| OPPONENT | #2 Iowa (23-7, 14-4) vs. #15 Illinois State (19-13, 12-6) |
| LOCATION | Iowa City, Iowa (Carver-Hawkeye Arena) |
| DATE | Friday, March 18 |
| TIP-OFF | 3 p.m. (CT) |
| RADIO | Hawkeye Sports Network |
| TV | ESPN |
The Setting
No. 2 seeded University of Iowa women’s basketball plays No. 15 seed Illinois State in the NCAA Tournament First Round on Friday, March 18 inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa. Tipoff is set for 3 p.m. (CT) on ESPN.
Friday’s meeting is the eighth between Iowa and Illinois State. Iowa leads the series 6-1, winning the last six consecutive meetings. The two teams’ last meeting was a 74-64 Hawkeye win on November 11, 2012.
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: Friday’s contest will air live on ESPN. Beth Mowins (play-by-play) and Christy Thomaskutty (color) are on the call.
-PROGRAM QUICK HITS
- The Iowa Hawkeyes are 23-7 overall and finished Big Ten play 14-4 to clench a share of the Big Ten Regular Season title — Ohio State shares the regular-season title. Iowa clenched a share of the Big Ten Regular Season title on Feb. 27 — Ohio State shares the regular season title. The Hawkeyes followed up the regular season title with the Big Ten Tournament title with a win over Indiana on March 6 — the first time in program history that the Hawkeyes won both in the same season. The Hawkeyes’ have tallied 14 Big Ten Championships (10 regular, 4 tournament) in program history, winning their first regular-season title since 2008 and the second tournament title in four years (2019, 2022).
- Iowa was ranked eighth in the latest AP Poll, 14th in the NCAA Final Top-16 Reveal and 10th in the USA TODAY Sports/WBCA Coaches Poll.
- Iowa defeated 17 of its 29 opponents by double figures, including 11 20-plus point wins (six in Big Ten play).
- The Hawkeyes lead the country in field-goal percentage (.505) and free-throw percentage (.841) and rank in the top-20 in seven additional categories, including second in scoring offense (84.5), third in assists per game (19.5), fourth in total assists (584), 10th in assist turnover ratio (1.31)and defensive rebounds per game (29.7), 13th in free throws made (13) and 20th in scoring margin (13.7).
- Sophomore Caitlin Clark leads the nation in total assists (236), total points (821), assists per game (7.9), points per game (27.4), free throws made (189), triple doubles (5) and 30-point games (11), while ranking fourth in field goals made (273) and free throw attempts (216), 12th in 3-pointers made (86), 13th in 3-pointers per game (2.87), 18th in defensive rebounds per game (7.6), 20th in free-throw percentage (.875) and 21st in double doubles (15).
- Clark was named a first team AP All-American and senior Monika Czinano was named an AP All-America honorable mention, the Associated Press announced on Wednesday.
- Clark was named Big Ten Player of the Year and earned unanimous first team All-Big Ten honors (coaches and media). Czinano earned first team all-Big Ten honors (coaches and media) — her third Big Ten postseason honors — and junior McKenna Warnock earned second team All-Big Ten honors by the media and was selected as an honor roll honoree by the coaches.
- Iowa has made 14 consecutive postseason appearances (12 NCAA, 2 WNIT) when a postseason tournament was held. The 2020 postseason was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
- The Hawkeyes have made postseason tournament appearances in 20 of head coach Lisa Bluder’s 22 seasons at Iowa, receiving 15 NCAA Tournament and four WNIT (2003, 2005, 2016, 2017) bids, including eight Sweet 16 appearances — most recently in 2021.
- Bluder registered her 800th win this season and is one-of-five active Division I women’s head coaches to accomplish the feat in their career. She is in her 38th season as a head coach and 22nd at Iowa.
- Bluder owns a 461-241 (.657) record and a 232-139 (.625) conference mark at Iowa. In her 38 seasons as a head coach, Bluder is 817-383 (.681).
SCOUTING ILLINOIS STATE (15 seed)
- Friday’s meeting is the eighth between Iowa and Illinois State. Iowa leads the series 6-1, winning the last six consecutive meetings. The two teams’ last meeting was a 74-64 Hawkeye win on November 11, 2012.
- Illinois State is 19-13 overall and 12-6 in Missouri Valley Conference, coming off the MVC Tournament Championship.
- Two Redbirds average double-figure scoring, including redshirt senior guard Juliunn Redmond (17.5) and junior forward DeAnna Wilson (13.4).
- Wilson (7.8), sophomore forward Kate Bullman (5.2) and Redmond (4.5) all average at least 4.5 rebounds per game.
- The Redbirds’ third leading scorer, redshirt junior guard Mary Cromton, shoots 37 percent from 3-point range, making 70 of 189 3-pointers taken this season.
- Head coach Kristen Gillespie is in her fifth season at the helm of the Illinois State women’s basketball program. Gillespie holds a 87-60 record at Illinois State and led the Redbirds to their first MVC Tournament Championship title since 2008 this season.
(HAWK)EYES ON THE SEASON
- The Iowa Hawkeyes are 23-7 overall and 14-4 in Big Ten play.
- Iowa defeated 17 of its 29 opponents this season by double figures, including 11 20-plus point wins (six in Big Ten play).
- Sophomore Caitlin Clark leads Iowa, averaging 27.4 points, 8.1 rebounds and 7.9 assists per game.
- Clark, senior Monika Czinano, junior McKenna Warnock and freshman Addison O’Grady have each tallied double-doubles this season. Clark has tallied 15 on the season (24 career), including a Big Ten record five triple-doubles, while Czinano has registered three, Warnock tallied two and O’Grady recorded one.
- Czinano and Warnock average 21.1 and 11.4 points per game, respectively. The pair also average 6.6 (Warnock) and 6.1 (Czinano) rebounds per game.
- Redshirt junior Kate Martin ranks second on the team in assists per game, averaging 3.5.
- Junior Gabbie Marshall , Clark, Martin and Warnock have tallied 46, 43, 33 and 32, respectively.
THE B1G CHAMPS, X2
- Iowa clenched a share of the Big Ten Regular Season title on Feb. 27 — Ohio State shares the regular season title.
- The Hawkeyes followed up the regular season title with the Big Ten Tournament title with a win over Indiana on March 6 — the first time in program history that the Hawkeyes won both in the same season.
- The Hawkeyes’ have tallied 14 Big Ten Championships (10 regular, 4 tournament) in program history, winning their first regular-season title since 2008 and the second tournament title in four years (2019, 2022).
B1G HONORS FOR B1G STARS
- Sophomore Caitlin Clark was named Big Ten Player of the Year (coaches and media) and was named the Big Ten Tournament MVP.
- Clark also earned unanimous first team All-Big Ten honors (coaches & media) — her second first team honors — and was selected to the All-Big Ten Tournament team.
- Senior Monika Czinano earned first team All-Big Ten accolades (coaches and the media) — her third Big Ten honors — and was selected to the All-Big Ten Tournament team.
- Junior McKenna Warnock earned second team All-Big Ten Honors by the media and was honorable mention from the coaches — her first Big Ten postseason honors .
- Redshirt junior Kate Martin was named Iowa’s Sportsmanship Award honoree for the second-consecutive year.
THE BEST IN THE NATION
- Sophomore Caitlin Clark leads the country in total assists (236), total points (821), assists per game (7.9), points per game (27.4), free throws made (189), triple doubles (5) and 30-point games (11), while ranking fourth in field goals made (273) and free throw attempts (216), 12th in 3-pointers made (86), 13th in 3-pointers per game (2.87), 18th in defensive rebounds per game (7.6), 20th in free-throw percentage (.875) and 21st in double doubles (15).
- Senior Monika Czinano leads the nation in field-goal percentage (.678) and ranks seventh in field goals made (259), 13th in points per game (21.1) and 14th in total points (611).
WHERE THEY RANK AS A TEAM
- Iowa leads the country in field-goal percentage (.505) and free-throw percentage (.841).
- The Hawkeyes rank in the top-20 in seven additional categories, including second in scoring offense (84.5), third in assists per game (19.5), fourth in total assists (584), 10th in assist turnover ratio (1.31)and defensive rebounds per game (29.7), 13th in free throws made (13) and 20th in scoring margin (13.7).