| OPPONENT | #22/21 Iowa (7-4, 1-0) vs. Nebraska (13-1, 2-1) |
| LOCATION | Lincoln, Neb. (Pinnacle Bank Arena) |
| DATE | Sunday, Jan. 9 |
| TIP-OFF | 1 p.m. (CT) |
| RADIO | Hawkeye Sports Network |
| TV | FS1 |
The Setting
The No. 22/21 University of Iowa women’s basketball team heads to Lincoln, Nebraska, on Sunday, Jan. 9 to take on the Nebraska Cornhuskers inside Pinnacle Bank Arena. Tipoff is set for 1 p.m. (CT) on FS1.
Sunday’s matchup marks the 33rd meeting between the two teams. The Hawkeyes lead the series 17-15 and have won 10 of the last 13 matchups, including both matchups during the 2020-21 season. The Hawkeyes defeated the Huskers at Pinnacle Bank Arena, 88-81, last season. Sophomore Caitlin Clark notched 38 points to break the arena record (men’s or women’s).
ON THE AIR
Radio: Iowa games are broadcast on the Hawkeye Radio Network. Rob Brooks (play-by-play) and Jamie Cavey Lang (color) call the action. Brooks is in his sixth year as the play-by-play announcer for the Iowa women’s basketball team. He has been Iowa football’s sideline reporter since 2004. Brooks has called seven different Iowa sports on radio or television. Lang is in her sixth 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.
TV:
Sunday’s contest will air live on FS1. Sloane Martin (play-by-play) and Christy Winters Scott (color) are on the call.
PROGRAM QUICK HITS
- The Hawkeyes finished the 2020-21 season 20-10 overall and 11-8 in Big Ten play, advancing to the Big Ten Tournament Championship game and the NCAA Sweet 16.
- The Hawkeyes finished the season ranked in the top-11 nationally in 11 statistical categories, including first in field goal percentage (51.3) and 3-point percentage (40.8), second in scoring offense (86.1), third in free-throw percentage (80.0), and fifth in assists per game (20.1).
- Head Coach Lisa Bluder and staff led Iowa to its 12th 20-win season over the last 14 seasons and 14th in Bluder’s tenure.
- Freshman Caitlin Clark earned consensus first team All-America status with honors from WBCA, USBWA, and The Athletic. Associated Press named Clark to their second team.
- Clark was named National Co-Freshman of the Year by The Athletic, USBWA, and the WBCA.She was also named the Dawn Staley Award recipient — an award that goes to the best guard in women’s basketball.
- In the Big Ten, Clark was named Freshman of the Year, unanimous first team All-Big Ten, unanimously selected to the all-freshman team. Junior Monika Czinano earned first team all-Big Ten honors. The pair were also named to the All-Big Ten Tournament team.
- Clark and Czinano led the country in seven statistical categories, including Czinano leading the country in shooting percentage (66.8) and Clark leading in points per game (26.6), total assists (214),
- Iowa has made 13 consecutive postseason appearances (11 NCAA, 2 WNIT) when a postseason tournament was held. The 2020 postseason was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
- The Hawkeyes have made a postseason tournament appearance in 19 of head coach Lisa Bluder’s 21 seasons at the helm of the program, receiving 14 NCAA Tournament and four WNIT (2003, 2005, 2016, 2017) bids, including eight Sweet 16 appearances — most recently in 2021.
- Bluder is one of six active Division I women’s head coaches to win 795 games or more in her career. She completes her 37th season as a head coach and 21st at Iowa in 2020-21.
- Bluder owns a 446-238 (.652) record and a 221-135 (.621) conference mark at Iowa. In her 37 seasons as a head coach, Bluder is 802-380 (.679).
SCOUTING NEBRASKA
- Sunday’s matchup marks the 33rd meeting between the two teams. The Hawkeyes lead the series 17-15 and have won 10 of the last 13 matchups, including both matchups during the 2020-21 season.
- The Hawkeyes defated the Huskers at Pinnacle Bank Arena, 88-81, last season. Sophomore Caitlin Clark notched 38 points to break the arena record (men’s or women’s).
- Nebraska is 13-1 overall and 2-1 in Big Ten play, defeating Minnesota (70-67) and No. 8 Michigan (79-58), and falling to Michigan State (69-72).
- Three Huskers average double-figure scoring, including sophomore guard Jaz Shelley (13.6), junior guard Sam Haiby (10.5), and sophomore forward Isabelle Bourne (10.3).
- Shelly leads the Huskers with 7.1 rebounds per game, followed by freshman center/forward Alexis Markowski and junior forward Bella Cravens with 6.4 apiece.
- Shelley and Haiby average 4.6 and 4.0 assists per game.
- Shelley and sophomore guard Ashley Scoggin both rank in the top 25 nationally in 3-point percentage. Shelley ranks 14th (.463) and Scoggin sits at 25th (44.8).
- As a team, Nebraska ranks second in scoring margin (25.4), fourth in defensive rebounds per game (31.4), 10th in field-goal percentage defense (.336) and scoring offense (82.1), 13th in assists per game (18.2) and field goal percentage (.468), 14th in rebounds per game (44.1).
- Head coach Amy Williams is in her sixth season at the helm of the Nebraska women’s basketball program. Williams is 85-63 at Nebraska and was named Big Ten Coach of the Year and led the Huskers to the NCAA Tournament First Round, during her second season (2017-18).
(HAWK)EYES ON THE SEASON
- The Hawkeyes are 7-4 overall and 1-1 in Big Ten play, falling most recently to Northwestern (Jan. 6), 77-69.
- Sophomore Caitlin Clark leads Iowa, averaging 24.7 points, 8.1 rebounds and 6.6 assists per game. Clark’s 24.7 points per game rank second in the country, while she ranks fifth nationally in assists per game (6.6), 10th in free throws made (67), 19th in defensive rebounds per game (7.5) and is the only Division I women’s basketball player to tally two triple-doubles this season.
- Clark, junior McKenna Warnock and freshman Addison O’Grady have each tallied double-doubles this season. Clark has tallied five on the season, including two triple-doubles, while Warnock and O’Grady have each registered one.
- Senior Monika Czinano and Warnock average 18.1 and 12.5 points per game, respectively. The pair also average 7.4 (Warnock) and 5.2 (Czinano) rebounds per game.
- Czinano ranks ninth in the nation in field goal percentage (.628).
- Redshirt junior Kate Martin ranks second on the team, averaging 2.5 assists per game.
- Junior Gabbie Marshall, Martin and Clark have tallied 18, 17 and 17 steals, respectively.
- Iowa leads the country in free-throw percentage (.852), ranks 11th in assists per game (18.5), 15th in field-goal percentage (.467), 16th in scoring offense (79.9), 18th in defensive rebounds per game (30.2), 30th in assist turnover ratio (1.15) and 45th in scoring margin (14.7).