Hawkeyes Host Badgers on Monday

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THIS WEEK 

The No. 19/20 University of Iowa women’s basketball team returns to Carver-Hawkeye Arena to host Wisconsin on Monday, Jan. 7. Tipoff is at 7 p.m. (CT) in Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Tickets are $12 for adults and free for youth (18 & younger) and UI students. 

PROMOTIONS

Free bag tags will be available at the marketing tables around the concourse while supplies last. 

WATCH/FOLLOW ALONG 

• Monday’s contest will air live on BTN. Lisa Byington (play-by-play) and Vera Jones (analyst) will have the call from Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Links to the broadcast are available on the women’s basketball schedule page on hawkeyesports.com. 
• Live stats are 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 third 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 third 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.

NATIONAL RANKINGS 

• Iowa is ranked No. 19 in the AP Poll and No. 20 in the Coaches Poll. 
• The Hawkeyes are one of five conference teams that are ranked or receiving votes in the AP Poll. No. 4 Maryland, No. 12 Minnesota, and No. 15 Michigan State are also ranked within the top-25, while Indiana (11 votes) is receiving votes. 
• Iowa is one of five conference teams that are ranked or receiving votes in the Coaches Poll. They include: No. 4 Maryland, No. 13 Minnesota, No. 17 Michigan State, and Indiana (9 votes). 

STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE

• Iowa faces 10 teams who made the 2018 NCAA Tournament, including four nonconference opponents and six Big Ten foes. 
• The Hawkeyes are 3-2 on the season in games against 2018 NCAA Tournament opponents, including wins over Drake, Western Kentucky, and Nebraska. 
• As of Jan. 1, Iowa’s strength of schedule ranks 20th nationally. 

SCOUTING WISCONSIN

• Wisconsin is 10-5 on the season and 1-2 in Big Ten Conference action. 
• The Badgers opened the Big Ten slate with a, 74-56, loss at Minnesota, before defeating Purdue, 76-69, in Madison on Dec. 31. On Thursday, Wisconsin fell at Penn State, 71-64. 
• Senior forward Marsha Howard leads team in scoring (13.1 points per game) and rebounding (9.7 rebounds per game). 
• Five Badgers average 7.0 points or more per game, while four average 5.0 or more rebounds. 
• As a team, the Badgers lead the nation in total rebounds (703) and rank sixth in rebounds per game (46.87). 
• Wisconsin in also ranked seventh nationally in blocked shots (85), 13th in blocked shots per game (5.7), 15th in defensive rebounds per game (30), and 16th in field goal percentage defense (33.5).  

THE SERIES 

• Iowa leads the all-time series, 49-20. 
• The Hawkeyes have won the last 19 meetings, dating back to 2006-07. 
• Iowa defeated Wisconsin twice last season. The Hawkeyes opened their Big Ten slate with a, 56-46, victory in Madison, before defeating the Badgers, 88-61, in Iowa City.

AW, SHUCKS  

• Iowa defeated Nebraska, 77-71, in Carver-Hawkeye Arena on Jan. 3 to register its first Big Ten win of the season. 
• Senior Megan Gustafson led the way for the Hawkeyes, registering 28 points and 17 rebounds.
• Seniors Hannah Stewart (14) and Tania Davis (11), and junior Kathleen Doyle (11) also scored in double figures for the Hawkeyes. 
• Doyle finished one assist shy of a double-double with 11 points and a season-high nine assists. 
• The Hawkeyes outscored the Huskers in the paint, 42-24. 

HOMETOWN GIRL

• Senior Megan Gustafson is a native of Port Wing, Wisconsin. 
• In four career games against Wisconsin, Gustafson is averaging 18.3 points and 11.5 rebounds. 
• In her last three games verses the Badgers, Gustafson is averaging 22.7 points and 14.0 rebounds. She’s shooting 63 percent from the field and 91 percent from the free throw line in those contests. 

(AS)SISTER SISTER 

• Junior Kathleen Doyle has registered five or more assists in each of the last four games. 
• Doyle finished one assist shy of her fifth career double-double in Iowa’s win over Nebraska on Jan. 3. Her nine assists marked a season high. 
• In six games this season, Doyle is averaging 5.3 assists per game. 
• In two Big Ten games, Doyle is averaging 7.0 assists per game — the second-highest total in the conference. 

HISTORY MADE 

• Senior Megan Gustafson became the University of Iowa’s all-time leading scorer on Dec. 30, surpassing both the men’s and women’s records. 
• Ally Disterhoft (2013-17) set the previous women’s record of 2,102 in 2017. 
• Roy Marble held the men’s record of 2,116 since 1989. 
• Gustafson has 2,152 career points.

REBOUNDING RECORD FALLS

• Senior Megan Gustafson broke Iowa’s program record for career rebounds against Iowa State on Dec. 5. 
• Gustafson has 1,147 rebounds in her career. She bested the previous record of 1,067 set by Cindy Haugejorde in 1980. Gustafson registered her 1,000th career rebound at Western Kentucky (11/13). 

DOUBLE-DOUBLE MACHINE

• Senior Megan Gustafson recorded her 67th career double-double with 28 points and 17 rebounds against Nebraska on Jan. 3. 
• Gustafson leads the nation with 12 double-doubles this season. 
• Gustafson broke the program record (men or women) with her 49th career double-double (25 points, 15 rebounds) against Minnesota on Feb. 4, 2018. Gustafson surpassed former Iowa men’s basketball player Kevin Kunnert’s career total of 48 set in 1971-73. 
• The Port Wing, Wisconsin, native had 28 double-doubles last season — the second most in the NCAA. 
• She has registered a double-double in 44 of her last 52 games. 

BACK-TO-BACK STATE CHAMPS

• For the first time in program history, the Hawkeyes defeated all three in-state teams in back-to-back seasons. 
• The Hawkeyes clinched the state championship with a 91-82 win at Drake. 
• Iowa defeated Iowa State, 73-70, in Carver-Hawkeye Arena on Dec. 5. The Hawkeyes then downed UNI, 83-57, in Iowa City on Dec. 16. 

2ND HALF DOMINANCE 

• Senior Megan Gustafson is averaging 14.9 points and 6.2 rebounds in the second half this season. 
• Gustafson is shooting 77.1 percent from the field and 76.7 percent from free throw range over the final 20 minutes of action. 
• In the fourth quarter alone, Gustafson averages 9.1 points and 3.2 rebounds. 
• She is shooting 78.6 percent from the field and 81.1 percent from the free throw line in the fourth quarter this season. 

SHARING IS CARING 

• Through 13 games this season, the Hawkeyes are averaging 22.0 assists per contest — the third-best mark in the NCAA. 
• Eight Hawkeyes have dished out 10 or more assists this season. Junior Makenzie Meyer leads the team with 62 (4.7 per game). 
• In two conference games, junior Kathleen Doyle is averaging 7.0 assists — the second-best mark in the Big Ten. 
• The Hawkeyes set new school assist records in back-to-back games. Iowa dished out 34 assists against Western Kentucky on Nov. 13, before besting that mark with 36 against North Carolina Central on Nov. 17. 

NATIONALLY SPEAKING 

• Iowa is ranked in the top-14 nationally in six categories. The Hawkeyes are second in assists (286), third in assists per game (22.0), fourth in field goal percentage (51.6), seventh in assist/turnover ratio (1.48), 10th in free throw percentage (78.3), and 14th in scoring offense (83.1). 
• Senior Megan Gustafson ranks in the top-5 nationally in eight categories. She leads the nation in field goals made (143), double-doubles (12), total points (349), and points per game (26.8), ranks second in defensive rebounds per game (10), third in field goal percentage (71.1), and fifth in rebounds (168) and rebounds per game (12.9). 
• Senior Hannah Stewart ranks 18th nationally in field goal percentage (59.5). 

IT WAS FOR FREE! SO I SAID “SURE”

• The Hawkeyes are shooting 78.3 percent from the free throw line this season — a mark that ranks first in the Big Ten Conference and 10th nationally. 
• Iowa was a perfect 15-for-15 from the free throw line against Iowa State on Dec. 5. Junior Kathleen Doyle (6-for-6), senior Megan Gustafson (5-for-5), junior Makenzie Meyer (2-for-2), and redshirt sophomore Alexis Sevillian (2-for-2) all made free throws in the contest. 
• Davis made a career-high 13-of-14 free throws in Iowa’s 24-point comeback win against No. 25/20 West Virginia on Nov. 24. 

THE B1G DUO 

• Seniors Hannah Stewart and Megan Gustafson have dominated down low for the Hawkeyes.
• The duo ranks in the top-20 nationally in field goal percentage. Gustafson ranks third at 71.1 percent, while Stewart ranks 18th at 59.5 percent. They rank second and fourth, respectively, in the Big Ten.
• Stewart and Gustafson are scoring a combined 39.5 points per game and averaging 18.7 rebounds per contest. 
• The duo has 514 points, 243 rebounds, 51 assists, and 30 blocks. They are shooting a combined 68.7 percent (215-for-322) from the field. 

HIGH-POWERED OFFENSE 

• Through 13 games this season, Iowa is averaging 83.1 points per game, a mark that ranks second in the Big Ten and 14th nationally. 
• Iowa’s 51.6 field goal percentage leads the Big Ten and ranks fourth in the NCAA. 
• Iowa scored 106 points in its win over North Carolina Central on Nov. 17. It marked the second-highest point total in program history. 
• Iowa’s 67-point margin of victory (106-39) against North Carolina Central marked the largest scoring margin for the Hawkeyes since 1992-93. 

STEWART COMES UP B1G

• Senior Hannah Stewart has started all 13 games for the Hawkeyes this season — the first 13 starts of her career. 
• Stewart is averaging 12.7 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 2.3 assists. 
• The Minot, North Dakota, native has scored 12 or more points in 10 of Iowa’s 13 games this season. 
• Stewart’s 59.5 field goal percentage ranks fourth in the Big Ten and 18th in the nation. 

SHE’S ON A ROLL

• Senior Megan Gustafson was named to the Big Ten Player of the Week Honor Roll on Monday. 
• Gustafson has been honored by the conference every week this season, including six Player of the Week awards and two Honor Roll mentions.
• Gustafson scored 30 points and grabbed 14 rebounds against Michigan State on Dec. 30. She became the University of Iowa’s all-time leading scorer, surpassing both the previous Iowa women’s record holder, Ally Disterhoft (2,102; 2013-17), and the prior men’s record holder, Roy Marble (2,116; 1986-89). Gustafson has 2,124 career points.
• The Port Wing, Wisconsin, native has 16 Player of the Week awards in her career — the third most by a Big Ten athlete. Jantel Lavender (Ohio State) holds the record for Player of the Week awards in a career with 19 (2008-11).
• Gustafson broke a single-season record last year, winning nine Player of the Week honors. She was also named to the conference’s honor roll six times. 

TANIA DAVIS: THE RETURN

• Senior Tania Davis returned to the starting lineup in Iowa’s season opener for the first time since Dec. 17, 2017. 
• Through 13 games this season, Davis is averaging 11.2 points and 4.3 assists. 
• With 2.6 seconds remaining, Davis hit a game-winning 3-pointer to give Iowa a 73-70 victory over Iowa State on Dec. 5. She ended the game with nine points, three assists, and two steals. 
• Davis averaged 9.7 points and 5.2 assists in 12 games before tearing her ACL in 2017-18.  
• The Flint, Michigan, native’s sophomore season was also cut short due to injury. In 23 games in 2016-17, Davis averaged 10.9 points and 4.3 assists. 

ALL EYES ON GUSTAFSON

• Senior All-American Megan Gustafson was named to the Wooden Award Preseason Top-30 Watch List, ESPN’s SportsCenter and ESPNW announced Nov. 6. 
• The list is comprised of 30 student-athletes who are the early front-runners for the John R. Wooden Award All-American Team and Most Outstanding Player Award. The list is chosen by a preseason poll of national women’s college basketball media members.
• Gustafson was named to the 2019 Lisa Leslie Award Watch List, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association announced Oct. 26. 
• Named after the three-time All-American and 1994 National Player of the Year, the annual award in its second year recognizes the top centers in women’s NCAA Division I college basketball.
• Gustafson is also 1-of-30 finalists for the Senior Class Award. 

UP NEXT 

Iowa travels to West Lafayette, Indiana, for a matchup with Purdue on Jan. 10. Tipoff is at 7 p.m. (CT) on BTN.