Senior Day Set for Sunday

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THIS WEEK 

The No. 12/11 University of Iowa women’s basketball team returns to Carver-Hawkeye Arena on Sunday, hosting Northwestern in its regular season finale. Tipoff is at 3 p.m. (CT) on BTN. Tickets are $12 for adults, $8 for youth, and free for UI students. 

WATCH/FOLLOW ALONG 

• Sunday’s contest will air live on BTN. Chris Vosters (play-by-play) and Brenda VanLengen (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. 

SENIOR DAY 

• Sunday is Senior Day. Senior trading cards will be available at the marketing tables on the concourse while supplies last. 
• The Hawkeyes will honor their three seniors — Tania Davis, Megan Gustafson, and Hannah Stewart — and three managers following the game. 

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.

IN THE RANKINGS

• Iowa is ranked No. 12 in this week’s AP Poll and No. 11 in the USA Today Coaches poll. 
• The Hawkeyes are one of four conference teams that are ranked or receiving votes in the AP Poll. No. 7 Maryland and No. 12 Iowa are ranked within the top-25, while Minnesota (4) and Rutgers (3) are receiving votes. 
• Iowa is one of four Big Ten teams ranked in the USA Today Coaches Poll. They include: No. 9 Maryland, No. 11 Iowa, Rutgers (8 votes), and Michigan State (7 votes). 

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. 28, Iowa’s RPI is eight. Iowa’s strength of schedule ranks 12th nationally (Feb. 28). 
• The Hawkeyes have registered five wins over ranked opponents this season (No. 25/20 West Virginia, No. 23/20 Minnesota, No. 14/18 Rutgers, No. 23/21 Michigan State, and No. 7/8 Maryland). 
• On Feb. 11, the NCAA women’s basketball selection committee released its first top-16 reveal of the season. Iowa was a No. 3 seed in the Portland Regional. The Hawkeyes were the No. 10 overall seed. 

HOME IS WHERE THE TIGERHAWK IS 

• Iowa has won 18 consecutive games on Mediacom Court in Carver-Hawkeye Arena, including a 14-0 mark this season. 
• The last loss for the Hawkeyes at home was a 92-74 defeat against Nebraska on Jan. 28, 2018. 
• The Hawkeyes look to go undefeated on their home court for the first time since 2014-15 (18-0).

SCOUTING NORTHWESTERN

• Northwestern is 16-12 overall and 9-8 in Big Ten Conference action. 
• The Wildcats are 5-6 in road matchups this season. 
• Three Wildcats are averaging double figures in scoring. Sophomore guard Lindsey Pulliam leads the way, averaging 16.8 per game. 
• Senior forward Pallas Kunaiyi-Akpanah averages a double-double in points and rebounds. She is scoring 11.1 points per contest and pulling down 11.2 boards per game. 
• The Wildcats are holding opponents to just 59.5 points per game — the third-best mark in the Big Ten. 
• As a team, Northwestern ranks 22nd nationally in blocked shots (133) and 29th in blocked shots per game (4.8). They also rank 30th nationally and second in the conference in fewest personal fouls per game (14.5). 
• Kunaiyi-Akpanah ranks fourth nationally in offensive rebounds per game (5.0). She is 11th in total rebounds (313), 14th in double-doubles (16), and 18th in rebounds per game (11.2). 

THE SERIES 

• Iowa leads the all-time series, 55-14. 
• The Hawkeyes have won nine of the last 10 meetings, dating back to 2013. 
• Iowa defeated Northwestern, 70-61, in Evanston last season. The Hawkeyes then downed the Wildcats, 55-45, in the Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals last season. 
• In two games against the Wildcats last season, senior Megan Gustafson averaged 18.5 points and 12.5 rebounds. Juniors Makenzie Meyer (12.5) and Kathleen Doyle (12.) also averaged double figures in scoring.  

NAME A BETTER TRIO… WE’LL WAIT

• Sunday marks the last guaranteed home game for Iowa’s three seniors — Tania Davis, Megan Gustafson, and Hannah Stewart. 
• The class owns an overall record of 85-42 (67 percent), including a 55-12 mark in Carver-Hawkeye Arena (82 percent). 
• Davis, Gustafson, and Stewart have started all 28 games for the Hawkeyes.
• Collectively, Iowa’s three seniors are averaging 49.7 points, 22.6 rebounds, and 8.5 assists per game this season. 

THEY SEE US ROLLIN’

• The Hawkeyes have won six of their last seven Big Ten contests. 
• Two of Iowa’s last six wins have come against top-25 teams, including No. 21 Michigan State and No. 7 Maryland. 
• Three of Iowa’s last six wins have come on the road (at Penn State, at Ohio State, at Nebraska). 
• In the last seven games, senior Megan Gustafson is averaging 30.4 points and 15.3 rebounds. She is shooting 70.5 percent from the field and 85.4 percent from the free throw line. 
• Junior Kathleen Doyle is averaging 13.3 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 6.6 assists over the last seven contests. 
• As a team, the Hawkeyes are averaging 80.9 points and holding opponents to 65.1 points. Iowa is shooting 51.0 percent from the field and holding opponents to a 37.6 shooting percentage. 
• A win on Sunday would give Iowa it’s best Big Ten record since going 14-4 in 2014-15. The Hawkeyes finished the 2014-15 season with a 26-8 overall record and made a trip to the NCAA Sweet Sixteen. 

20/20 VISION

• Senior Megan Gustafson netted 29 points and pulled down 20 rebounds in Iowa’s win over Nebraska on Feb. 25. 
• The 20 rebounds marked a career-best for Gustafson. She pulled down 17 defensive rebounds and three offensive boards. 

HAVE A (CAREER) DAY

• Senior Hannah Stewart registered the first double-double of her career in Iowa’s win over Nebraska on Feb. 25. She scored 15 points and pulled down 11 rebounds. 
• Senior Megan Gustafson pulled down a career-best 20 rebounds. 
• Junior Makenzie Meyer dished out a career-high 10 assists. She also recorded seven points, two steals, two rebounds and a block. 

SHARING IS CARING 

• Through 28 games this season, the Hawkeyes are averaging 21.9 assists per contest — the third-best mark in the NCAA. 
• Seven Hawkeyes have dished out 20 or more assists this season, while six have dished out 48 or more. Senior Tania Davis leads the team in total assists (128), while junior Kathleen Doyle paces the squad in assists per game (6.0)
• In 17 conference games, 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. 

20-DUB CLUB

• The Hawkeyes collected their 20th win of the season with an 88-66 victory over Illinois on Feb. 14. 
• Iowa has registered 20 or more wins 10 times in the last 12 seasons. 
• The Hawkeyes have 12, 20-win seasons under head coach Lisa Bluder. 

(AS)SISTER SISTER 

• Junior Kathleen Doyle has recorded five or more assists in 16 of her 21 games.
• Doyle finished one assist shy of her fifth career double-double at Indiana on Feb. 21. 
• In 21 games this season, Doyle is averaging 6.0 assists per game. Her 6.0 assists per contests rank 14th nationally. 
• In 17 Big Ten games, Doyle is averaging 6.3 assists per game — the best mark in the conference.

OOPS, SHE DID IT AGAIN

• Senior Megan Gustafson recorded her 81st career double-double with 29 points and 20 rebounds at Nebraska on Feb. 25. 
• Gustafson broke the Big Ten record for double-doubles in a career against Illinois on Feb. 14. Jantel Lavender (2007-11) previously held the record of 77. 
• Gustafson’s 26 double-doubles this season ranks 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 58 of her last 67 games, including 22 of her last 23 games. 

HIGH-POWERED OFFENSE 

• Iowa’s 51.9 field goal percentage leads the nation.  
• The Hawkeyes have shot 50.0 percent or better from the field in 10 of their last 12 contests. 
• Through 28 games this season, Iowa is averaging 80.3 points per game, a mark that ranks first in the Big Ten and 12th 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 21 games this season, junior Kathleen Doyle has registered a team-high 50 steals (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 2.4 steals in 17 conference games this season — the second-highest average in the Big Ten. 

THE MEGAN GUSTAFSON AWARD 

• Senior Megan Gustafson was named to the Big Ten Player of the Week Honor Roll, the conference office announced Monday. 
• Gustafson has been honored by the conference every week this season, including 12 Player of the Week awards and four Honor Roll mentions.
• She has 22 Big Ten Player of the Week awards in her career. Gustafson owns the conference record for career weekly awards, besting Jantel Lavender’s (Ohio State) previous mark of 19. She also owns the record for awards in a single season (12). 

OH MY, 40 

• Senior Megan Gustafson netted 41 points in Iowa’s win over No. 21 Michigan State on Feb. 7. It marks the second time she’s scored 40 or more points this season (Drake, 12/21). 
• Gustafson has surpassed 30 points nine times this season — a mark that leads the NCAA. 
• She’s netted 20 or more points in 25 of Iowa’s 28 contests, including 15 Big Ten games.

STEWEY THE STAT STUFFER 

• Senior Hannah Stewart has started all 28 games for the Hawkeyes — the first 28 starts of her career. 
• Stewart is averaging 11.4 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 2.2 assists. 
• The Minot, North Dakota, native has scored 10 or more points in 19 of Iowa’s 28 games this season. 
• She registered her first career double-double (15 points, 11 rebounds) in Iowa’s win at Nebraska. 

EFFECTIVE & EFFICIENT

• Senior Megan Gustafson ranks first nationally in field goal percentage, shooting 70.4 percent. She has made an NCAA-best 318 field goals.
• According to Her Hoop Stats, Gustafson averages 1.35 points per possession this season — the best rate in the country. Gustafson also ranks first in points per scoring attempt at 1.45. 

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 2,571 career points.
• Gustafson also broke Iowa’s program record for career rebounds against Iowa State on Dec. 5. 
• Gustafson has 1,362 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). 

ALL EYES ON GUSTAFSON

• 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 Feb. 19, Gustafson was named one of 10 semifinalist for the Naismith Women’s Defensive Player of the Year Award. 
• The Port Wing, Wisconsin, native was one of 30 athletes included on the Naismith Trophy Midseason Team.  
• Gustafson was named one of 10 finalists for the 2019 Lisa Leslie Award on Feb. 15. The award recognizes the top centers in women’s basketball. 
• She was named 1-of-10 finalists for the Senior Class Award on Feb. 6. 

UP NEXT 

Iowa travels to Indianapolis for the 2019 Big Ten Tournament. The Hawkeyes open tournament play on Friday. Game time and opponent are yet to be determined.