| OPPONENT | #25/RV Iowa (10-4, 4-1) vs. Minnesota (9-9, 2-3) |
| LOCATION | Minneapolis, Minn. (Williams Arena) |
| DATE | Thursday, Jan. 20 |
| TIP-OFF | 7 p.m. (CT) |
| RADIO | Hawkeye Sports Network |
| TV | B1G Network |
The Setting
The No. 25 University of Iowa women’s basketball team heads to Minneapolis, Minnesota, on Thursday, Jan. 20 to take on the Minnesota Gophers inside Williams Arena. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. (CT) on B1G Network.
Thursday’s matchup marks the 82nd meeting between the two teams. The Hawkeyes lead the series 55-27 and have won the last five consecutive matchups.
Iowa defeated the Gophers at Williams Arena, 94-68, last season. Senior Monika Czinano scored 23 points, sophomore Caitlin Clark scored 22, and juniors Gabbie Marshall and McKenna Warnock tallied 11 apiece. Clark and Warnock each registered double-doubles with 11 assists from Clark and 10 rebounds from Warnock. Minnesota junior guards Sara Scallia and Jasmine Powell led the Gophers tallying 16 and 12 points, respectively. Junior center Klarke Sconiers pulled down 11 rebounds for the Gophers.
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 B1G Network. Sloane Martin (play-by-play) and Meghan McKeown (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 449-238 (.654) record and a 232-136 (.630) conference mark at Iowa. In her 37 seasons as a head coach, Bluder is 805-380 (.679).
SCOUTING MINNESOTA
- Thursday’s matchup marks the 82nd meeting between the two teams. The Hawkeyes lead the series 55-27 and have won the last five consecutive matchups.
- Iowa defeated the Gophers at Williams Arena, 94-68, last season. Senior Monika Czinano scored 23 points, sophomore Caitlin Clark scored 22, and juniors Gabbie Marshall and McKenna Warnock tallied 11 apiece. Clark and Warnock each registered double-doubles with 11 assists from Clark and 10 rebounds from Warnock. Minnesota junior guards Sara Scallia and Jasmine Powell led the Gophers tallying 16 and 12 points, respectively. Junior center Klarke Sconiers pulled down 11 rebounds for the Gophers.
- Minnesota is 9-9 overall and 2-4 in Big Ten play, defeating Wisconsin (82-66) and Rutgers (62-49).
- Four Gophers average double-figure scoring, including Scallia (15.7), Powell (13.4), redshirt senior guard Deja Winters (11.5) and redshirt junior forward Kadi Sissoko (11.1).
- The Gophers rank 11th in the country in 3-point percentage (37.9) with Scallia ranking fourth nationally in 3-pointers made (54th) and 13th in 3-pointers per game (3.0) and Winters ranking 16th in 3-pointers made (46) and 24th in 3-point percentage (43.8).
- Powell ranks 14th in total assists (93) and 17th in assists per game (5.8).
- Head coach Lindsay Whalen is in her fourth season at the helm of the Minnesota women’s basketball program. Whalen has led the team to a 45-39 mark (.536) with a trip to the WNIT in 2018-19. In addition, she has coached one WNBA draft pick, one All-American, nine All-Big Ten honorees, two members of the Big Ten All-Freshman team, one Big Ten All-Defensive Team player and 18 Academic All-Big Ten honorees.
(HAWK)EYES ON THE SEASON
- The Hawkeyes are 10-4 overall and 4-1 in Big Ten play, defeating Nebraska, twice, and Purdue most recently.
- Sophomore Caitlin Clark leads Iowa, averaging 25.6 points, 8.2 rebounds and 7.4 assists per game.
- Clark, junior McKenna Warnock and freshman Addison O’Grady have each tallied double-doubles this season. Clark has tallied seven on the season, including three triple-doubles, while Warnock has registered two and O’Grady has recorded one.
- Senior Monika Czinano and Warnock average 19.9 and 12.5 points per game, respectively. The pair also average 7.9 (Warnock) and 5.5 (Czinano) rebounds per game.
- Redshirt junior Kate Martin ranks second on the team in assists per game, averaging 2.6.
- Clark, junior Gabbie Marshall and Martin have tallied 23, 21 and 18 steals, respectively.
THE BEST IN THE NATION (AND BIG TEN)
- Sophomore Caitlin Clark leads the country in points per game (25.6) and triple doubles (3), ranks second in assists per game (7.4) and free throws made (101), fourth in total assists (104), fifth in total points (358), 14th in free-throw percentage (.910), 17th in defensive rebounds per game (7.7), 27th in double-doubles (7) and 76th in assist turnover ratio (1.96).
- Senior Monika Czinano ranks third in field-goal percentage (.657), 22nd in points per game (19.9), 31st in field goals made (109), 46th in free-throw percentage (.854) and 93rd in total points (259).
- In the Big Ten Conference, two Hawkeyes are statistical leaders, including Clark’s points per game, triple doubles, assists per game, total assists and free-throw percentage and Czinano’s field goal percentage.
WHERE THEY RANK AS A TEAM
- Iowa leads the country in free-throw percentage, making 229-of-264 free throws attempted (.867).
- The Hawkeyes rank in the top-50 in eight additional categories, including second in field goal percentage (.481), seventh in scoring offense (81.9), 11th in assists per game (18.6), 14th in defensive rebounds per game (30.1, 16th in assist turnover ratio (1.21), 27th in free throws made (229), 34th in total assists (260) and 36th in scoring margin (13.9).