016.
- The Minneapolis native has scored eight or more points 14 times this season, and has registered four or more rebounds on 15 occasions.
GUSTAFSON NAMED TO NAISMITH TROPHY WATCH LIST
- Junior Megan Gustafson was named to the Naismith Trophy Watch List by the Atlanta Tipoff Club on Nov. 29. The award honors the nation’s top player.
- The list currently features 50 student-athletes. It will be trimmed to 30 on Feb. 12, 2018.
- Nine different conferences are represented on the list. Gustafson is one of eight Big Ten student-athletes included.
- Gustafson was named to the Katrina McClain Award Watch List on Nov. 9. She is one-of-20 student-athletes named to the list. The award honors the nation’s top power forward.
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 358 wins.
UP NEXT
Iowa hosts Nebraska on Sunday, Jan. 28. Tipoff is set for 2 p.m. (CT) in Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
