Hawkeyes Get Another Shot at Northwestern
THE SETTING
The No. 23/24 University of Iowa women’s basketball takes on Northwestern inside Welsh Ryan Arena in Evanston, Illinois, on Friday, Jan. 28. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. (CT) on B1G+.
Friday’s matchup marks the 76th meeting between the two teams. The Hawkeyes lead the series 57-18 and have won 11 of the last 15 matchups. Northwestern has won the last three meetings, including Iowa’s only Big Ten loss this season.
Northwestern is 11-7 overall and 3-4 in Big Ten play. The Wildcats have lost four of their last five games since they defeated Iowa, 77-69, on Jan. 6.
ON THE AIR
Radio: Iowa games are broadcast on the Hawkeye Radio Network. Rob Brooks (play-by-play) and Jamie Cavey Lang (color) call the action. Brooks is in his sixth year as the play-by-play announcer for the Iowa women’s basketball team. He has been Iowa football’s sideline reporter since 2004. Brooks has called seven different Iowa sports on radio or television. Lang is in her sixth year as Iowa’s color commentator. She lettered at Iowa from 2002-05. Lang finished her Hawkeye career with 1,265 points and 506 rebounds. She was a two-time All-Big Ten selection.
TV:
Friday’s contest will stream live on B1G+.
PROGRAM QUICK HITS
- The Hawkeyes finished the 2020-21 season 20-10 overall and 11-8 in Big Ten play, advancing to the Big Ten Tournament Championship game and the NCAA Sweet 16.
- The Hawkeyes finished the season ranked in the top-11 nationally in 11 statistical categories, including first in field goal percentage (51.3) and 3-point percentage (40.8), second in scoring offense (86.1), third in free-throw percentage (80.0), and fifth in assists per game (20.1).
- Head Coach Lisa Bluder and staff led Iowa to its 12th 20-win season over the last 14 seasons and 14th in Bluder’s tenure.
- Freshman Caitlin Clark earned consensus first team All-America status with honors from WBCA, USBWA, and The Athletic. Associated Press named Clark to their second team.
- Clark was named National Co-Freshman of the Year by The Athletic, USBWA, and the WBCA.She was also named the Dawn Staley Award recipient — an award that goes to the best guard in women’s basketball.
- In the Big Ten, Clark was named Freshman of the Year, unanimous first team All-Big Ten, unanimously selected to the all-freshman team. Junior Monika Czinano earned first team all-Big Ten honors. The pair were also named to the All-Big Ten Tournament team.
- Clark and Czinano led the country in seven statistical categories, including Czinano leading the country in shooting percentage (66.8) and Clark leading in points per game (26.6), total assists (214),
- Iowa has made 13 consecutive postseason appearances (11 NCAA, 2 WNIT) when a postseason tournament was held. The 2020 postseason was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
- The Hawkeyes have made a postseason tournament appearance in 19 of head coach Lisa Bluder’s 21 seasons at the helm of the program, receiving 14 NCAA Tournament and four WNIT (2003, 2005, 2016, 2017) bids, including eight Sweet 16 appearances — most recently in 2021.
- Bluder is one of six active Division I women’s head coaches to win 795 games or more in her career. She completes her 37th season as a head coach and 21st at Iowa in 2020-21.
- Bluder owns a 452-238 (.655) record and a 235-136 (.633) conference mark at Iowa. In her 37 seasons as a head coach, Bluder is 808-380 (.680).
- SCOUTING NORTHWESTERN
- Friday’s matchup marks the 76th meeting between the two teams. The Hawkeyes lead the series 57-18 and have won 11 of the last 15 matchups. Northwestern has won the last three meetings, including Iowa’s only Big Ten loss this season.
- Northwestern is 11-7 overall and 3-4 in Big Ten play. The Wildcats have lost four of their last five games since they defeated Iowa, 77-69, on Jan. 6.
- Two Wildcats average double-figure scoring, including senior guard Veronica Burton (16.9) and freshman forward Caileigh Walsh (10.0).
- Burton has tallied 73 steals in 18 games (4.1 per game) and averaged 6.1 assists and 5.4 rebounds per game. She ranks second in the nation in total steals, third in steals per game, fifth in free throws made (105), sixth in free throw attempts (124), eighth in assist turnover ratio (2.79), 11th in total assists (109) and 12th in assists per game (6.1).
- Senior forward Courtney Shaw nearly averages a double-double with 8.2 points and 9.7 rebounds per game.
- Shaw ranks eighth nationally in offensive rebounds per game (4.4) and Walsh ranks 36th in blocked shots (33) and 37th in blocked shots per game (1.94).
- Head coach Joe McKeown is in his 14th season at the helm of the Northwestern women’s basketball program. He currently ranks fourth among active Big Ten coaches in total wins. Additionally, McKeown has guided the Wildcats to eight winning seasons, shattering the win total in his first 13 years with the program (208).
