Iowa Travels to Rutgers on Wednesday

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THIS WEEK 
The University of Iowa women’s basketball travels to Piscataway, New Jersey, for a contest against Rutgers on Wednesday. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m. (CT) from the Rutgers Athletic Center (RAC).  

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 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.

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. 

APPROACHING (MORE) HISTORY

• Junior Megan Gustafson needs two points to break Iowa’s program record for points in a single season. Cindy Haugejorde set the current record of 672 points in 1979-80. 
• Gustafson has 671 points this season — a program record for points in a junior season. 
• Gustafson needs three rebounds to break her own program record for rebounds in a single season. Gustafson registered 343 rebounds last season. She has 341 boards this year. 

DOUBLE-DOUBLE MACHINE

• Junior Megan Gustafson registered the 51st double-double of her career with 25 points and 16 rebounds against Northwestern on Feb. 11. Gustafson broke the program record (men or women) with her 49th career double-double (25 points, 15 rebounds) against Minnesota on Feb. 4. 
• Gustafson surpassed former Iowa men’s basketball player Kevin Kunnert’s career total of 48 set in 1971-73. 
• The Port Wing, Wisconsin, native has 24 double-doubles this season — the second most in the NCAA. She has registered a double-double in 29 of her last 35 games. 

SCOUTING RUTGERS

• Rutgers enters the contest with a 19-9 overall record and a 7-7 mark in Big Ten conference action. 
• The Scarlet Knights are coming off a bye week. Rutgers defeated Wisconsin 63-50 on Feb. 14. 
• Tyler Scaife leads the team, averaging 19.4 points per game. She is the only Scarlet Knight averaging double figures this season. 
• Caitlin Jenkins leads the team in rebounding, averaging 7.6 per contest. 
• Rutgers leads the Big Ten and ranks 48th nationally in scoring defense (58.5). The Scarlet Knights are also ranked 10th nationally in steals per game (12.1) and 22nd in blocked shots per game (5.3). 
• Scaife rank sixth nationally in field goals made (216) and eighth in field goal attempts (483). 

THE SERIES

• Iowa leads the all-time series, 5-2. 
• The Hawkeyes have won all five meetings since the Scarlet Knights joined the Big Ten Conference. 
• The Scarlet Knights are coached by C. Vivian Stringer. Stringer coached at Iowa from 1983-1995. She is four wins away from career win No. 1000. 
• The Hawkeyes defeated the Scarlet Knights twice last season. Iowa won 71-59 in New Jersey on Jan. 17, before defeating Rutgers, 71-57, in Iowa City on Feb. 2. 
• On Jan. 17, 2017, Megan Gustafson led the Hawkeyes with 19 points on a perfect 7-for-7 shooting performance from the field. Gustafson also led the Hawkeyes on Feb. 2, 2017. She netted 25 points (10-for-13) and pulled down 12 rebounds (6 offensive). 

20-WIN CLUB 

• Iowa collected win No. 21 with a 88-61 victory over Wisconsin on Feb. 18. 
• The Hawkeyes have registered 20 or more wins nine times in the last 11 seasons. 
• Iowa has registered 11, 20-win seasons under head coach Lisa Bluder. 

IOWA WINS 5TH STRAIGHT AGAINST WISCONSIN

• The Hawkeyes improved to 21-6 overall and 9-5 in Big Ten play with an 88-61 win over Wisconsin on Feb. 18. 
• Iowa had 24 assists on 33 field goals and had a 46-26 advantage in the paint in the contest. 
• Four players scored in double figures. Junior Megan Gustafson led the way with 25 points and eight rebounds in 26 minutes of action. 
• Redshirt freshman Alexis Sevillian tied a career-high with five 3-pointers made and finished 7-for-11 from the field en route to 19 points. Sophomore Kathleen Doyle (10 points, six assists) and junior Hannah Stewart (10 points, seven rebounds) also scored in double figures. 

GUSTAFSON NAMED TO B1G HONOR ROLL

• Junior Megan Gustafson was named to the Big Ten Player of the Week Honor Roll on Monday.
• Gustafson has been recognized by the conference in 14 of the first 15 weeks of the season (8x Player of the Week, 6x Honor Roll). 
• Gustafson netted 25 points on 9-of-13 shooting (69.2 percent) from the field in Iowa’s win over Wisconsin on Feb. 18. She scored 18 of her 25 points in the first half to give Iowa a lead that it never relinquished. 
• Gustafson also pulled down eight rebounds and registered a block in 26 minutes of action. 

B1G TIME

• Junior Megan Gustafson is averaging 27.3 points and 12.9 rebounds in Big Ten play. The Port Wing, Wisconsin, native is shooting 63.6 percent from the field and 85.0 percent from the free throw line.
• Sophomore Kathleen Doyle has dished out 105 assists (7.5 per game) in conference play. She is averaging 13.1 points and 3.4 rebounds in Big Ten play.

A PERFECT FEBRUARY

• Iowa is a perfect 5-0 in the month of February. 
• The Hawkeyes have registered five straight wins over Michigan State, Minnesota, Penn State, Northwestern, and Wisconsin. 
• Junior Megan Gustafson is averaging 29.8 points and 14.0 rebounds per game in the month of February, while senior Chase Coley is averaging 11.4 points and 6.6 boards per game. 
• Sophomore Kathleen Doyle is also averaging double figures in scoring (10.2) and dishing out 6.8 assists per game.  

VOTEGUSTAFSON.COM

• The University of Iowa athletic department launched www.votegustafson.com on Monday.
• The site promotes junior All-American candidate Megan Gustafson and her record-breaking season. 
• The website features weekly highlights, up-to-date statistics, news clippings, honors, bio pages, videos, and more. 

DOYLE HEATS UP

• Sophomore Kathleen Doyle has scored in double figures in seven of her last eight games. She has registered eight or more assists three times.
• Doyle has two double-doubles (Ohio State, Michigan State) in her last eight contests (Ohio State, Michigan State). 
• The LaGrange Park, Illinois, native has registered the first four double-doubles of her career in Big Ten play this season. 

600-POINT CLUB

• For the second straight year, junior Megan Gustafson has surpassed 600 points in a single season. Gustafson has 671 points on the year. 
• Gustafson is the fourth Hawkeye in program history to accomplish the feat and the only Hawkeye to ever reach the mark twice. 
• The Port Wing, Wisconsin, native broke Iowa’s record for rebounds in a junior season with 17 boards against Michigan State on Feb. 1. 
• Gustafson now has 341 rebounds on the year. Kachine Alexander set the previous record of 281 in 2009-10. 
• Gustafson broke the record for points in a junior season with 25 points against Minnesota on Feb. 4. Gustafson has 671 points this season. Ally Disterhoft set the previous record of 565 in 2015-16. 

A B1G NIGHT

• Iowa post players — Megan Gustafson, Chase Coley, and Hannah Stewart — combined for 65 points in Iowa’s win over Penn State on Feb. 8. 
• The trio shot 74 percent (26-for-35) from the field in the win. 
• Coley registered a career-high 24 points on 9-for-11 shooting from the field. 
• Gustafson netted 33 points (13-for-19), 14 rebounds, and a career-high seven assists. 
• Stewart record eight points on 4-for-5 shooting from the field. 

NATIONALLY SPEAKING 

• As of Feb. 20, junior Megan Gustafson is the only player in the country averaging 24 or more points and 12 or more rebounds per game. 
• Gustafson is also the only player in the nation averaging 24 or more points and shooting at least 60 percent from the field. 
• Kathleen Doyle ranks 17 nationally in assists per game (6.5) and 19th in assists (162). 
• Gustafson currently ranks in the top-5 nationally in eight statistical categories. She leads the nation in points per game (24.9) and field goals made (260), ranks second in total points (671) and double-doubles (24), third in field goal percentage (66.3), fourth in rebounds (341), and fifth in rebounds per game (12.6) and defensive rebounds per game (9).
• The Hawkeyes are ranked in the top-15 in six categories. Iowa ranks second nationally in defensive rebounds per game (31), third in assists (586) and assists per game (21.7), fifth in field goal percentage (49.0), eighth in fewest fouls per game (13.0), and 12th in fewest fouls (352). 

GIVE THE ASSIST TO DOYLE

• Sophomore Kathleen Doyle is averaging 7.5 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 is averaging 6.8 assists per game in the month of February. Iowa is a perfect 5-0 in that span. 

CLIMBING THE CAREER CHARTS 

• Junior Megan Gustafson’s 1,651 career points ranks eighth all-time. She needs 91 points to tie former Hawkeye Franthea Price (1,742; 86-90) for seventh. 
• Gustafson has 909 rebounds in her career. She currently ranks fourth all-time. She is one rebound shy of tying Kachine Alexander (910; 08-11) for third all-time. 

STEWART MAKES AN IMPACT 

• Junior Hannah Stewart is averaging 7.3 points and 4.6 rebounds off the bench for the Hawkeyes.
• Stewart netted 10 points on 5-for-8 shooting from the field and pulled down seven rebounds in Iowa’s win over Wisconsin. 
• 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.
• Stewart has registered five or more rebounds in 14 games so far this season.

COLEY’S TURNAROUND 

• After scoring in double figures once last season, senior Chase Coley has scored 10 or more points in nine contests this season. 
• The Minneapolis native has scored eight or more points 18 times, and has registered four or more rebounds on 22 occasions. 
• In the month of February, Coley is averaging 11.4 points and 6.6 rebounds. Iowa is 5-0 in that span. 
• Coley netted a career-high 24 points on 9-of-11 shooting from the field in Iowa’s win over Penn State. 
• 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). 

GUSTAFSON NAMED TO WOODEN AWARD LATE SEASON TOP 20

• Junior Megan Gustafson was named to the John R. Wooden Award Late Season Top-20 List on Feb. 5.
• Players on the list are considered strong candidates for the most prestigious national player of the year honor. 
• All 20 student-athletes on the Late Season Top-20 list appeared on the Midseason Top-25. Gustafson is one of three student-athletes from the Big Ten included on the list. 
• The National Ballot, which features 15 players, will be announced in early March. Voting begins at the end of the season, and voters, consisting of members of the national college basketball media, will take into account the opening rounds of the NCAA Tournament. 

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 Feb. 2. 
• 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 NAMED TO NAISMITH TROPHY LATE SEASON TEAM

• Junior Megan Gustafson was named to the Naismith Trophy Watch List by the Atlanta Tipoff Club on Feb. 12. The award honors the nation’s top player. 
• The list will be trimmed to 10 national semifinalists on Feb. 26. Four finalists will be revealed on March 14. The Citizen Naismith Trophy winner will be announced on March 31. 
• Gustafson is one of four Big Ten student-athletes included on the list (Kelsey Mitchell, Katelynn Flaherty, Kaila Charles). 

UP NEXT
Iowa concludes the regular season on Saturday, Feb. 24, hosting Indiana. Tipoff is set for 11 a.m. (CT) in Carver-Hawkeye Arena. The Hawkeyes will honor their two seniors — Chase Coley and Carly Mohns — following the contest.