WBB: Game #19 @ Iowa

[Row6Seat10]

#15 Nebraska Cornhuskers (15-3) at #18 Iowa Hawkeyes (15-3)

Monday, Jan. 26, 8 p.m.
Carver-Hawkeye Arena
 

 

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Hot Huskers Take Aim at Surging Hawkeyes Monday in Iowa City

 

Two of the Big Ten’s hottest teams go head-to-head Monday night, when No. 16 Nebraska clashes with No. 20 Iowa at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in a rematch of the 2014 Big Ten Championship Game.

 

Tip-off between the Huskers and the Hawkeyes in Iowa City is set for 8 p.m.

 

Nebraska, which won the 2014 Big Ten Tournament title with a 72-65 win over the Hawkeyes in Indianapolis, storms into Iowa riding a five-game winning streak. The Huskers ran to an impressive 89-72 win at Wisconsin on Thursday. The Big Red’s last three wins have been by double digits. Although senior starter Brandi Jeffery missed her first game of the season with a minor knee injury, the Huskers erupted for 53 first-half points against the Badgers. Jeffery is day-to-day and could return against Iowa.

 

Despite Jeffery’s injury, the Huskers are the healthiest they have been all season, and Nebraska’s young players are providing their most significant contributions of the year. Freshman guard Natalie Romeo started in place of Jeffery, producing nine points.

 

The experienced Hawkeyes, who join Nebraska in returning four starters from last season, are flying high. Iowa owns a four-game winning streak that includes a 76-70 home win over Michigan to improve to 11-0 at Carver-Hawkeye Arena this season. Iowa has won nine of its last 10 overall.

 

Nebraska leads the all-time series with Iowa, 12-7, including an 8-0 record as Big Ten Conference foes.

 

Probable Starters:

 

Nebraska Cornhuskers
3 - Hailie Sample - 6-1 - Sr. - F - 7.4 ppg
23 - Emily Cady - 6-2 - Sr. - F - 12.7
1 - Tear’a Laudermill - 5-9 - Sr. - G - 12.4
13 - Brandi Jeffery - 5-7 - Sr. - G - 8.3
33 - Rachel Theriot - 6-0 - Jr. - G - 17.1

 

Iowa Hawkeyes
2 - Ally Disterhoft - 6-0 - So. - G/F - 14.8 ppg
51 - Bethany Doolittle - 6-4 - Sr. - C - 11.7
21 - Melissa Dixon - 5-8 - Sr. - G - 15.9
22 - Samantha Logic - 5-9 - Sr. - G - 10.9
15 - Whitney Jennings - 5-5 - Fr. - G - 9.7

 

• Nebraska carries a five-game overall winning streak to Iowa. The Huskers have won eight straight games in the series with the Hawkeyes (all as Big Ten foes), including 3-0 in Iowa City. NU is 6-0 against Iowa as Big Ten foes in games outside of Lincoln, including 3-0 in the Big Ten Tournament.

• Nebraska ranked No. 27 in the official NCAA RPI on Jan. 23. Iowa ranked No. 13.
• Nebraska has won three straight Big Ten road games and is 6-2 on the road this season. Iowa is 11-0 at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

• Nebraska ranks No. 2 nationally with 12.2 personal fouls per game.

• Nebraska is leading the Big Ten with just 10.6 turnovers per game in conference play.

• Rachel Theriot enters the Iowa game with 983 career points and needs 17 to become the 30th 1,000-point scorer in Husker history.

• Rachel Theriot’s 425 career assists rank sixth in Husker history. She needs 19 more to catch former Husker and current Nebraska assistant coach Amy Stephens.

• Emily Cady’s 1,283 career points rank No. 16 in Husker history. She needs one point to catch Janet Smith in 15th.

• Tear’a Laudermill is Nebraska’s No. 1 active career three-point shooter with 133 makes to rank seventh on the Husker career list. She needs 12 threes to catch Kate Galligan in sixth.

 

GAME NOTES:

 

 

                              

[Row6Seat10]

Got to be getting frustrating for Iowa sophomore Alexa Kastanek. The Lincoln Southeast grad has only seen 8 minutes of playing time in the last four games for Iowa. Those kind of minutes are equivalent to say a Jasmine Cincore here. Bluder said in a recent interview that she hopes Kastanek can get more involved and give them more going forward.  

 

Not exactly what she had hoped for when she thought she was "all everything" committing to Iowa on tv a few years ago. 

What's the odds on this being her last year in Iowa City?

[huskerchode]

I have noticed that she sure isn't getting much playing time this year. I honestly felt she was a stronger player in HS than her older sister was. Do you think she would transfer to a D II so that she could play right away?

[Row6Seat10]

She gets along well with her teammates so it would be really hard for her to leave. I'd think she'd look at D-1 though if she decided to go another direction.

[Bugeaters1]

Got to be getting frustrating for Iowa sophomore Alexa Kastanek. The Lincoln Southeast grad has only seen 8 minutes of playing time in the last four games for Iowa. Those kind of minutes are equivalent to say a Jasmine Cincore here. Bluder said in a recent interview that she hopes Kastanek can get more involved and give them more going forward.  

 

Not exactly what she had hoped for when she thought she was "all everything" committing to Iowa on tv a few years ago. 

What's the odds on this being her last year in Iowa City?

she's a sophomore right.

[redsteve]

This will be a tough one.

 

The bench will have to step up, and play in all phases.  Scoring, rebounding, no turnovers, ...you name it.

 

We can't let our starters run out of gas...but I'm sure they'll be up for it. They'll need to go hard every minute of the game.

 

The fact that we've had multiple players scoring well (3s)...should help make the Iowa defense play more straight up.....but they still may have a shadow for Rachel.  The inside could be a little more open if Iowa is defending the 3

 

I'm pickin the Big Red

[Row6Seat10]

Bluder was pleading with fans to come to the game in her last press conference as she's worried about the late start and a bunch of no-shows showing up. So what do they do to compensate?

 

Instead of the usual $12 for a ticket they're now reduced to $1 for adults and kids can get in free for this game only.  

[Row6Seat10]

Eight times, Iowa has stepped on the basketball court against the Nebraska women’s basketball team since the Cornhuskers joined the Big Ten.

 

Eight times, the Hawkeyes have exited with a loss.

 

The teams meet at 8 p.m. today and with six of its next eight games away from Carver-Hawkeye Arena, Iowa needs a win to maintain sole possession of second place in the conference race.

 

The 20th-ranked Hawkeyes are 11-0 at home this season and have won 13 consecutive regular-season games on their home court since losing to the Cornhuskers 80-67 on Feb. 1 last season.

 

“They’ve been our nemesis,’’ Iowa coach Lisa Bluder said.

 

 

Hawkeyes look to end Huskers' hex

[whoopdeedoo]

i am hoping this game turns into a defensive battle rather than offensive. i hope jeffrey is ready to go, but, i wouldn't push her. getting her healthy for the rest of the season is the most important thing.

[Row6Seat10]

Iowa attempts to slay dragon against Nebraska

 

 

Senior point guard and team captain Sam Logic has accomplished just about everything she could hope for in a college basketball career.

 

Numerous All-Conference, All-Region, and All-American awards, both sports and academic, have come the 5-9 Logic’s way in her outstanding four years at Iowa.

 

But for all the personal accolades and awards, there are still two things the all-time leader in career assists as a Hawkeye has yet to accomplish. One is a Big Ten championship. The other is a victory over Nebraska.

 

And while Logic and the Hawks won’t have a crack at the former for a few more months, the latter is ripe for the taking.

In her final season as a Hawkeye, Logic and the Hawkeyes hope to best a Nebraska squad they have never beaten since the Huskers joined the Big Ten in 2011.

 

“They’ve been our nemesis,” head coach Lisa Bluder said. “They’ve really given us fits in the past. Luckily, we’ve gotten them at home, and we’re doing everything we can to get a  Monday night crowd.”

 

Calling it a David and Goliath tale may be a bit of a stretch.

 

After all, the Hawkeyes are off to their best conference start in close to 20 years. At 6-1, they’re in sole possession of second place, two spots ahead of the Huskers.

 

And yet in the Black and Gold have never topped Big Red in Big Ten play, Logic’s whole career. In fact, the Huskers have won the last eight meetings against the Hawkeyes, including three times in Carver-Hawkeye.

 

“If you’re a competitor, you want to play in those games for sure, “ Logic said. “You definitely don’t want to be losing to one team so much, but I’m competitive in every game. I’m not really sure how much extra it brings out in me, but we’ll be ready for them Monday night.”

[Bugeaters1]

The more I watch Illinois the less impressive White is.

[huskerchode]

I watched about the last 10 minutes of that game. It looked to me like she was struggling to get up and down the court. Did she get many rebounds? I was not impressed with anyone on the Illinois team at all. He barely played the bench.

[Tinpanalley]

Brandi has a quick three rebounds.

[huskerchode]

And she has gotten people to foul her, which may be a good strategy in this game.

[Bugeaters1]

I watched about the last 10 minutes of that game. It looked to me like she was struggling to get up and down the court. Did she get many rebounds? I was not impressed with anyone on the Illinois team at all. He barely played the bench.

He played one off the bench. Huskers have Logic frustrated all ready.

[Tinpanalley]

Cady has 8 points and 7 rebounds in first 10 minutes. Can you say double double? Maybe before half time!

[Bugeaters1]

Em came to play tonight now if some of the other shots fall

[huskerchode]

I feel like we should be up 20, but we aren't.

[Bugeaters1]

I like that Romeo kid and the Smith kid and well you get the point.

[Tinpanalley]

Chandler Smith playing great defense, blowing up back to back possessions of the Hawkeyes.

[huskerchode]

Ha ha Jeff! "Halie Sample looks like a sleeping bag out there!"

[NUtball]

Logic has at least 3-4 blatant, uncalled fouls already.  Must be nice to hack with impunity.

[Bugeaters1]

I sure hope Iowa goes back to the that zone

[Tinpanalley]

Cady got her double double in the first half. We have to play better offensively if we want to win this won. Went the last three minutes without scoring.

[huskerchode]

Maybe it will get called in the second half. But we need to hit some shots. I doubt Iowa will continue to shoot this poorly in the second half.