OPPONENT | #21/24 Iowa at #17/19 Michigan State |
LOCATION | Breslin Center - East Lansing, Mich. |
DATE | Sunday, Dec. 15 |
TIP-OFF | 11 a.m. (CT) |
RADIO | Hawkeye Radio Network |
TELEVISION | BTN |
Women's Basketball
WBB Preview - at No. 17/19 Michigan State
The nationally ranked Hawkeyes are set to travel to No. 17/19 (9-0) Michigan State on Sunday, Dec. 15. Tip-off inside the Breslin Center is set for 11 a.m. (CT) and will broadcast on BTN and the Hawkeye Radio Network.
by Bailey Turner
THE SETTING
The nationally ranked Hawkeyes are set to travel to No. 17/19 (9-0) Michigan State on Sunday, Dec. 15. Tip-off inside the Breslin Center is set for 11 a.m. (CT) and will broadcast on BTN and the Hawkeye Radio Network.
FOLLOW LIVE
Radio: Games are broadcast on the Hawkeye Radio Network with Rob Brooks (play-by-play) and Kathryn Reynolds (color) on the call. The network includes more than 40 stations that blanket the state of Iowa and include portions of Illinois, Nebraska, Minnesota, Missouri and Wisconsin. The Hawkeye Radio Network includes a 30-minute pregame show.
Television: Sunday’s game will broadcast nationally on BTN. Kylen Mills (play-by-play) and Christy Winters-Scott (color) will be on the call.
PROGRAM QUICK HITS
» Iowa was the first program in the Big Ten conference to compete in back-to-back National Championships.
» Iowa tied Purdue (1998-99) and Maryland (2014-15) for most wins in B1G history in 2023-24. (34)
» Iowa has been ranked in the national attendance top 10 each of the past five seasons with fans (2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2019).
» The Hawkeyes won 15+ games inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena in four out of the last six seasons, which is the best six-year stretch in program history.
» Iowa won four of the last six Big Ten Tournament titles (2019, 2022, 2023 and 2024).
» Over the last two seasons, Iowa has won 65 games which is the best two-year stretch in program history.
» Iowa has earned eight straight 20-win seasons, which is the second longest streak in program history. (1984-94)
» In Big Ten play, Iowa is 55-18 over the last four years.
» The Hawkeyes return eight letter winners and welcome six newcomers to the 2024-25 roster.
» Iowa has the longest active streak in the nation scoring at least 80 points per game in four consecutive seasons.
» Five Hawkeyes drafted have been into the WNBA since 2019, following Kathleen Doyle, Megan Gustafson, Monika Czinano, Kate Martin, and Caitlin Clark.
» Jan Jensen became Iowa’s fifth head coach in program history on May 13, 2024.
SCOUTING MICHIGAN STATE
» The Spartans are 9-0 not only for the first time under head coach Robyn Fralick, but also the best start to a season in program history, bettering the previous best starts of 8-0 in the 2012-13 and 2020-21 seasons.
» Michigan State broke the school record for blocks in a game with 14 against DePaul last weekend.
» The Spartans have played with five different starting lineups this season.
» Over her last five games, Julia Ayrault is averaging a double-double with 19.4 points and 10.2 rebounds per game.
SERIES HISTORY
» The Hawkeyes lead the all-time series, 43-30.
» Iowa is 8-2 against Michigan State in the last 10 matchups.
» The Hawkeyes are 3-3 in their last six trips to the Breslin Center.
WHAT’S TRENDING?
» Iowa has won six games this season scoring 75 or less which is the most in a season since 2018-19. (12)
» Lucy Olsen has reached double figures and four or more assists in all eight career games with Iowa.
» The Hawkeyes have not dropped back-to-back games since Nov. 27, 2022 and Dec. 1, 2022.
» Addi O’Grady has been in double figures in eight games after having just two total games scoring in double figures over her previous two seasons.
SHARING THE ROCK
» UI is 72-24 when record 20+ assists in a single game since the beginning of the 2020-21 season.
» Iowa is the only team in the country to average 19.5+ assists per game in seven consecutive seasons.
» The Hawkeyes have averaged 20+ assists per game in every year dating back to 2017 besides the 2021-22 season. (19.6)
» In three of the last four seasons, Iowa has had the single season leader in assists nationally.
» Dating back to 2012, UI has had eight Big Ten assist champions. (3x -Sam Logic, 1x - Kathleen Doyle, 4x - Caitlin Clark)
» Assist per game totals by season; 2017-18: 21.4, 2018-19: 21.5, 2019-20: 20.0, 2020-21: 20.1, 2021-22: 19.6, 2022-23: 20.9, and 2023-24: 20.8.
SHOULD’VE GUARDED THEM OFF THE BUS
» Iowa has the longest active streak in the nation scoring at least 80 points per game in four consecutive seasons.
» Since the start of the 2020-21 season, Iowa leads the nation with 109 games of 80+ points.
» Iowa’s record when scoring 80+ points is 95-14 since 2020.
» Iowa is the only team in the country that has averaged at least 84 ppg over the last four seasons.