THE SETTING
The Iowa Hawkeyes (18-9, 11-5) return home Thursday for their regular-season home finale against the Illinois Fighting Illini (8-19, 4-12). Tip-off is slated for 8:06 p.m. in Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Tickets are $9 for adults, while youths and UI students are admitted free. The Iowa Hawkeyes will recognize five outstanding seniors Thursday night on “Senior Night”. Wendy Ausdemore, Lindsey Nyenhuis, Megan Skouby, Kristi Smith and Nicole VanderPol will be honored after the game. Iowa has won four straight, which ties Purdue for the longest active winning streak in the Big Ten. Illinois enters Thursday’s contest on a two-game losing skid.
SPECIAL GUEST IN IOWA CITY THURSDAY NIGHT
Gina Glocksen, who was the ninth-place finisher in the 2007 American Idol competition, will be the Hawkeyes’ special guest Thursday night for “Senior Night”. The Tinley Park, IL, native, will sing the national anthem, perform a song at halftime and also sign autographs. Glocksen is friends with Hawkeye senior Lindsey Nyenhuis.
ON THE TUBE
Thursday’s game will be televised live to a national cable audience on the Big Ten Network (HD). Brent Stover and Brenda VanLengen will call the action.
NUMBER OF THE WEEK - - 6
Iowa’s senior trio of, Kristi Smith (1,393), Megan Skouby (1,389) and Wendy Ausdemore (1,276), have combined for 4,058 points during their illustrious four-year careers. The trio is only six points from becoming the highest scoring trio, from one class, in Big Ten history. Purdue’s 1988 senior trio of Sharon Versyp (1,565), Christa LaCroix (1,289) and Lisa Jahner (1,209) accumulated a record 4,063 points.
FIRST-DIVISION FINISH
Iowa’s win at Michigan Sunday coupled with Indiana’s loss to Ohio State clinched another upper division finish for Lisa Bluder and the Iowa Hawkeyes. Bluder’s Hawkeyes have finished in the first division of the Big Ten Conference six times in her nine years as head coach.
HOME SWEET HOME
Iowa has maintained a solid home court advantage the last couple years. Dating back to last season, Iowa has won 19 of its last 20 home games. Iowa boasts a 12-1 home record this season.
IOWA, ILLINOIS CONNECTIONS
Illinois second-year Head Coach Jolette Law is a 1990 graduate of the University of Iowa. Law, who was a 1990 all-American, played four years (1986-90) for former Iowa and Hall of Fame Coach C. Vivian Stringer. Law currently ranks 17th in Iowa career scoring (1,137), sixth in steals (205) and seventh in assists (353). The Hawkeyes won or shared four Big Ten championships, reached the Elite Eight twice and helped Iowa win 46-straight home games during her career. Law will be making her first appearance in Carver-Hawkeye Arena as a head coach Thursday night. Law was back in Iowa City in December 2006, when Rutgers visited Iowa City for the 2006 Hawkeye Challenge. Law was an assistant for C. Vivian Stringer and Rutgers.
SCOUTING ILLINOIS
After starting the season 4-16, Illinois has gone 4-3 its last seven games. The Illini are 4-10 in games away from home, including a 4-5 mark in true road contests. Illinois lost its last two games, 68-50 at Purdue and 67-56 vs. Penn State at home. In the loss to Penn State, the Lady Lions outscored the Illini 19-8 at the free throw line. Also, Penn State’s bench scored 22 points to Illinois’ zero. Jenna Smith paced the Illini, recording her 31st career double-double (22 points, 13 rebounds). The 31 double-doubles, ties Indiana’s Whitney Thomas and Ohio State’s Jantel Lavender for the most among active Big Ten players. Smith has now reached double figures in 35-straight contests. Smith, a pre-season all-Big Ten honoree, averages a team-best 18.1 points, 53 blocks and .471 shooting percentage from the field. She also pulls down 8.6 rebounds per outing. Lacey Simpson averages 11.2 points and a team-best 9.0 rebounds. Like Iowa, Illinois has a thin bench, playing only two bench players in its last game. The Illini average only 52.2 points per game, while allowing 59.4. Illinois has made only 75 triples this season, shooting 25.5 percent from behind the 3-point arc. Jolette Law is in her second season as a head coach, both years at Illinois. Her record is 28-34 (.452) on the Fighting Illini sidelines. Last season, Law guided Illinois to the championship game of the Big Ten Tournament.
ALL-TIME SERIES
Thursday will be the 60th meeting between Iowa and Illinois, with the Hawkeyes boasting a 43-16 advantage. The 43 victories are the most the Hawkeyes have against any other team. Iowa has won 40 of the last 47 meetings, including eight of the last nine. Iowa owns a commanding 22-5 advantage in games played at Iowa City. Thursday will be Illinois’ first visit to Iowa City since a 74-69 triumph on Feb. 15, 2007. Iowa is 20-3 against the Fighting Illini in Carver-Hawkeye Arena. The Hawkeyes defeated Illinois earlier this season, 72-62, Jan. 15 in Champaign, IL.
IOWA, ILLINOIS NOTES
• Last year, Iowa went 13-5 in Big Ten play to win a share of the regular season title with Ohio State. The Hawkeyes are on pace to finish with the same league record this season, 13-5.
• This season marks the sixth time in nine years that Coach Bluder has guided the Hawkeyes to at least 18 victories. Bluder has mentored Iowa to three 20-win seasons during her tenure.
• Iowa’s last two games of the season are vs. the bottom two teams in the Big Ten standings. In Fact, the Hawkeyes’ last five games of the regular season will be against the bottom five of the league.
• Iowa boasts a perfect 10-0 record when allowing 59 points or less, are 15-2 when shooting a higher field goal percentage than its opponents and 15-1 when leading at halftime this season.
• Kachine Alexander, who stands 5-9, leads the Big Ten in rebounding, pulling down 9.7 per contest in 16 league games. Also, Alexander has attempted the most free throws of any Big Ten athlete (146) in 27 overall games.
• Iowa’s senior trio of Kristi Smith (1,393), Megan Skouby (1,389) and Wendy Ausdemore (1,276) is the first-ever senior class of three players in Big Ten history to each have eclipsed 1,250 points.
• Kristi Smith, Megan Skouby and Wendy Ausdemore have had good games against Illinois in their careers. Smith averages 11.4 points, including 11-20 from distance, and 3.4 assists in five starts vs. the Illini. Ausdemore averages 14.6 points, sinking all 14 free throw attempts, while Skouby averages 13.8 points and 4.3 rebounds.
• Kristi Smith has reached double figures a team-best 21 times this year, including the last 13 contests. Also, Smith has made 19-straight free throws, dating back to the Indiana game (Feb. 5).
• Kristi Smith’s 57 triples this season are a single-season best and tie Kristi Faulkner (2003-04) for second-best in school history by an Iowa senior.
• Kamille Wahlin ranks second in assists (3.0), fourth in scoring (8.0), rebounding (3.6) and 3-point field goal percentage (.400), amongst Big Ten freshmen, in conference games only rankings.
• Iowa has an RPI rating of 32nd in the country and strength of schedule of 28th. Iowa has four wins over teams in the RPI top-50, including two ranked in the top 25. Iowa’s lowest RPI-ranked loss this year came at Kansas (59) in its second game of the year. Illinois is rated 132nd in the RPI and 18th in strength of schedule. The numbers are based on the report published Feb. 23.
IOWA HANGS ON TO BEAT MICHIGAN
Iowa won its fourth-straight game Sunday with a 68-64 triumph at Michigan. The Hawkeyes led start-to-finish and led by as many as 16 points in the second half. Wendy Ausdemore tallied a game-high 19 points on 7-12 shooting from the field, including 3-6 from 3-point territory, and 2-2 from the foul line. Ausdemore has been on fire during Iowa’s four-game winning streak, draining 26-45 (.578) from the floor. Kristi Smith registered 13 points, while JoAnn Hamlin added nine. Three Hawkeyes grabbed eight rebounds each: Kachine Alexander, Megan Skouby and Wendy Ausdemore. Smith controlled a season-high seven boards. Despite not shooting the ball very well, Iowa won the game with defense and rebounding. The Hawkeyes boasted a +18 rebounding margin (50-32), allowing a season-low seven offensive rebounds to the Wolverines. Iowa grabbed a season-high 19 offensive rebounds. Iowa turned its second-chance opportunities into 14 points, to only four for Michigan.
MAKING THE FREEBIES
Iowa has done an outstanding job, recently, getting to the free throw line and taking advantage of the free shots. The Hawkeyes attempted an average of 18.7 free throws the last six games, including making 15.3 of those attempts. Iowa was 21-26 (.808) vs. Indiana, 26-32 (.813) vs. No. 13 Ohio State, 20-24 (.833) vs. Wisconsin, 11-14 (.786) at Penn State, 9-11 at Michigan and 5-5 (1.000) at Minnesota. Senior Megan Skouby ranks first in the conference and 29th nationally in free throw accuracy, shooting .846 (77-91). Wendy Ausdemore has missed only five free throw attempts this season (47-52, .904). Kachine Alexander has attempted more free throws than any other Big Ten student-athlete this season (146). The 146 are the most by a Hawkeye since Kristi Faulkner attempted 165 in 33 games during the 2002-03 campaign. The school record for free throw attempts is Amy Herrig’s 169, which she established in 1998-99. As a team, Iowa shoots .793 (391-493) from the charity stripe, ranking fourth in the nation. The Hawkeyes have made more free throws (391) than their opponents have attempted (389).
SENIOR DUO IN THE RECORD BOOKS
Seniors Kristi Smith and Wendy Ausdemore have their names all over the Hawkeye record books for 3-point shooting. Both Smith and Ausdemore are shooting at a 40.9 percent clip from 3-point territory. Ausdemore has converted 213-521 and Smith 177-433. Smith and Ausdemore’s career shooting accuracy from distance currently ranks second in the Big Ten and first in Hawkeye record books. Former Ohio State Buckeye Caity Matter (270-657, .411) ranks first. Former Hawkeye Lindsey Meder (261-644, .405) ranks fourth. Ausdemore’s 213 treys ranks second in Iowa annals behind Meder’s 261. Smith’s 177 triples rate third best. Last season, Ausdemore was 78-171 (.456), with her percentage ranking third in the nation, and first among players with over 150 attempts. Also, Ausdemore made a school-best 62 triples as a sophomore and 78 as a junior.
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