THE SETTING
The Iowa Hawkeyes (13-8, 6-4) entertain the Indiana Hoosiers (15-5, 8-3) Thursday night. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. (CST) inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Tickets are $9 for adults, while youths and UI students will be admitted free.
Thursday will be Iowa’s second-straight home game and Indiana’s second-consecutive road contest. The Hawkeyes are in sixth-place in the Big Ten standings, only one loss behind Indiana, Purdue and Minnesota.
SCOUTING INDIANA
Indiana (15-5) started the season 14-3, but has since lost two of its last three, with both losses coming on the road. Thursday will conclude a stretch of playing four of five away from Bloomington. The Hoosiers are currently tied with Purdue for third place in the Big Ten standings with 8-3 records.
Indiana lost its last contest at No. 14 Ohio State, 59-51, Sunday afternoon. The Buckeyes outscored the Hoosiers 17-6 at the foul line. Indiana was only 6-13 (.462) from the charity stripe, while Ohio State was 17-24 (.708). Additionally, Indiana was only 5-19 (.263) from long distance. Sophomore Jori Davis and senior Whitney Thomas led the Hoosiers, scoring 15 and 12 points, respectively.
Senior Amber Jackson averages a team-best 13.8 points and ranks second in rebounding (7.0). Thomas pulls down a team-best 9.1 rebounds and ranks second in scoring (12.6). Junior Jamie Braun averages 11.7 points and a team-best 3.6 assists per outing.
During conference play, Indiana ranks first in Big Ten turnover margin (+5.73) and steals (8.82). The Hoosiers also rank second in scoring (66.2), scoring margin (+7.2), 3-point field goal percentage (.328) and offensive rebounds (14.37).
Indiana is coached by Felisha Legette-Jack, who is in her eighth season as a collegiate head coach (106-97, .522) and her third with Indiana (52-34, .605).
ALL-TIME SERIES
Thursday will be the 54th meeting between Iowa and Indiana, with the Hawkeyes leading the series, 38-15. Iowa boasts a 21-3 advantage in games played at Iowa City, including 11-straight wins inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena. The Hoosiers’ last victory in Iowa City came on Feb. 20, 1994 (63-59).
Indiana has won two of the last three in the series, including a 76-54 win on Jan. 4, 2009, in Bloomington.
HOME SWEET HOME
Iowa has maintained a solid home court advantage the last couple years. Dating back to last season, Iowa has won 16 of its last 17 home games. Iowa is 9-1 in home contests this season. Purdue snapped Iowa’s 12-game winning streak with a 69-60 win Dec. 28 in Iowa City.
ALEXANDER NAMED BIG TEN PLAYER OF THE WEEK
The Big Ten announced Tuesday that Iowa sophomore Kachine Alexander has been named Big Ten Player of the Week.
Alexander takes home her second weekly honor in three weeks after leading Iowa to a triple-overtime victory over Penn State Sunday.
The native of Minneapolis, MN, became the first Hawkeye to ever amass two triple-doubles in a career, let alone four weeks apart, when she accomplished the feat again in Sunday’s, 97-89, triple-overtime win over the Lady Lions. The Hawkeyes became the first Big Ten team to ever win a triple-overtime conference game, since league play officially began in 1982-83.
Alexander registered a team-high 26 points, a staggering 21 rebounds and 10 assists against Penn State. The 26 points and 21 rebounds are personal bests. Additionally, Alexander was a perfect 10-10 from the foul line, including sinking all six attempts in the 15 extra minutes. The sophomore was two assists from of a triple-double through regulation, but dished out assists on Iowa’s first two overtime field goals and achieved the mark at 3:02 of the first overtime.
Alexander is one of only three NCAA Division I student-athletes to post two triple-doubles this season. Kansas State’s Shalee Lehning and St. Mary’s Louella Tomlinson are the other players to have two triple-doubles this year. In total, there have been 12 triple-doubles, by a total of nine different players in 2008-09.
In Iowa’s two games last week, Alexander made 85 percent of her free throws, sinking 17-of-20 attempts.
HAWKEYES-LADY LIONS MAKE BIG TEN HISTORY
The Iowa-Penn State triple overtime game last Sunday, in Iowa City, made Big Ten history. Iowa became the first Big Ten school to win a triple overtime conference game, since league play officially began in 1982-83.
KASHIN’ IN
Sophomore Kachine Alexander has made a name for herself in the Big Ten with her improved play. Last season, she played only 18 games, averaging 2.2 points, 2.9 rebounds and 0.7 assists. Through 21 games this season, she is averaging 9.2 points, 8.5 rebounds and 3.0 assists.
Alexander, who stands 5-9, ranks first in Big Ten rebounding (9.9) and assist/turnover ratio (1.7), second in assists (5.1) and defensive rebounds (7.5), in league game rankings.
Additionally, she became the first Hawkeye to ever post two triple-doubles when she accomplished the feat twice in four games this season. The Minneapolis, MN, native had 10 points, 11 rebounds and 12 assists vs. Northwestern (Jan. 18) and 26 points, 21 rebounds and 10 assists vs. Penn State (Feb. 1). Both games were Iowa wins.
Alexander is 17-20 (.850) from the foul line in Iowa’s last two games, including a perfect 10-10 (1.000) vs. Penn State last Sunday.
WAHLIN SHINES IN STARTING ROLE
Kamille Wahlin was moved to a starting role the last three games, due to the absence of JoAnn Hamlin. In her first three career starts last week, Wahlin averaged 12.7 points, 4.0 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 35 minutes of action.
In her first career start against Michigan (Jan. 26), she posted a double-double, the first of her career, recording 14 points and a personal-best 10 assists. The 10 assists are believed to be the most in a single-game by an Iowa freshman.
At Michigan State, Wahlin was under the weather with the flu, but still managed to play 27 minutes and collect six points and two assists.
In Sunday’s triple overtime thriller, the freshman logged 43 minutes of court time, recording season bests in scoring (18) and rebounding (7).
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