Coatney's Call: Iowa Preview

#16 Nebraska at #20 Iowa
Monday, Jan. 26, 8 p.m. (central)
Carver-Hawkeye Arena (Iowa City, Iowa)
TV: BTN (Eric Collins, Mary Murphy)
Radio: Husker Sports Network (Matt Coatney-PBP; Jeff Griesch-Analyst)
107.3 FM, Lincoln; 93.3 FM, Omaha; 880 AM, Lexington; 1450 AM, Beatrice; 1230 AM, Hastings; 94.1 FM, Scottsbluff; 1340 AM, Sidney; 93.9 FM, McCook; 1400 AM, Ainsworth

Internet: Free live audio on Huskers.com

I know Tear’a Laudermill is very proud of being from the Los Angeles area, but there’s something about the Kohl Center in Madison that makes me think she might have strong ties to Wisconsin. After scoring 21 points against the Badgers in that building last season, Tee emerged from a shooting slump to hit four first-half three-pointers in last Thursday night’s 89-72 Nebraska women’s basketball win at Wisconsin. Laudermill scored 18 of her game-high 24 points in the first half and senior forward Emily Cady posted her seventh double-double this season with 19 points and 12 rebounds to lead NU.

With the win, the Huskers improved their overall record to 15-3 and stretched their winning streak to five games. Next up for NU is the finale of a two-game road swing as they travel to Iowa City to face the Hawkeyes in a rematch of last season’s Big Ten Tournament Championship Game.

Iowa and Nebraska. When you say those three words in relation to women’s basketball, it’s easy to conjure up images of important games, games with a lot of scoring and in the last three seasons, a lot of Nebraska wins. Even though Iowa has been NU’s opponent more than any other Big Ten team since the Huskers joined the league in 2012, NU has dominated the series, winning all eight meetings when the teams have been conference foes.

In 2012, future WNBA first-round draft pick Lindsey Moore led Nebraska back from an eight-point second half deficit with 24 points and 11 assists in an exciting 77-72 win at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in the first game between the two schools as fellow league members. Later that season, NU snapped Iowa’s eight-game winning streak, rallying back from a nine-point second-half deficit to defeat the Hawkeyes 80-68 in the Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals in Indianapolis. It was the Huskers’ third win in three tries against Iowa that season.

In 2013, Jordan Hooper scored 29 points and Nebraska held off a furious rally to defeat the Hawkeyes 76-75 in a thriller in Iowa City. NU completed another 3-0 season series against Iowa that season with a 76-61 win in the Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals in Hoffman Estates, Ill.

Last year, Nebraska rolled to an 80-67 win at Iowa in the only regular-season game between the two teams. Laudermill had four three-pointers and a then-career high 26 points. The two teams met for a third straight season in the Big Ten Tournament, with Nebraska winning their first-ever post-season conference tournament title, 72-65 over Iowa in Indianapolis. Husker point guard Rachel Theriot had a game-high 24 points and was named the Big Ten Tournament’s Most Valuable Player.

No. 20 Iowa is on a four-game winning streak and has won nine of the last 10 games. The Hawkeyes are 15-3 on the season and are alone in second place in the Big Ten standings with a 6-1 mark, which is their best conference start through seven games since the 1997-98 season. Their only league loss was a 73-61 setback at Illinois on Jan. 8.

Iowa is undefeated (11-0) at Carver-Hawkeye Arena this year and is 25-4 at home since the start of last season. The Hawkeyes are going to score, and score in bunches. Their 78.2 point scoring average last year was a school record and they currently rank 15th in scoring average nationally (78.1 ppg). They rank ninth among NCAA Division I teams in three-point field goal percentage (.383), 17th in overall field goal percentage (.455) and 21st in three-point field goals per game (7.9).

While the offensive numbers are gaudy, the Hawkeyes rank just 12th in the Big Ten in rebound margin (-4.4 rpg) and scoring defense (67.9 ppg). Iowa is 14-0 this season when scoring 70 or more points and 15-1 when three of more players score in double figures. All five Iowa starters scored in double figures in last Thursday night’s 76-70 win over Michigan in Iowa City.

Iowa is led by 5-9 senior All-American point guard Samantha Logic. She leads the Big Ten and ranks fifth nationally in assists (7.0 apg). She registered her 26th career double-double with 13 points and 11 assists in Thursday’s win over Michigan. Logic averages 10.9 points per game and a team-leading 6.8 rebounds.

Fellow senior guard Melissa Dixon is leading the nation in three-point field goals per game (3.83) and is 14th in three-point field goal percentage (.451). She averages a team-leading 15.9 points per game and is Iowa’s all-time leader in three-pointers and fifth in Big Ten Conference history (279).

Sophomore Ally Disterhoft was the 2013 Iowa High School Player of the Year and has stayed in her hometown to play collegiately. She has started the last 35 games and averages 14.8 points per game. Iowa is 28-7 when Disterhoft starts, and she has scored in double figures in 32 of those 35 games.

Bethany Doolitle, a 6-4 senior center, is third all-time in Hawkeye history in blocked shots and set a single-season school record last year with 106 rejections. She averages 11.7 points and 6.7 rebounds per game.

Freshman Whitney Jennings, a 5-5 guard, rounds out Iowa’s probable starting lineup. The 2014 Indiana High School Player of the Year, Jennings has started the last 11 games and averages 9.7 points per contest.

Lisa Bluder is the winningest coach in Iowa history. Now in her 15th season with the Hawkeyes, Bluder’s 31-year career includes head coaching stints at St. Ambrose and Drake, where she was a frequent Missouri Valley Conference opponent of current Nebraska Head Coach Connie Yori, who spent 10 years as the head coach at Creighton.

I cordially invite you to join Jeff Griesch and me for Nebraska women’s basketball on the Husker Sports Network. Our radio broadcast Monday begins with the pre-game show at 7:45 p.m. (central) with the tip-off scheduled for 8:00 p.m. on the Husker Sports Network including KBBK (B107.3) in Lincoln, KFFF 93.3 in Omaha, KRVN 880 in Lexington, KWBE 1450 in Beatrice, KHAS 1230 in Hastings, KNEB 94.1 in Scottsbluff, KSID 1340 in Sidney, KSWN 93.9 in McCook, KBRB 1400 in Ainsworth, and many others. Monday night’s game is available for free on the TuneIn Radio app on your tablet or phone. Search for the IMG Husker Sports Network. All Husker women’s basketball broadcasts are also available for free worldwide on the internet at www.huskers.com. I hope you can join us.

There are a number of ways to get enhanced information about our broadcast and Husker women’s basketball via social media. You can learn more about the team on the Nebraska Women’s Basketball Facebook page or follow the team on their official Twitter page @huskerswbb. I also invite you to friend me on Facebook (Matt Coatney) or follow me on Twitter @coatman1.

Go Big Red!

Matt