Iowa and Minnesota to Clash on Sunday

THE SETTING

The Iowa Hawkeyes (14-8, 7-4) travel to Minneapolis, MN, this weekend to take on the Minnesota Golden Gophers (16-6, 8-3).  Tip-off is scheduled for 2:06 p.m. in Williams Arena.  Iowa enters Sunday’s clash winners of six of its last seven games, while Minnesota has won five of its last six.  Minnesota is in third place in the Big Ten standings, while Iowa is in sixth.  The Hawkeyes are only one-half game behind fourth-place teams Purdue and Indiana and one full game behind the third-place Golden Gophers.

 

SCOUTING MINNESOTA

Beginning Sunday, Minnesota will play two of its next three games at home, where it boasts a 10-1 home record.  The Golden Gophers’ lone home setback came to South Dakota State (65-55 on Dec. 9).  Four of Minnesota’s last seven victories have come by four points or less, including a two-point (63-61) road triumph at Penn State Thursday night.  Minnesota senior Emily Fox led all scorers with 22 points, shooting 10-14 from the field.  The Golden Gophers shot 7-17 (.412) from distance, while the Lady Lions were just 3-11 (.273) from behind the 3-point arc.  Fox averages a team-best 12.8 points and 2.2 steals.  Junior Katie Ohm averages 10.3 points and has drained a team-best 57-137 (.416) from 3-point range.  Ellis-Milan averages 11.9 points and a team-best 8.0 rebounds.  Minnesota boasts a +6.6 scoring margin and +1.2 rebounding margin.  The Golden Gophers shoot 72.5 percent from the free throw line and 40 percent from the field.  Minnesota ranks first in the league in 3-point field goal percentage (.362) and third in rebounds allowed (34.0), steals (8.95) and 3-pointers made (6.09).  Pam Borton is in her 10th season (217-113, .658) as a head coach, including her sixth year on the Golden Gopher sidelines (148-67, .688).

 

ALL-TIME SERIES

Sunday will be the 61st meeting between the two schools.  Iowa owns a commanding 40-20 advantage in the all-time series.  The Hawkeyes also hold a 16-11 edge in games played at Minneapolis.  Four of the last five games have been decided by three points or less, including two going to overtime.  The Hawkeyes have won three straight in the series, including two consecutive in Williams Arena.  The Golden Gophers’ last win over the Hawkeyes was an 80-78 overtime thriller on Jan. 25, 2007, in Iowa City.  Minnesota’s last victory over Iowa in Minneapolis (81-50) was on Feb. 3, 2005.

 

LAST MEETING

In the last meeting between Iowa and Minnesota, the Golden Gophers outrebounded the Hawkeyes, 42-27, but still lost by 17 points (74-57).  Iowa collected 19 assists and shot 52 percent from the field, including a staggering 62.5 percent in the final 20 minutes.  JoAnn Hamlin tallied 21 points and 10 rebounds, while Kristi Smith added 20 points and four assists to lead Iowa.  Minnesota was led by Kiara Buford (12 points) and Ashley Ellis-Milan (11 points, 10 rebounds).  The Hawkeyes held Emily Fox, Minnesota’s leading scorer, to only four points on 2-11 shooting from the field.  Starter Katie Ohm netted just three points in only 12 minutes of action.

 

HOMECOMING

Iowa has three current players on its roster who hail from the state of Minnesota: Kachine Alexander (Minneapolis), Hannah Draxten (Fergus Falls) and Kamille Wahlin (Crookston).  Both Draxten and Wahlin said that multiple charter buses are planning on making the trip to Minneapolis Sunday to watch the game.  Iowa will add one more Minnesotan to its roster next season: Theairra Taylor (St. Paul).

 

AUSDEMORE LIKES PLAYING MINNESOTA

Wendy Ausdemore’s last two games at Minnesota have been tremendous.  In the last two games at Williams Arena, Ausdemore averaged 19.5 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.0 assists.  She shot 76.5 percent (13-17) from the field, 72.7 percent (8-11) from 3-point range and 100 percent (5-5) from the foul line.  She drained four triples in each of her last two games at Minnesota.

 

IOWA HOLDS ON IN TWO-POINT WIN OVER INDIANA

Iowa won its sixth game in seven tries Thursday night with a 69-67 triumph over Indiana in Carver-Hawkeye Arena at Iowa City.  The Hawkeyes led by 13 points with three minutes remaining in the contest.  Indiana mounted a furious comeback to cut its double-digit deficit to only two points multiple times under a minute to go, but Iowa sank its free throws down the stretch to preserve the win.  Wendy Ausdemore paced the Hawkeyes, scoring 20 points and grabbing seven rebounds.  Kamille Wahlin contributed 10 points, seven rebounds and a game-high five assists, while Kristi Smith tallied 17 points.  Iowa shot 57 percent (12-21) from the floor in the second half and 44 percent (22-50) for the game.  The Hoosiers shot 28 percent (21-75) from the field, attempting 25 more field goals that the Hawkeyes.  Indiana’s Jamie Braun led all scorers with 21 points, netting 14 second-half points.  Jori Davis, Indiana’s second-leading scorer, was held without a point and fouled out at the 7:00 mark of the second half.

 

ON THE HORIZON

The Hawkeyes return home to host nationally-ranked Ohio State next Thursday.  Tip-off is slated for 7:05 p.m. in Carver-Hawkeye Arena.  Thursday will be the only regular season meeting between the two schools.