Iowa Hosts Minnesota on Sunday

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THIS WEEK 
The University of Iowa women’s basketball team returns to Carver-Hawkeye Arena on Sunday, hosting Minnesota at 2 p.m. (CT). Tickets are $12 for adults, $8 for youth, and free for 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. 

PROMOTIONS
Two collectable Iowa women’s basketball trading card featuring Paula Valiño Ramos and Abby Stamp will be available at all entrances on the promotions tables while supplies last. 

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.

STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE

• Iowa has defeated eight teams — Quinnipiac, Western Kentucky, Elon, Iowa State, UNI, Drake, Ohio State, and Michigan State — 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. 

DOUBLE-DOUBLE MACHINE

• Junior Megan Gustafson has 48 double-doubles in her Hawkeye career, including double-doubles in 26 of her last 31 games. 
• Gustafson registered her 21st double-double of the season with 36 points and 17 rebounds against Michigan State on Feb. 1. 
• Gustafson’s 48 double-doubles ties an Iowa basketball record for double-doubles in a career (men or women). Kevin Kunnert registered 48 double-doubles from 1971-73. 
• The Port Wing, Wisconsin, native broke her own program record for double-doubles in a single season (19) against Minnesota on Jan. 21. She broke Samantha Logic’s record for double-doubles in a career (35; 2011-15) with 16 points and 14 rebounds against Iowa State on Dec. 6. 

SCOUTING MINNESOTA

• Minnesota enters Sunday’s contest with a 17-5 overall record and a 6-3 mark in Big Ten play. The Gophers received one vote in this week’s AP Top-25 Poll. 
• The Gophers have won five of their last six games, including home wins over Michigan State (83-77), Wisconsin (90-65), and Iowa (77-72) and roads wins at Penn State (91-71) and Wisconsin (71-61). 
• Junior guard Kenisha Bell leads the Gophers with 19.3 points per game, while senior guard Carlie Wagner is averaging 17.9. Destiny Pitts (13.0) and Gadiva Hubbard (12.7) are also averaging double figures. 
• Pitts leads the team on the boards, averaging 7.5 per game. 

THE SERIES

• Iowa leads the all-time series, 49-26. 
• Minnesota defeated Iowa, 77-72, in Minneapolis on Jan. 21. Sophomore Kathleen Doyle led the Hawkeyes with 21 points, while junior Megan Gustafson registered 20 points and 10 rebounds. Kenisha Bell led the Gophers with 21 points, 11 rebounds, and seven assists. Carlie Wagner (15), Taiye Bello (12), Destiny Pitts (11), and Bryanna Fernstrom (11) also scored in double figures. 
• Iowa won the lone meeting between the two teams last season. The Hawkeyes defeated the Gophers, 80-65, in Iowa City. Gustafson led the team with 19 points and 12 rebounds. Minneapolis native Chase Coley netted six points, pulled down six rebounds, and dished out two assists.
• The home team has won the last five meetings. 

IOWA DOWNS MICHIGAN STATE IN OT 

• Senior Chase Coley hit the go-ahead jump shot with 6.4 seconds left in overtime and junior Megan Gustafson sealed it with a steal and two free throws as the University of Iowa women’s basketball team defeated Michigan State, 71-68, on Thursday in East Lansing. 
• Gustafson and Doyle each registered double-doubles in the win. Gustafson netted 36 points and pulled down 17 rebounds, while Doyle registered 11 points and 11 assists. 
• The Hawkeyes won the rebounding battle, 52-38, with 13 offensive boards. Iowa scored 16 second-chance points. 
• The win marked the second straight time Iowa has defeated Michigan State in overtime. The Hawkeyes also prevailed, 87-83, in overtime on Feb. 9, 2017, inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena. 

IN A CLASS OF HER OWN

• Junior Megan Gustafson broke Iowa’s record for rebounds in a junior season with 17 boards against Michigan State on Thursday. 
• Gustafson has 288 rebounds on the year. Kachine Alexander set the previous record of 281 in 2009-10. 
• Gustafson needs three points to break Ally Disterhoft’s record for points in a junior season. Disterhoft set the record of 565 in 2015-16. Gustafson has 563 points on the season. 

GUSTAFSON NAMED TO LISA LESLIE CENTER AWARD TOP-10 LIST 

• Junior Megan Gustafson was named a top-10 candidate for the 2018 Lisa Leslie Award by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association on Friday. 
• The inaugural award recognizes the nation’s top center. 
• The winner of the 2018 Lisa Leslie Center Award will be announced during ESPN2’s telecast of the national semifinal games in the 2018 NCAA Women’s Final Four in Columbus, Ohio, on March 30. 
• Gustafson is one of two Big Ten student-athletes included on the list (Hallie Thome, Michigan). 

B1G TIME

• Junior Megan Gustafson is averaging 27.4 points and 12.8 rebounds in Big Ten play. The Port Wing, Wisconsin, native is shooting 63.1 percent from the field and 85.7 percent from the free throw line.
• Sophomore Kathleen Doyle has dished out 82 assists (8.2 per game) in conference play. She is averaging 14.4 points and 3.4 rebounds in Big Ten play.

BLUDER NAMED RECIPIENT OF IGHSAU FIRST LADY AWARD

• Head coach Lisa Bluder has been named the recipient of the Iowa Girls’ High School Athletic Union’s First Lady Award. 
• Bluder will be honored Saturday, March 3 at the 2018 Iowa Girls’ State Basketball Tournament. 
• The award recognizes a “daughter of Iowa” who has carried the tradition and training of a sport into varied and important careers. 

NATIONALLY SPEAKING 

• As of Feb. 2, junior Megan Gustafson is the only player in the country averaging 24 or more points and 12 or more rebounds per game. She is one-of-four players nationally averaging 20 or more points and 10 or more rebounds. 
• Sophomore Kathleen Doyle ranks 12th nationally in assists per game (6.6) and 15th in assists (139). 
• Gustafson currently ranks in the top-10 nationally in nine statistical categories. She leads the nation in field goals made (221), ranks second in field goal percentage (66.6) double-doubles (21), and total points (563), third in points per game (24.5), rebounds (228), and rebounds per game (12.5), fifth in defensive rebounds per game (8), and ninth in free throws made (121). 
• The Hawkeyes are ranked in the top -15 in seven categories. Iowa leads the nation in assists (499), ranks second defensive rebounds per game (32), third in assists per game (21.7), sixth in fewest fouls per game (13.0), seventh in rebounds (998), eighth in field goal percentage (48.4), and 11th in blocked shots (133). 

GIVE THE ASSIST TO DOYLE

• Sophomore Kathleen Doyle is averaging 8.2 assists in Big Ten action. 
• The LaGrange Park, Illinois, native registered the first four double-doubles of her career in conference play. She registered back-to-back double-doubles against Maryland and Illinois, before recording her third against Ohio State on Jan. 25 and her fourth at Michigan State on Feb. 1. 
• Doyle has registered 10 or more assists in five of her last eight games (11 at Maryland, 10 at Illinois, 10 vs. Purdue, 11 vs. Ohio State, 11 vs. Michigan State).  

CLIMBING THE CAREER CHARTS 

• Junior Megan Gustafson’s 1,543 career points ranks 12th all-time. She needs three points to tie former Hawkeye Sam Logic (1546; 11-15) for 11th. 
• Gustafson has 856 rebounds in her career. She currently ranks seventh all-time. She is three rebounds shy of tying Tangela Smith (94-98; 859) for sixth all-time. 

GUSTAFSON EARNS 11TH CONFERENCE HONOR

• Junior Megan Gustafson was named to the Big Ten Player of the Week Honor Roll on Monday. The weekly award is the 17th of her career and her 11th this season. 
• Gustafson averaged 27.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, and shot 57.6 percent from the field in a pair of Big Ten contests last week. She led all scorers with 29 points in Iowa’s win over No. 12/14 Ohio State on Jan. 25. Gustafson shot 64.3 percent from the field (9-for-14), pulled down five boards, registered three blocks, and made 11-of-14 free throws to lead the Hawkeyes past the Buckeyes for the first time since 2015.
• On Jan. 28, Gustafson netted 26 points and pulled down 10 boards to register her 20th double-double of the season against Nebraska. She also chipped in five blocks, two steals, and shot 52.6 percent from the field in the contest.
• The Port Wing, Wisconsin, native has been recognized by the conference in 11 of the first 12 weeks of the season. 
• On Jan. 15, Gustafson tied a Big Ten single-season record with her sixth Player of the Week award of the season (Jantel Lavender, Ohio State, 2010-11). She was also named Big Ten Player of the Week on Nov. 13, Dec. 4, Dec. 18, Dec. 26, and Jan. 2, and was named to the honor roll on Nov. 20, No. 27, Dec. 11, and Jan. 8.

STEWART MAKES AN IMPACT 

• Junior Hannah Stewart is averaging 7.3 points and 4.9 rebounds off the bench for the Hawkeyes.
• The Minot, North Dakota, native 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 13 games so far this season. 
• Stewart recorded a career-best 12 rebounds to help the Hawkeyes to their first win in Hilton since 1989 on Dec. 6. 

SHARING IS CARING 

• Iowa leads the nation in assists (499) and ranks third in assists per game (21.7). 
• The Hawkeyes have registered 20 or more assists in 16 of their 23 contests this season. 
• Nine Hawkeyes have registered 22 or more assists. 

COLEY’S TURNAROUND 

• After scoring in double figures once last season, senior Chase Coley has scored 10 or more points in seven contests this season. 
• The Minneapolis native has scored eight or more points 16 times this season, and has registered four or more rebounds on 18 occasions. 
• Coley registered 12 points and 11 boards to collect the seventh double-double of her career against Ohio State on Jan. 25. It marked her first double-double since March 3, 2016 (20 points, 10 boards vs. Michigan). 
• 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.  

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). 

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. 

LOCKED IN AT THE LINE

• Junior Megan Gustafson is 72-for-84 (85.7 percent) at the free throw line in Big Ten play this season. 
• Gustafson has netted 10 or more free throws in four of Iowa’s 10 conference contests. She was a perfect 11-for-11 from the line in back-to-back games against Wisconsin and Michigan, 10-for-10 in Iowa’s win at Illinois, and 11-for-14 against Ohio State. 

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 netted 18 points on 4-of-6 shooting from 3-point range in Iowa’s win over No. 12 Ohio State on Jan. 25. She was also a perfect 6-for-6 from the charity stripe. 
• Meyer is averaging 10.8 points and 4.5 assists in 17 games this season. She is shooting 40.5 percent from the field and 36.0 percent from distance. 

OLLINGER’S CAREER DAY AT NEBRASKA

• Sophomore Amanda Ollinger netted a career-high 12 points in Iowa’s first meeting 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. 

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 360 wins. 

UP NEXT
Iowa returns to Carver-Hawkeye Arena on Thursday, Feb. 8, hosting Penn State on National Girls and Women in Sports Day. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. (CT).