Game Notes: No. 10 Iowa at Michigan State

Opponent No. 10/9 Iowa (14-4, 6-1) at Michigan State (10-8, 2-5)
Date Wednesday, Jan. 18
Location Breslin Center // East Lansing, Mich.    
Tipoff 6:01 p.m. (CT)
TV BTN+
Radio Hawkeye Radio Network // Sirius XM Channel 85 or 203

THE SETTING
No. 10 Iowa (14-4, 6-1) is set to travel to Michigan State (10-8, 2-5) on Wednesday night. Tipoff for this contest is set for 6:01 p.m. (CT) inside the Breslin Center in East Lansing.

STREAM
The game will broadcast on BTN+. Alexis Ayala, Veronica Bolanos, and Zach Surdenik will call the action.

THE SERIES
This will be the 72nd meeting between the two programs. The Hawkeyes currently lead the all-time series, 41-30. Iowa has won six out of the last eight contests dating back to 2017. Iowa’s last victory at the Breslin Center came in 2018 when the Hawkeyes won in overtime.

SCOUTING MICHIGAN STATE
• The Spartans come into this game 10-8, 2-5, after dropping its third straight game at No. 17 Michigan, 70-57, on Saturday.
• MSU is 8-3 at home this season.
• The Spartans are 1-5 against AP Top 25 teams this year.
• Michigan State is scoring 79.9 points per game and have an average win margin of +16.6.
• MSU boasts four scorers averaging more than nine points per contest.
• The Spartans have had six different starting lineups this year.
• MSU is No. 38 in the NET Rankings.
• Earlier this year, Michigan State hit 19 treys against Maryland which tied for second-most in Big Ten history.

PROGRAM QUICK HITS
• Highest Preseason AP Ranking (No. 4) since 1994.
• The No.4 ranking was the second highest ranking in program history.
• The Hawkeyes have been ranked in the AP Preseason Top 10 in consecutive seasons for the fifth time in school history and the first time during head coach Lisa Bluder’s tenure.
• Hawkeyes tabbed as Big Ten preseason favorites by coaches and media.
• The Hawkeyes return all five starters from year ago, that won a share of the Big Ten regular season, Big Ten Tournament, and earned a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
Caitlin Clark was tabbed the Big Ten Preseason Player of the Year. Her and Monika Czinano were both recognized unanimously by the coaches on the preseason all-conference team.
• Since 2008, Lisa Bluder’s teams own a 223-42 record inside of Carver-Hawkeye Arena. In that stretch, the Hawkeyes have posted three undefeated seasons at home. Over the last eight years, Iowa has dropped the second-fewest regular season home games in the Big Ten.
• Iowa welcomes four new players to the 2022-23 roster: Molly Davis, Jada Gyamfi, Taylor McCabe, and Hannah Stuelke. Gyamfi, McCabe, and Stuelke are all true freshmen, hailing from Johnston, Cedar Rapids and Fremont, Nebraska, respectively. Davis is a fourth-year transfer from Central Michigan.
• Clark’s preseason accolades: Big Ten Preseason Player of the Year, AP All-American (unanimous), Nancy Lieberman Preseason Watch List, The Athletic POY/All-American, All-Big Ten, and Wooden Award Watch List.
• Czinano preseason accolades: Preseason All-Big Ten by the coaches and media, Lisa Leslie Center of the Year Preseason Watch List, and Wooden Award Watch List.
• Clark was named a first team AP All-American and senior Monika Czinano was named an AP All-America honorable mention by the Associated Press last year.
• Bluder owns a 477-246 (.659) record and a 238-140 (.627) conference mark at Iowa. In her 38 seasons as a head coach, Bluder is 833-388 (.682).