The big contributors for the Hawkeyes were Senior guard Ally Disterhoft and Sophomore center Megan Gustafson. Disterhoft had 15 points, 4 assists, 3 rebounds and 2 steals while Gustafson had 12 points and 8 rebounds. But the biggest story of the night was Alexa Kastanek coming off the bench and shooting 7-11 from the field and 5-9 from deep, totaling in a game high, and Kastanek’s season high of 19 points.

The three were a big part of the Hawkeyes success. According to the stat sheet, they had an average game shooting 36%, but contrary to the “numbers never lie”

cliché, the 36% doesn’t tell the whole story. In the second and third quarters, Iowa was able to hit three after three to build their big lead, at one point going on a 17-0 run in which Kastanek hit 3 threes. Gustafson’s big game against South Dakota St. was a major reason why.

JR Payne said, “There was a focus on being able to contain (Gustafson)…obviously, that opened up the shooters.”

Defense was another area where the Hawkeyes shined, holding the Bison to 39% shooting from the floor and holding the first-team all-Pac-12 Sophomore Kennedy Leonard to just 2-14 shooting and forcing her into 6 turnovers. Turnovers were another positive for Iowa, creating 18 turnovers while giving up 14, 7 of them in the fourth quarter when the game was well in hand.

It was also a big win for Iowa’s head coach Lisa Bluder, who won the 699^th game of her career. She currently sits 29^th all time for women’s college basketball coaching wins. Both Bluder and her players were very happy with the crowd at Carver-Hawkeye last night.

“It means so much to us when people come out and help give us energy,” said coach Bluder after the game. “When we can bring some happiness, (the atmosphere) is really fun.”

The Hawkeyes hope to keep up their tournament run Sunday afternoon at 2 pm at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. It will be the Elite 8 of the WNIT tournament, and the Hawkeyes will play Washington St. (15-19), as they come off their win against UC Davis. A win for the Hawkeyes will be Bluder’s 700^th all-time win and mean a trip to the WNIT final four.

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Ally Disterhoft led the way for the Hawkeyes with 18 points and Melissa Dixon continued her remarkable season beyond the arc, hitting 4 of her 5 attempts to spark Iowa.

The game remained tight all through the first half, with the score tied at 36 heading into the half and five different lead changes. The second half was competitive, but Iowa never relinquished the lead once Dixon hit a three pointer just 31 seconds into the half.

“We got a couple more defensive stops,” Iowa guard Samantha Logic said. “We want to push out in transition and really attack the paint so that we can get some threes. Al [Disterhoft] shot the ball really well today for us, which really spreads the floor.”

American University came in riding an 11 game winning streak, champions of both the Patriot League regular season and tournament, and with the most wins in the program’s history. Not to mention, making its first NCAA appearance ever.

The early X-factor for American was Ari Booth, who came off the bench and went 4 of 5 on 3 point attempts. She totaled 14 points in the first half. She entered the afternoon averaging just 4.4 points per game. She provided 17 of American’s 22 bench points.

“I had a lot of space and if you give me that much space, I am going to shoot,” Booth said. “I was getting great screens from my post players and I just felt good about it. I had a clean look and was able to take it.”

Freshman Whiney Jennings bounced back strong after a combined 1-15 performance from the field during the Big Ten Tournament. She nailed the first three of the game en route to a 16-point performance.

“Whitney played really well,” Iowa Head Coach Lisa Bluder said. “We had some time off and she came back with a completely different attitude. Five players in double figures, I love that.”

There are some areas of concern for the Hawkeyes moving forward. For the second consecutive game Iowa was out rebounded, 32-26.

“We need to do a better job on the boards than we did today,” Bluder said. “We need to do a better job in transition defense. I always find thing we need to work on, but definitely those things we need to do a better job with.”

The Hawkeyes will have a tough matchup against Miami on Sunday. The Hurricanes are no strangers to highly ranked opponents with a win earlier this season against Notre Dame.

“They are a great team from a really good conference,” Bluder said. “We know we are going to have our work cut out for us on Sunday. Hopefully home court is going to help us out a little bit.”

Iowa and Miami (FL) will face off Sunday at 11 a.m. (CT) with the winner advancing to the Sweet 16.

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Bethany Doolittle had the first 4 points out of the gate for the Hawks. Disterhoft drained a three about 5 minutes into the game to put us ahead 11-8. They never gave the lead up. After a made layup by OSU, Sam Logic pushed the ball up the court, dribbled behind her back near mid-court crossing up her defender and making the layup, which accounted for two of her six points on the night.

After the Hawks went on a 19-2 run, Ohio State head coach drew a technical after barking at the official. At halftime Iowa was leading 41-29, Iowa was doing a good job of pushing it up court after made baskets and on OSU 14 turnovers.

The second half didn’t go as well as the first and I had just placed my bets in https://www.bettingnews.com/legal/nj/, as OSU had made some adjustments to getting back on defense which resulted in careless passes, dribbling turnovers, and some forced shots. The refs were lenient in the post-play which caused anger from both teams and the fans.

Ohio State made a second half surge leading heavily on their star players Kelsey Mitchell, the Big Ten’s leading scorer had 15 total and Alexa Hart who had 14. Ohio State was able to cut their once 20 point deficit down to 1 but were never able to get over the hump and take the lead.

Bethany Dolittle had a double-double with points(19) and rebounds(13), and Logic had 12 assists, 9 rebounds, 6 points and 7 turnovers. Dixon and Disterhoft had 6 rebounds apiece.  Ally Disterhoft scored the final 7 points to ice the game.   Final score: Iowa 73, OSU 65. Iowa Moves to 18-4 on the season and 9-2 in conference play.

Kali Peschel accounted for all of Iowa’s bench points(2).

Coach Bluder was asked about the turnover’s in the second half: “When you’ve been successful at it and been able to push(First half), it’s hard to pull back the reins a little bit… I never like turnovers, no matter when they are.

The Hawks play at Wisconsin on Sunday @ 2 P.M. on Big Ten Plus.

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Iowa City, IOWA- The University of Iowa Women’s Basketball team won its opening game of The Hawkeye challenge on Friday 97-68 over a pesky Pepperdine Waves squad.

Ally Disterhoft got The Hawks off to another quick start, scoring the team’s first five points en route to her fourth career double-double: she finished with 14 points and 10 rebounds.

However, The Lady Hawkeyes were challenged by The Waves in the first half as they were unable to pull away.

Pepperdine was able to knock down some tough contested shots as well as connect on the open looks they did have in order to stay within striking distance through the first half.

Iowa switched between man and an aggressive match-up zone defense throughout the game which kept Pepperdine guessing on their offensive end.

This isn’t the first time we’ve seen the aggressive zone from Iowa this year: it’s proving to be a viable second option on defense. However, the zone did allow for some open looks for Pepperdine. When they were able to skip the ball across the floor, they were able to get open jump shots.

In addition, Iowa failed to box out a handful of times out of the match-up zone which also lead to a couple easy baskets off of offensive rebounds for Pepperdine. The zone still has some question marks, but seems to be a serious speed bump for opposing offenses.

With Pepperdine proving to be more trouble than most figured they would, senior guard Samantha Logic took control and led the way for The Lady Hawkeyes. Logic led the transition offense time after time: creating open looks for her teammates as well as getting to the rim herself, resulting in points or a trip to the foul line.

Logic finished with 12 points on five of nine shooting in addition to her six rebounds and nine assists. After the game she spoke about carrying over the second half momentum from Friday into their Saturday rematch of the 2013 Hawkeye Challenge championship game vs. Dayton.

“Yeah, I mean, we’re going to have to ride that momentum because Dayton’s a really good basketball team,” said Logic. “They play a lot like us: like to push the ball in transition, get quick shots, everyone can score on their team. I think we can take away from the first half knowing we didn’t play well and still had a lead going into half time and then capitalized on a lot of things in the second half.”

Ally Disterhoft also explained what helped the Lady Hawkeye’s put away Pepperdine in the second half of Friday’s game. “We let the offense come to us, stopped trying to force things, looked to hit our teammates, worked the ball a little bit more than in the first half,” said Disterhoft.  “We played Iowa basketball: looking to make the extra pass. That’s how we like to play and it’s a fun way to play. I think we did that in the second half.”

Iowa’s ability to go ten players deep in a given game contributes to their up tempo, run and gun style we’ve grown accustomed to. It showed in the second half of Friday’s game: Pepperdine was unable to continuously sprint up and down with The Lady Hawkeyes and eventually fell by the wayside.

Freshman Whitney Jennings also had a cool five assists and zero turnovers off the bench. Fellow freshmen Chase Coley and Carly Mohns also joined the fun and contributed valuable minutes, points, and fresh bodies, off the bench. Coach Lisa Bluder claimed all of the freshman improved greatyl on Friday night.

Not to be forgotten is Senior Melissa Dixon, who, after being recognized for scoring one thousand points as a Hawkeye before the game, poured in a team high 20 points on 7-12 shooting: 6-11 from three.

Dixon’s ability to knock down the outside shot has propelled her into fourth all time in Iowa Women’s basketball history in three point shots made, passing Wendy Ausdemore last night.

Few teams in the nation have the ability to go up and down with The Lady Hawkeyes over a forty minute game. So long as they continue to utilize their depth, athleticism, and size they will be extremely tough to beat.

Iowa looks to defend its 2013 Hawkeye Challenge Championship on Saturday 7:30 p.m. at Carver vs. The Dayton Lady Flyers: Admission is free for all.

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Peschel was the leading scorer in the first half with 15 going 5 for 6 from the floor. Dixon hit four three’s in the first twenty minutes, joining the 1,000 point club.

Iowa controlled the boards in the first half only allowing four offensive rebounds to Robert Morris.

Peschel and Logic had six rebounds apiece in the first twenty. They held Robert Morris to 34% shooting in the first half while shooting 43%. At the half Iowa lead 42-31.

Christina Buttenham used her length to drive to the hop in the second half scoring with some tough layups over defenders, she ended up with 10 points.

Sam Logic led the team in rebounds with 14 along with 11 assists and 7 points just missing a triple-double.

Ally Disterhoft struggled from the floor shooting 3 for 10 but still contributed 8 points.

Bethany Doolittle had 12 points and 5 rebounds recording two blocks as well.

Whitney Jennings provided persistent   defense on the perimeter and pushed the ball extremely well up the court.

Robert Morris was led by crafty Anna Niki Stamolamprou but Robert Morris never got within 3 possessions in the second half.

Coach Bluder was very pleased with Peschel performance because she worked very hard in the summer to get where she was at today. Bluder gave Robert Morris a lot of credit with the great defensive effort they played against us.

Be sure to join us at Carver this Friday and Saturday for the Hawkeye Challenge, both games tip off at 7:30 P.M.

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IOWA CITY, Iowa.- The University of Iowa Women’s Basketball team opened its season Friday night with a 107-56 stomping of University of South Carolina Upstate.

Five players scored in double figures for the Lady Hawkeye’s lead by sophomore, Ally Disterhoft who totaled 19 points on seven of eight shooting.

Disterhoft lead the first half charge with 16 of her 19 coming in the first twenty minutes. The Lady Hawkeye’s played stifling defense holding the Lady Spartans to 23.3% shooting from the field and just 22 first half points.

Iowa was able to extend their lead by securing defensive rebounds and pushing the tempo up and down the floor: earning easy transition baskets time after time.

Bethany Doolittle was able to collect eight first half rebounds, and find Freshman guard Whitney Jennings with her outlet passes: Jennings lead break after break, facilitating the transition offense and forcing fouls leading to many easy scores.

Jennings, who played in her first ever regular season game for the Lady Hawkeye’s, wowed with her sound ball handling and array of passes. Jennings finished with just seven points (1-7 shooting) with five assists and four turnovers in her regular season debut, but her potential appears to be through the roof.

The Freshman was able to dribble out of any type of extended defensive pressure USC Upstate showed, and showed her ability to beat her defender off the dribble and get into the lane and create for her teammates. She also showed her impressive passing ability with a variety of sound post entries and kick outs to set up her teammates with good looks.

Perhaps Jennings played a little bit too sped-up in her first game, but her natural ability at point guard will allow her to impress for the next four years.

In addition to Doolittle’s rebounding prowess, she was able to run the floor on the break, with her teammates, and get good looks in the transition game as well.

It certainly appears as if The Senior’s back to the basket as well as mid range game has improved over the off season as she was able to score on face-up jump shots from ten feet as well as harass defenders on the low block earning easy looks: she finished with 15 points.

Reliable youth in Ally Disterhoft and Whitney Jennings coupled with the senior leadership of Bethany Doolittle and Samantha Logic will lead The Lady Hawkeye’s this season in which they should contend for the Big Ten Championship.

The Lady Hawk’s are on display again on Sunday, 2 p.m., at Carver against a Robert Morris University team that returns four starters from a team that made the tournament last year.

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Coach Bluder’s squad has been picked to finish 3^rd in their conference by the coaches’ preseason poll behind Final Four finalist Maryland and Michigan State.

Iowa has been a host for the first round of the NCAA tournament for the last two years.  Coach Bluder pointed out during her press conference that the rules have changed and the top 16 teams host the first round of the NCAA tournament.

One of the season goals for the Iowa women’s basketball team is to prove to the country that they are one of the best sixteen teams in the nation. To host one of the tournament games gives the fans an opportunity to come out to Carver and watch their performance in the NCAA tournament.

RETURNING PLAYERS

The Hawkeyes have four returning starters from last year, three of whom are seniors.

The first returner being senior Sam Logic, who has become one of the most talented players in the nation at guard.

Secondly, Bethany Doolittle a senior will occupy center, and be one of the premiere shot blockers in the conference.

Thirdly, Melissa Dixon also a senior, known as a three point specialist, will be back playing shooting guard.

Finally, Ally Disterhoft, the sophomore and Iowa City native, worked her way into the starting line-up half-way through the season at guard.

Sam Logic, a four year starter, looks to lead the Hawks to its 8^th straight tournament appearance. She has already shattered the assist record, but will continue to add to that this season.

Bethany Doolittle is 109 blocked shots away from tying the Iowa record held by Morgan Johnson. It will be a tough task but is attainable. It will be a great senior season from the center of Iowa.

The accolades does not change their style of play because of one common goal, winning as a team at the end of the day.

Ally Disterhoft will be expected to fill bigger shoes this season. She will take that challenge with great pride while doing anything to help the team win. Whether that’s getting an old fashion three point play or shooting from beyond the arc.

The other key players returning are Kathryn Reynolds (senior), Kali Peschel (junior), Nicole Smith (junior), Claire Till (junior), Alexa Kastanek (sophomore), and Hailey Schneden (sophomore) who will hold important roles this season.

Kathryn Reynolds is a great leader on and off the court and has graduated in three years and is starting her first year at Law school. Even though Reynolds stats are not significant as a guard, Bluder said, “When she talks, everybody listens.”

Nicole Smith a center did not play much last year with a right knee injury.  You should expect to see her healthy and more involved this year.

Claire Till the forward has not been able to practice much with her current knee problems she has been having. Coach Bluder mentioned, “Just being able to guard a five is a lot easier for Till than having to go out on the perimeter and having to close out on a driver.”

Alexa Kastanek played in 34 games last year as a freshman, and is expected to fill the same type of role as guard similar to last year.

Hailey Schneden a forward, who is a non-scholarship athlete played in 11 games last year.

INCOMING PLAYERS

The new incoming freshman are: Christina Buttenham, Chase Coley, Whitney Jennings, and Carly Mohns.

Christina Buttenham was named to the 2014 Canadian Junior Women’s National Team. She missed summer workouts because of that but is catching up quickly and will play a wing position.

Whitney Jennings was named Indiana Miss Basketball. As a guard she is a very fast ball handler with an excellent jumper and three point shot. Coach Bluder said, “I don’t know how you keep Whitney Jennings off the floor, and that’s a great problem to have, isn’t it?”

Chase Coley was the Gatorade player of the year in Minnesota. She gives more depth at the Center position and reminds Coach Bluder of a Freshman Bethany Doolittle.

Carly Mohns a forward, was a first team All-State honoree in Wisconsin. “She’s a great rebounder and that’s something Iowa really needed,” coach Bluder said.

Bluder talked about how other Big Ten teams take the non-conference schedule lightly. Under her leadership Iowa has never taken that route. This gives the Hawks a leg up on competition, because of the stiffer competition from non-conference opponents allows the team to be ready for the Big Ten schedule.

She feels the biggest improvements need to be made on defense and rebounding, because when you are playing an up tempo game, the defense will get a lot of chances to be scored on.

Lisa Bluder also gave her staff, which has been together for a long time, a great deal of appreciation since they bring multiple abilities that mesh well with each other to bring out the best in the players on and off the court.

Iowa plays St. Ambrose in an exhibition game on Sunday November 9^th at 3 p.m.

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The news of Nicole Smith’s injury is disheartening, especially considering the impact it will have on her season. Meniscus tears can be particularly tricky, often requiring not only surgical intervention but also a substantial recovery period.

In such cases, it’s vital for athletes to understand their rights and options, especially when their health and performance are on the line. This is where resources like the Elsner Law Firm can play a critical role. They specialize in personal injury cases and can provide athletes with the necessary legal guidance to navigate the complexities that injuries can bring, including potential compensation for lost playing time.

In the wake of such injuries, having the right equipment on hand can make a significant difference in the recovery process. For athletes, especially those in high-impact sports, a well-stocked sports first aid kit is an essential tool to manage and treat injuries effectively before medical professionals can provide further care. These kits typically contain a variety of supplies designed specifically for sports-related injuries, such as sprains, strains, cuts, bruises, and more.

The importance of quick and effective initial care cannot be overstated, as it can help minimize the long-term impact of an injury and facilitate a smoother recovery. For those seeking to equip their team or facility with reliable sports first aid kits, these cloth kits offer an excellent option. The cloth material is both durable and flexible, making it ideal for withstanding the rough demands of sports environments while also ensuring comfort and ease of use. These kits typically include all the necessary items for basic sports injury care, such as bandages, ice packs, antiseptic wipes, and splints.

The flexibility of the cloth allows the kit to fit into small spaces, making it portable and easy to store. Whether you’re treating a minor injury or providing immediate care for something more serious, having a well-organized, quality kit can be a game-changer in managing sports-related injuries efficiently and effectively.

The setback Nicole Smith faces highlights how injuries, particularly those requiring surgical intervention, can disrupt an athlete’s career and long-term plans. The road to recovery demands patience and proper medical care, but it’s equally crucial for athletes to be aware of the broader implications of such injuries, including potential missteps in treatment. In sports, where every detail matters, even a small oversight in medical care can significantly affect an athlete’s recovery and future performance.

One such concern involves treatments like intramuscular injections, which are often administered for pain relief, anti-inflammatory purposes, or to support recovery. However, an incorrect intramuscular injection can lead to severe complications, such as nerve damage, muscle atrophy, or infections. For athletes navigating these challenges, the guidance of a vaccine injury lawyer can be indispensable.

These professionals specialize in protecting the rights of individuals who have suffered adverse outcomes from medical procedures, ensuring they receive fair representation and potential compensation. Athletes like Nicole, dealing with both physical and legal hurdles, benefit from this expertise, safeguarding their health and future in sports.

Smith was the backup center, and the only depth with serious height besides Bethany Doolittle.  Now Bluder is going to try and have one of her power forwards take over the backup center duties in her absence.

“We are having Claire Till learn a lot of the five position for us, “ Bluder said, “obviously not the big bulky body you like to see at the five, but at the same time she’s tough.”

Till led the team in rebounding with nine in their exhibition, and played very well in the zone scheme at the five with her ability to get around the court.

The injury really does hurt Iowa’s ability to play against teams with any height, but in other aspects of the game it gives them an ability to open up some other parts of their game. Thanks to lawyers of https://www.sweetesq.com/, who helped claim most of the injury related medical bills.

Bluder said that Iowa is now with Till running the five going to go even more up-tempo and really try and use their mobility to their advantage. Samantha Logic is a great fit for running up and down in an offense with her ability to find assists off of the transition.

Iowa as a team assisted on 26 of 36 field goals in the exhibition and Bluder said this is the type of team that is going to have a higher field goal percentage.

“Our players know. They are going to pass up an average shot to bet a better shot by making one more pass.” Bluder said.

Ally Disterhoft is adapting to the one more pass mentality very well.  Multiple times she passed up a shot that would have been a guaranteed take her senior year and Iowa City West, but now embracing the one more has led to more opportunity for the freshman.

With Till moving to the five, now only Disterhoft and Kali Peschel will be available to play the four, perhaps allowing her to feel more comfortable in the position. Bluder said that Disterhoft would definitely see more minutes this weekend during the two home games for the Hawkeye challenge.

Another downside to the Smith injury is the fact that with the rule changes occurring and as teams commit more fouls as they get used to how the official’s call the game, Iowa may be forced to get Kathryn Reynolds back into the lineup sooner than they believed.

The other bright side of the injury, if there is another one is that it happened very early in the season. This allows Smith to potentially get back on the court in late January to gear up for a month of conference play and potentially Iowa’s sixth straight try at the NCAA tournament.

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Iowa gave Bethany Doolittle 16 shots, more than double the next most attempts for the Hawkeyes. If Iowa is going to succeed this year they’re going to have to get the ball inside early and often, something they did very well against the undersized Concordia Bears. Doolittle shot the ball 16 times without getting fouled, which downgrades it from an A, if she can get to the line as well as get good looks, Iowa should have a much easier time shooting outside as well.

Melissa Dixon was 4-of-5 from three-point range, including two within the first minute of the game to give Iowa a 6-0 lead. Dixon is going to be relied on heavily as well, she obviously isn’t going to shoot 80 percent from three all year, but taking five good shots is something she should aim for.

Defense: C+

Early Iowa struggled in rotating to the weak side consistently. This left Concordia only down by two when Iowa headed to the first media timeout. Struggling early against lesser competition is a recipe for disaster, especially against some of the teams Iowa will play in the non-conference. Concordia finished with 1 point per possession, an average number.

After Nicole Smith went out with an injury, there was a clear struggle with defensive rebounding. Box outs weren’t that great and Concordia ended the day with 15 offensive rebounds, far too many.

The zone was the bright spot for the day, in non-center lineups the zone was used consistently and brought pressure and good rotations. Concordia struggled heavily with the zone defense. The zone will have to become a staple if Smith is out for an extended period of time.

Coaching: A-

Lisa Bluder only has 11 players on her roster this year and with Smith going down, she crafted some great lineups that forced Concordia to play small ball alongside of them, something that Iowa will have a great time doing this year.

Bluder kept her four’s in a good rotation and comfortable enough. Kali Peschel and Claire Till were subbed at great times and Bluder did a good job keeping players out of foul trouble.

Overall: B

There was definitely some rust in their opener, but overall the Hawkeyes played well and showed some real promise. If Till can be consistent in the non-center lineups, the Hawkeyes can force some real mis-matches. We’ll get to see more of it in a real game situation on Friday against UC-Riverside.

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