| OPPONENT | #25/24 Iowa (16-6, 10-3) vs. #15/14 Maryland (18-6, 10-3) |
| LOCATION | Iowa City, Iowa (Carver-Hawkeye Arena) |
| DATE | Monday, Feb. 14 |
| TIP-OFF | 8 p.m. (CT) |
| RADIO | Hawkeye Sports Network |
| TV | ESPN2 |
The Setting
No. 25/24 University of Iowa women’s basketball hosts No. 15/14 Maryland inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena on Monday, Feb. 14 for its annual Pink Out game in Iowa City, Iowa. Tipoff is set for 8 p.m. (CT) on ESPN2.
Monday’s matchup marks the 14th meeting between the two teams. The Terrapins lead the series 9-4, winning the last three 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: Monday’s contest will stream live on ESPN2. Pam Ward (play-by-play) and Stephanie White (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 455-240 (.655) record and a 238-138 (.633) conference mark at Iowa. In her 37 seasons as a head coach, Bluder is 811-382 (.680).
SCOUTING MARYLAND
- Monday’s matchup marks the 14th meeting between the two teams. The Terrapins lead the series 9-4, winning the last three matchups.
- No. 15/14 Maryland is 18-6 overall and 10-3 in Big Ten play, winning its last six matchups and losing at Ohio State and Indiana and against Michigan.
- Five Terps average double-figure scoring, including sophomore forward/guard Angel Reese (17.6), redshirt senior forward/guard junior guard Ashley Owusu (14.3), Chloe Bibby (12.8), junior guard Diamond Miller (11.6) and redshirt senior guard Katie Benzan (11.4).
- Reese leads Maryland, averaging 10.5 rebounds. She ranks second nationally in offensive rebounds per game (5.5), 12th in total rebounds (251) and 27th in rebounds per game (10.5).
- The Terrapins rank in the top-20 in sever statistical categories, including fifth in free throws made (347), seventh in scoring offense (80.4), ninth in assist turnover ratio (1.29), 13th in turnover margin (6.12), 15th in turnovers per game (12.5), and 19th in total assists (387) and 3-point percentage (.364).
- Head coach Brenda Frese is in her 21st season at the helm of the Maryland women’s basketball program. Frese has guided Maryland to a National Championship in 2006, 18 winning seasons, 17-straight 20-win seasons, seven 30-win campaigns and 17 bids to the NCAA Tournament.
(HAWK)EYES ON THE SEASON
- The Hawkeyes are 16-6 overall and 10-3 in Big Ten play, winning its last contest over Minnesota, 88-78.
- Sophomore Caitlin Clark leads Iowa, averaging 27.6 points, 8.2 rebounds and 8.1 assists per game.
- Clark, junior McKenna Warnock, senior Monika Czinano and freshman Addison O’Grady have each tallied double-doubles this season. Clark has tallied 12 on the season, including a Big Ten record five triple-doubles, while Warnock has registered two and Czinano and O’Grady have recorded one apiece.
- Czinano and Warnock average 20.3 and 11.7 points per game, respectively. The pair also average 7.2 (Warnock) and 6.1 (Czinano) rebounds per game.
- Redshirt junior Kate Martin ranks second on the team in assists per game, averaging 2.9.
- Clark, junior Gabbie Marshall, Martin, Warnock and senior Tomi Taiwo have tallied 31, 30, 27, 19 and 17 steals, respectively.
THE BEST IN THE NATION (AND BIG TEN)
- Sophomore Caitlin Clark leads the country in assists per game (8.1), total assists (179), points per game (27.6), total points (607) and triple doubles (5), second in free throws made (143), third in field goals made (203), fourth in free throw attempts (162), 18th in defensive rebounds per game (7.7) and double doubles (12), 22nd in free-throw percentage (.883) and 26th in 3-pointers made (58) and 3-pointers per game (2.64).
- Senior Monika Czinano ranks third in field-goal percentage (.645), ninth in field goals made (180), 15th in points per game (20.3), 25th in total points (427) and 48th in free-throw percentage (.848).
- In the Big Ten Conference, two Hawkeyes are statistical leaders, including Clark’s assists per game, points per game, triple doubles, total assists, total points, free throws made and field goals made and Czinano’s field goal percentage.
WHERE THEY RANK AS A TEAM
- Iowa leads the country in field-goal percentage (.497) and free-throw percentage (.848).
- The Hawkeyes rank in the top-15 in seven additional categories, including third in scoring offense (84.6), fifth in assists per game (19.2), seventh in defensive rebounds per game (30.1), eighth in total assists (422) and assist turnover ratio (1.31) and 15th in scoring margin (15.5) and free throws made (335).
YOU GET AN ASSIST, YOU GET AN ASSIST, EVERYONE GETS AN ASSIST
- Iowa currently leads the Big Ten and ranks fifth nationally in assists per game (19.2) and ranks eighth in the country in total assists (422). Sophomore Caitlin Clark leads the Hawkeyes and the nation with 8.1 assists per game.
- Iowa tallied 37 assists against Penn State (Jan. 25) to break the program’s single-game record, the Big Ten record against a Big Ten opponent and to tie the Big Ten record for most in a game – previously the Iowa record was 36 against North Carolina Central (Nov. 17, 2018) and the Big Ten single-game record is tied by Penn State (vs. Delaware St., Nov. 16, 2021) and Maryland (vs. Loyola Maryland, Dec. 11, 2017).
- Sophomore Caitlin Clark broke the Iowa single-game assist record, tallying 18 and breaking the Big Ten record in a regular-season Big Ten game. Former Hawkeye Kathleen Doyle previously held the Iowa record with 15 assists against Nebraska (Feb. 6, 2020). Clark tied with Nebraska’s Rachel Theriot who had 18 assists against Minnesota on March 7, 2014 in the B1G Tournament.
TRIPLE-DOUBLE THREAT
- Sophomore Caitlin Clark has registered five triple-doubles this season and six in her career.
- Clark’s six career triple-doubles ties former Hawkeye Sam Logic’s Big Ten record (2011-15) for most in their career and ties fifth most single season (5) and career (6) triple-doubles in NCAA Division I history.
- Clark joins the likes of Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Russell Westbrook, James Hardin, Luka Dončić and Giannis Antetokounmpo as the only NBA, WNBA, Division I men’s and women’s basketball to record back-to-back 30-point triple doubles since 2000.
- Clark is one of 10 women’s basketball players (15 times) to register back-to-back triple doubles in their careers — the only to do so with 30-plus points in the pair. Clark registered 35 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists at Minnesota (Jan. 20) and 31 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists against Nebraska (Jan. 16).
- The Des Moines, Iowa, native is the first Big Ten women’s basketball player to register consecutive triple-doubles and five triple doubles in one season.