| OPPONENT | #RV/RV Iowa (8-4, 2-1) vs. Purdue (11-4, 2-2) |
| LOCATION | West Lafayette, Ind. (Mackey Arena) |
| DATE | Thursday, Jan. 13 |
| TIP-OFF | 6 p.m. (CT) |
| RADIO | Hawkeye Sports Network |
| TV | B1G+ |
The Setting
The University of Iowa women’s basketball team heads to West Lafayette, Indiana, on Thursday, Jan. 13 to take on the Purdue Boilermakers inside Mackey Arena. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m. (CT) on B1G+.
Thursday’s matchup marks the 75th meeting between the two teams. Purdue leads the series 39-35 and have won 10 of the last 15 matchups, including the last four matchups.
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:
Thursday’s contest will air live on B1G+.
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 447-238 (.652) record and a 221-135 (.621) conference mark at Iowa. In her 37 seasons as a head coach, Bluder is 803-380 (.679).
SCOUTING PURDUE
- Thursday’s matchup marks the 75th meeting between the two teams. Purdue leads the series 39-35 and have won 10 of the last 15 matchups, including the last four matchups.
- Purdue is 11-4 overall and 2-2 in Big Ten play, winning its last five games over Denver, Miami (OH), North Alabama, Rutgers and Michigan State.
- Four Boilermakers average double-digit scoring, including sophomore guard Madison Layden (12.6), sophomore center Ra Shaya Kyle (11.0), senior guard Cassidy Hardin (10.5) and junior guard Abbey Ellis (10.0). Kyle has not played in Purdue’s last five games.
- Hardin ranks fifth nationally in 3-pointers attempted (121), ninth in 3-pointers made (45), and 17th in 3-pointers per game (3.0).
- Junior guard Jeanae Terry is ranked 16th in total assists (80) and 30th in assists per game (5.3) in the country.
- Layden also ranks among the top of the nation in 3-pointers attempted, ranking 27th (102). She ranks 51st in 3-pointers made (33) and 3-pointers per game (2.36).
- Junior forward Rickie Woltman ranks 87th nationally in blocked shots (19).
- Head coach Katie Gearlds is in her first season at the helm of the Purdue women’s basketball program. Prior to Purdue, Gearlds spent eight seasons at Marian University, winning back-to-back NAIA National Championships in 2016 and 2017. She is the winningest coach in Marian history with a 228-50 record.
(HAWK)EYES ON THE SEASON
- The Hawkeyes are 8-4 overall and 2-1 in Big Ten play, defeating Nebraska most recently in a 95-86 battle.
- Sophomore Caitlin Clark leads Iowa, averaging 25.3 points, 8.1 rebounds and 7.1 assists per game.
- Clark, junior McKenna Warnock and freshman Addison O’Grady have each tallied double-doubles this season. Clark has tallied six on the season, including two triple-doubles, while Warnock has registered two and O’Grady has recorded one.
- Senior Monika Czinano and Warnock average 18.3 and 13.5 points per game, respectively. The pair also average 7.6 (Warnock) and 5.2 (Czinano) rebounds per game.
- Redshirt junior Kate Martin ranks second on the team, averaging 2.6 assists per game.
- Clark, junior Gabbie Marshall and Martin have tallied 19, 18 and 17 steals, respectively.
THE BEST IN THE NATION (AND BIG TEN)
- Sophomore Caitlin Clark leads the country in points per game (25.3), ranks fourth in assists per game (7.1), eighth in free throws made (75), ninth in total assists (85) and total points (303), 18th in field-goal percentage (.904), 21st in defensive rebounds per game (7.5), 22nd in field goals made (101) and 28th in double doubles (6).
- Senior Monika Czinano ranks fifth in field-goal percentage (.637), 45th in points per game (18.3), 62nd in field goals made (86) and 76th in free-throw percentage (82.9).
- Junior McKenna Warnock ranks seventh in 3-point percentage (.480).
- In the Big Ten Conference, three Hawkeyes are statistical leaders, including Clark’s points per game, assists per game and total assists, Czinano’s field goal percentage and Warnock’s 3-point percentage.
WHERE THEY RANK AS A TEAM
- Iowa leads the country in free-throw percentage, making 171-of-200 free throws attempted (.852).
- The Hawkeyes rank in the top-25 in five additional categories, including third in field goal percentage (.479), ninth in assists per game (18.8), 10th in scoring offense (81.2), 19th in defensive rebounds per game (30.1), and 25th in assist turnover ratio (1.18).