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IOWA CITY, Iowa — The No. 19/21 University of Iowa women’s basketball hosts Michigan State at Carver-Hawkeye Arena on Mediacom Court on Sun., Jan. 26. Tip-off is set for 3 p.m. (CT), and the game will be broadcast on BTN. Former Hawkeye Megan Gustafson’s jersey number will be retired following the game.
WATCH/FOLLOW ALONG
Sunday’s contest will air live on BTN. Sloane Martin and Vera Jones will have the call.
The game can also be streamed on the Fox Sports Go app. A subscription is required.
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 fourth year as the play-by-play announcer for the Iowa women’s basketball team. He has been Iowa football’s sideline reporter since 2004. He has called seven different Iowa sports on radio or television.
Lang is in her fourth 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.
PROMOTIONS
Sunday is the annual Girl Scout Day and Go Red for Women game.
Prior to the game, the Hawkeyes will honor senior Kathleen Doyle for her contributions to Team USA during the Pan American Games.
Following the game, Iowa will officially retire Megan Gustafson’s jersey number.
TICKETS
Single-game tickets are available for purchase online at hawkeyesports.com/tickets, in person at the UI Athletics Ticket Office in Carver-Hawkeye Arena, or by calling 1-800-IA-HAWKS.
NATIONALLY RANKED HAWKEYES
Iowa is ranked No. 19 in the AP Poll and No. 21 in the USA Today Coaches Poll.
Iowa is one of five conference teams that are ranked or receiving votes in the AP Poll. No. 17 Indiana, No. 19 Iowa, No. 20 Maryland, and No. 22 Northwestern are ranked in the top 25, while Rutgers is receiving 31 votes.
The Hawkeyes are one of five Big Ten teams ranked or receiving votes in the USA Today Coaches Poll. They include: No. 17 Maryland, No. 21 Iowa, No. 24 Indiana, No. 25 Northwestern, and Rutgers (1 vote).
HOME IS WHERE THE TIGERHAWK IS
Iowa has won 3 consecutive games on Mediacom Court in Carver-Hawkeye Arena, including a 10-0 mark this season.
The last loss for the Hawkeyes at home was a 92-74 defeat against Nebraska on Jan. 28, 2018.
The Hawkeyes went undefeated on their home court in the regular season for the first time since 2014-15 (18-0) during the 2018-19 season.
Baylor is leading the country with 49-consecutive wins on their home court.
ON THE SEASON
Iowa closed out the nonconference schedule, 9-2, and is 7-1 in conference play, including seven consecutive conference wins.
Senior Kathleen Doyle (18.6), sophomore Monika Czinano (15.7), and senior Makenzie Meyer (15.2) lead the Hawkeyes in points per game.
Doyle scored a career high 33 points in 26 minutes against Illinois (Dec. 31) and added a second 30-point game against Indiana, finishing the double-overtime game with 31 points.
Czinano recorded her first career double-double against Nebraska (Dec. 28), putting up 16 points and pulling in a career-high 17 rebounds. Czinano is also leading the Hawkeyes in shooting percentage (70.5).
Senior Amanda Ollinger recorded her first career double-double, scoring 12 and rebounding 14 against Illinois (Dec. 31) and followed it up with her second against Northwestern (Jan. 5) with 11 points and 12 rebounds.
Ollinger leads the Hawkeyes in rebounds, averaging 8.8 per game. Ollinger recorded a career-high 20 rebounds against Iowa State on Dec. 11.
Ollinger tallied a career-high eight blocks in Iowa’s 66-61 win over Maryland (Jan. 9).
COMEBACK KIDS
The Hawkeyes have won four consecutive games following halftime deficits.
Iowa defeated Ohio State (Jan. 23), 77-68, after a four-point deficit.
In two road contests at Minnesota (Jan. 16) and Wisconsin (Jan. 19), the Hawkeyes were down at halftime and came back to defeat their opponents.
The Hawkeyes headed into the second half at Minnesota, down by eight, and the Gophers led by 15 in the third quarter. Iowa defeated Minnesota 76-75, coming down to the last seconds of the game.
At Wisconsin, Iowa headed into the second half with a 15-point deficit, but quickly flipped the switch and gained the lead by the end of the third quarter — never letting the Badgers gain more than a three-point lead.
SCOUTING MICHIGAN STATE
Michigan State is 11-8 overall and 4-4 in Big Ten Conference action.
Two Spartans average double-figure scoring, including sophomore guard Nia Clouden (15.4) and senior guard Taryn McCutcheon (11.6).
Clouden leads Michigan State with 40 total steals and averages 2.2 steals per game.
As a team, Michigan State is second in the Big Ten in offensive rebounds per game (15.2) and three-point defense (25.5). The Spartans are ranked third in the big ten for 39.84 rebounds per game, 199 total steals, 10.5 steals per game and 19.11 turnovers forced.
Michigan State has held its opponents to 63.4 points per game.
THE SERIES
Iowa leads the all-time series, 38-28.
Last season, the two teams met twice. Michigan State won the first meeting, 84-70, in East Lansing., but the Hawkeyes came out on top at Carver-Hawkeye Arena, 86-71.
Senior Kathleen Doyle scored in double figures for the Hawkeyes in both contests, averaging 14 points. Doyle also averaged 6.5 assists and five rebounds.
NATIONALLY SPEAKING
Iowa leads the nation in field goals assisted (73.1 percent) and total assists (397).
The Hawkeyes rank fourth in assists per game (20.9) and field-goal percentage (48.8).
Iowa is also ranked in the top 25 in five additional categories, including ranking 11th in scoring offense (80.3), 13th in assist turnover ratio (1.35) and 3-point field goal percentage (38.0), 15th in free-throws made (284), 22nd in 3 pointers made (155).
LEADING THE NATION
Sophomore Monika Czinano ranks second in the country in field goal percentage (70.5), shooting 129-of-183. Czinano’s 129 made field goals ranks 25th in the country.
Senior Kathleen Doyle is fifth in the nation in total assists (118), eighth in assists per game (6.2), 11th in free throws made (96), 17th in free throws attempted (121), 22nd in total points (354), and35th in points per game (18.6).
Senior Makenzie Meyer ranks 22nd in 3-pointers made (53), 26th in 3-pointer percentage (43.1), 32nd in 3-pointers per game (2.79), and 52nd in free-throw percentage (83.6).
Senior Amanda Ollinger is ranked 45th in the country with 34 blocked shots and 47th in rebounds (167).
HAWKEYES RANK B1G
The Hawkeyes are leading the Big Ten in five categories, including total assists (397), assists per game (20.9), field-goal percentage (48.8), 3-pointers made (155), and 3-pointers per game (8.2).
Iowa ranks second in assist turnover ratio (1.35), free throws made (284), free-throw percentage (74.7), scoring offense (80.3 ppg), and 3-point percentage (38.0).
The Hawkeyes are third in fewest fouls (276), free throws attempts (380), fouls per game (14.5), and 3-pointers attempted (408).
B1G INDIVIDUALS
Three Hawkeyes rank in the Big Ten top 10 points per game, including senior Kathleen Doyle (18.6), who ranks third, sophomore Monika Czinano (15.7), who ranks seventh, and senior Makenzie Meyer (15.2), who ties for eighth. The Hawkeyes are the only team with multiple athletes on the Big Ten top-10 scoring list.
Czinano is leading the conference in field goal percentage (70.5) and ranks second field goals made, sinking 129-of-183 shots taken.
Meyer leads the Big Ten in 3-pointers made, knocking down 53 on the season. She ranks second in 3-pointers made per game (2.8), 3 pointers attempted (123) and free-throw percentage (83.6).
Senior Amanda Ollinger averages 6.4 defensive rebounds per game, ranking second. Ollinger is tied for third in total blocks (34) and fourth in rebounds per game (8.8), blocks per game (1.8).
CAN’T STOP, WON’T STOP — DOYLE
Senior guard Kathleen Doyle was named the Naismith Women’s Player of the Week, the Atlanta Tipoff Club announced on Jan. 14, following her performances against No. 12 Indiana (Jan. 12) and No. 16 Maryland (Jan. 9).
Doyle averaged 26 points, six rebounds, and six assists in the pair of upset wins.
Against the Hoosiers, Doyle challenged for a triple-double in the Hawkeyes’ double-overtime win (91-85), posting 31 points, 10 assists, and nine rebounds.
In Iowa’s win over Maryland, Doyle registered 21 points, three rebounds, and two assists, leading the Hawkeyes to their third consecutive win over the Terrapins.
Doyle is leading the Big Ten in assists (118), assists per game (6.2), and free throws made (96). Nationally, Doyle ranks fifth, eighth, and 11th in these categories, respectively.
Doyle ranks second in the conference for free throws attempted (123) and total points (87), ranking 17th and 22nd, nationally.
Doyle is among the top of the league in free-throw percentage (79.3) and points per game (18.6), ranking third.
With 116 field goals made and 249 attempted, Doyle ranks fourth in the Big Ten.
B1G PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Senior guard Kathleen Doyle tabbed her second consecutive Big Ten Player of the Week award, the conference announced on Jan. 13.
Doyle averaged 26 points, six assists, and six rebounds per game in upset-wins over No. 16 Maryland (Jan. 9) and No. 12 Indiana (Jan. 12).
Doyle scored 31 points, posted 10 assists, and pulled in nine rebounds, challenging for a triple double against Indiana.
Doyle earned her first Big Ten Player of the Week on Jan. 6 after averaging 24.0 points, 5.5 assists and 2.0 rebounds per game with a .708 field-goal percentage against Illinois and Northwestern.
Doyle scored a career high 33 points in 25 minutes, leading the Hawkeyes’ to a program-record 108 points in its win over Illinois (Dec. 31). Doyle shot 78.6 percent from the field and was 9-for-9 from the free-throw line against the Illini.
In Iowa’s matchup at Northwestern, Doyle tallied 15 points and seven assists. Doyle totals 85 assists on the season and 602 in her career, making her the 12th women’s basketball student in Big Ten history to reach the milestone.
HIGH-POWERED OFFENSE
Through 19 games this season, Iowa is averaging 80.3 points per game, a mark that ranks second in the Big Ten and 11th nationally.
Iowa’s 48.8 field goal percentage is leading the Big Ten and ranks fourth in the NCAA.
Iowa scored 108 points in its win over Illinois on Dec. 31, marking the highest point total in program history.
HIGHLY ASSISTED
The Hawkeyes are leading the country in assist/field goal percentage (73.1) with 397 assists on 543 baskets.
Senior Kathleen Doyle ranks second all-time at Iowa in assists, tallying 635 career assists.
Doyle recorded nine assists against NC Central (Dec. 14), surpassing Cara Consuegra (576) to rank second all-time at Iowa in career assists.
Doyle leads the Hawkeyes with 118 assists on the season, followed by fellow senior Makenzie Meyer with 84 assists.
B1G HONOR ROLL
Three Hawkeyes have earned Big Ten Women’s Basketball Player of the Week Honor Roll, including seniors Kathleen Doyle (Nov. 25), Makenzie Meyer (Dec. 16, Dec. 23), and sophomore Monika Czinano (Jan. 20).
Czinano averaged 20.5 points during the Minnesota (Jan. 16) and Wisconsin (Jan. 19) games, making 18 of her 20 shots attempted.
Meyer registered a game-high 24 points, shooting 9-for-14, while adding five assists and four rebounds in the Hawkeyes’ home victory over in-state foe Drake (Dec. 21).
Meyer averaged 18.5 points, 3.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game with a .632 field-goal percentage last week in the Hawkeyes’ wins over in-state rival Iowa State (Dec. 11) and North Carolina Central (Dec. 14).
Doyle challenged for a triple-double in the Hawkeyes’ overtime win over Princeton on Nov. 20. She finished the game with 21 points, seven rebounds and nine assists.
WELCOME TO THE 1,000-POINT CLUB
Senior Makenzie Meyer scored her 1,000th career point in the Hawkeyes, 79-67, win over Drake on Dec. 21. She currently has 1,115 points at Iowa and ranks 32nd.
Meyer is the 38th Hawkeye to reach 1,000 points, following fellow senior Kathleen Doyle.
Doyle scored her 1,000th-career point in Iowa’s 85-53 win over Florida Atlantic on Nov. 14. She put up seven points in the first quarter to break into the 1,000-point club against FAU.
Doyle was the 37th Hawkeye to reach 1,000 points and now ranks 18th all-time at Iowa (1,347).
OH CAPTAINS, OUR CAPTAINS
For the third consecutive year, senior Kathleen Doyle has been named captain by her teammates along with senior Makenzie Meyer and junior Alexis Sevillian.
Doyle, a first team All-Big Ten selection, returns for her senior season after leading the Big Ten with 6.3 assists per game in conference play.
PRESEASON ALL-BIG TEN
Senior Kathleen Doyle earned unanimous preseason All-Big Ten recognition, the conference office announced Oct. 21.
Doyle, a 2018-19 first team All-Big Ten selection (coaches), earns the second preseason honor of her career. The LaGrange Park, Illinois, native finished last season ranked 15th nationally in assists per game (5.9) and tied for 31st in total assists (170). The senior led the Big Ten with 6.3 assists per game in conference action last season. She scored in double figures 20 times in 29 games, and dished out five or more assists on 21 occasions.
UP NEXT
Iowa travels to State College, Pa. on Thursday to take on Penn State at Bryce Jordan Center. Tip-off is set for 6 p.m. (CT), and the game will be broadcast on BTN+.
