Iowa, Ohio State Meet Sunday in Columbus

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THIS WEEK 

The No. 16/16 University of Iowa women’s basketball team travels to Columbus, Ohio, for a matchup with Ohio State on Sunday. Tipoff is at 3 p.m. (CT) in Value City Arena. 

WATCH/FOLLOW ALONG 

• Sunday’s contest will air live on BTN. Mike Monaco (play-by-play) and Christy Winters Scott (analyst) will have the call from Value City 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. 16 in the both the USA Today Coaches Poll and the AP Poll. 
• Iowa is one of five conference teams that are ranked or receiving votes in the AP Poll. No. 10 Maryland, No. 16 Iowa, No. 20 (tied) Rutgers, and No. 23 Michigan State are all ranked in the top-25, while Minnesota is receiving two votes. 
• The Hawkeyes are one of four teams ranked in the USA Today Coaches Poll. They include: No. 8 Maryland, No. 16 Iowa, No. 21 Michigan State, and No. 24 Rutgers. 

STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE

• Iowa faces 10 teams who made the 2018 NCAA Tournament, including four nonconference opponents and six Big Ten foes. 
• As of Feb. 8, Iowa’s RPI is 12. 
• Iowa’s strength of schedule ranks ninth nationally (updated Feb. 8). 
• The Hawkeyes have registered four wins over ranked opponents this season (No. 25/20 West Virginia, No. 23/20 Minnesota, No. 14/18 Rutgers, and No. 23/21 Michigan State). 

SCOUTING OHIO STATE

• Ohio State is 10-11 overall and 6-6 in Big Ten action this season. 
• The Buckeyes have won three of their last four contests, including a road win at Minnesota (65-55) and home victories against Illinois (78-70) and Penn State (78-73). 
• Ohio State is 8-3 when playing in Value City Arena. Its three home losses came to No. 22 South Florida (71-47), Nebraska (69-78), and No. 11 Maryland (70-57). 
• Carly Santoro and Dorka Juhasz lead the team, averaging 11.8 points apiece. 
• Juhasz leads the team on the glass, averaging 8.2 rebounds per game. 
• Carmen Grande leads the Big Ten and ranks 42nd nationally in assists per game (5.0). She ranks fourth in the conference and 43rd nationally in total assists (106). 

THE SERIES 

• Ohio State leads the all-time series, 35-32. 
• Sunday’s contest is the only regular season meeting between the two teams. 
• Last season, the Hawkeyes won the only meeting, defeating the 14th-ranked Buckeyes, 103-89, in Carver-Hawkeye Arena. 
• Megan Gustafson led the team with 29 points on 9-for-14 shooting from the field. Kathleen Doyle netted a career-high 25 points. She was 9-for-19 from the field and 4-for-8 from three point range. The LaGrange Park, Illinois, native also dished out a career-high 11 assists. 

STATEMENT MADE 

• After falling to Michigan State, 84-70, in East Lansing on Dec. 30, the Hawkeyes bounced back with an 86-71 win over No. 23/21 Michigan State on Thursday.
• Senior Megan Gustafson scored 41 points on 71 percent shooting (17-for-24) from the field. She was a perfect 7-for-7 from the free throw line. 
• Junior Kathleen Doyle registered 18 points, eight assists, and seven rebounds. She made 4-of-6 from 3-point range. The four 3-pointers made matched a career best.
• Senior Tania Davis also scored in double figures for the Hawkeyes. She netted 10 points, dished out five assists, and pulled down five rebounds in the victory. 

7 OF THEIR LAST 8

• The Hawkeyes have won seven of their last eight Big Ten contests, including wins over No. 20 Minnesota, Michigan, Illinois, No. 14 Rutgers, Purdue, Penn State, and No. 21 Michigan State.
• Three of Iowa’s last seven wins have come on the road, including wins at No. 20 Minnesota (81-63), Illinois (94-75), and Penn State (81-61). 
• The stretch includes victories over three top-25 teams (No. 20 Minnesota, No. 14 Rutgers, and No. 21 Michigan State). 
• Senior Megan Gustafson is averaging 29.6 points, 12.3 rebounds, and shooting 71.1 percent from the field over the last eight contests. 
• Junior Kathleen Doyle is averaging 14.0 points, 5.9 assists, and 3.5 rebounds during that span. 
• Senior Tania Davis is also averaging double figures in scoring in the last eight games (11.9). She’s shooting 50.8 percent from the field, 46.7 percent from 3-point range, and dishing out 5.3 assists per contest. 
• Iowa is off to its best start in Big Ten play since 2014-15. The Hawkeyes finished the 2014-15 season 26-8 overall, 14-4 in the Big Ten, and made a trip to the NCAA Sweet Sixteen. 

HIGH-POWERED OFFENSE 

• Iowa’s 52.3 field goal percentage leads the nation.
• The Hawkeyes have shot 50.0 percent or better from the field in eight straight games. 
• Through 23 games this season, Iowa is averaging 80.2 points per game, a mark that ranks first in the Big Ten and 15th nationally. 
• Iowa scored 106 points in its win over North Carolina Central on Nov. 17. It marked the second-highest point total in program history. 

SOMEBODY CALL 9-1-1, WE’D LIKE TO REPORT A THEFT 

• In just 16 games this season, junior Kathleen Doyle has registered a team-high 39 assists (2.4 per game). 
• She recorded a career-high six steals in 29 minutes of game action at Michigan on Feb. 1. 
• The LaGrange Park, Illinois, native is averaging 2.5 steals in 12 conference games this season — the second-highest average in the Big Ten. 

OH MY, 40 

• Senior Megan Gustafson netted 41 points in Iowa’s win over No. 21 Michigan State on Thursday. It marks the second time she’s scored 40 or more points this season (Drake, 12/21). 
• Gustafson has surpassed 30 points eight times this season — a mark that leads the NCAA. 
• She’s netted 20 or more points in 20 of Iowa’s 23 contests, including 11 Big Ten games.

THE MEGAN GUSTAFSON AWARD 

• For the 10th time this season, senior Megan Gustafson was named the Big Ten Player of the Week, the conference office announced Monday. 
• It is the 20th Big Ten Player of the Week Award of Gustafson’s career. She now owns the conference record for career weekly awards, besting Jantel Lavender’s (Ohio State) previous mark of 19. 
• Gustafson also broke her own single-season record with her 10th honor this season.
• The Port Wing, Wisconsin, native averaged 28.5 points, 10.0 rebounds, and shot 75.0 percent from the field in two road contests last week.
• Gustafson has been honored by the conference every week this season, including 10 Player of the Week awards and three Honor Roll mentions.

STEWART COMES UP B1G

• Senior Hannah Stewart has started all 23 games for the Hawkeyes — the first 23 starts of her career. 
• Stewart is averaging 11.8 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 2.2 assists. 
• The Minot, North Dakota, native has scored 10 or more points in 17 of Iowa’s 23 games this season. 
• Stewart registered a steal, layup, blocked shot, and rebound in the final 3:19 to seal Iowa’s win over No. 14 Rutgers on Jan. 23. With 1:28 left, the Minot, North Dakota, native scored on a driving layup to give Iowa a 65-62 lead.  On the next Rutgers’ possession, Stewart blocked a shot and brought down the rebound to force a shooting foul and put the game out of reach. 

SENIOR CLASS AWARD

• Senior Megan Gustafson was named 1-of-10 finalists for the Senior Class Award on Feb. 6. 
• The finalists were chosen from a list of 30 candidates announced earlier this season. 
• To be eligible for the award, a student-athlete must be classified as an NCAA Division I senior and have notable achievements in the community, classroom, character and competition. 
• Nationwide fan voting begins immediately to help select the winner, and fans are encouraged to submit votes online at the Senior CLASS Award website through March 25.

OOPS, SHE DID IT AGAIN

• Senior Megan Gustafson recorded her 76th career double-double with 41 points and 14 rebounds against No. 21 Michigan State on Thursday.
• She is just the second student-athlete in Big Ten women’s basketball history to register 70 or more double-doubles. 
• Gustafson is one double-double shy of tying the Big Ten record for double-doubles in a career (77, Jantel Lavender). 
• Her 21 double-doubles this season rank second nationally. 
• She 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 53 of her last 62 games, including 17 of her last 18 games. 

EFFECTIVE & EFFICIENT

• Senior Megan Gustafson leads the nation in field goal percentage, shooting 70.4 percent. She has made an NCAA-best 262 field goals this season.
• According to Her Hoop Stats, Gustafson averages 1.34 points per possession this season — the second-best rate in the country. Gustafson also ranks third in points per scoring attempt at 1.44. 

THE B1G DUO 

• Seniors Hannah Stewart and Megan Gustafson have dominated down low for the Hawkeyes.
• The duo ranks in the top-25 nationally in field goal percentage. Gustafson ranks second nationally at 70.4 percent, while Stewart ranks 21st at 58.4 percent. They rank first and fourth, respectively, in the Big Ten. 
• Stewart and Gustafson are scoring a combined 39.0 points per game and averaging 18.8 rebounds per contest. 
• The duo has 897 points, 433 rebounds, 97 assists, and 59 blocks. They are shooting a combined 66.0 percent (383-for-580) from the field. 

(AS)SISTER SISTER 

• Junior Kathleen Doyle has registered five or more assists in 12 of her 16 games played. 
• 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 16 games this season, Doyle is averaging 5.8 assists per game. 
• In 12 Big Ten games, Doyle is averaging 6.3 assists per game — the best mark 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 2,429 career points.
• Gustafson also broke Iowa’s program record for career rebounds against Iowa State on Dec. 5. 
• Gustafson has 1,280 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). 

SHARING IS CARING 

• Through 23 games this season, the Hawkeyes are averaging 22.3 assists per contest — the second-best mark in the NCAA. 
• Six Hawkeyes have dished out 20 or more assists this season. Senior Tania Davis leads the team with 111 (4.8 per game). 
• In 12 conference games, junior Kathleen Doyle is averaging 6.3 assists — the 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. 

ALL EYES ON GUSTAFSON

• Senior Megan Gustafson has been named to several Player of the Year Watch Lists. 
• On Feb. 5, Gustafson was named to the midseason Wade Watch List. She is one of 35 student-athletes on the list for the WBCA’s Wade Trophy. 
• Gustafson was one of 20 student-athletes included on the John R. Wooden Award Late Season Watch List, ESPNW announced Feb. 4. 
• On Jan. 25, Gustafson was named to the Naismith Women’s Defensive Player of the Year Award Midseason Watch List. Gustafson is one of four Big Ten student-athletes included on the top-15 list. 
• Gustafson was named to the 2019 Lisa Leslie Award Watch List on Oct. 26. The award recognizes the top centers in women’s basketball. 

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 23 games this season, Davis is averaging 10.8 points and 4.8 assists. 
• 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. 

UP NEXT 

Iowa returns to Carver-Hawkeye Arena on Thursday, Feb. 14, hosting Illinois. Tipoff is at 7 p.m. (CT) on BTN Plus.