As someone that follows the lady Hawks pretty closely, this has been an amazing season.
The young Hawkeyes lost three players to injury (center JoAnn Hamlin and forwards Theairra Taylor and Hannah Draxten) and started the big 10 season 1-6, a Hawkeye worst in 28 years. Throw in an injury to Kachine Alexander and Iowa having zero seniors in the rotation and it appeared a disaster season was underway. It was not and would become anything but.
Sitting at 1-6 Iowa was off to Illinois for a tough game and a loss would put them at 1-7 in conf. Wahlin was coming off back spasms and it it did not look good going into this game. Instead, this game would become a team effort as all five starters scored in double digits led by Jamie Printy dropping in 22 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists. Iowa got the win 74-65. The Hawks got back to back home games against NW and Purdue and exploded. Iowa knocked off NW 78-69 at Carver and came out blazing against the Boilermakers jumping out to a 19-1 start and never looking back. All of a sudden Iowa was sitting at 4-6 in league play and starting to get a little momentum.
Next, Iowa (4-6) was off to OSU for a brutal road game. Despite Iowa playing lights out they did not have enough to handle the best team in the big 10, falling just short 86-82. Iowa bounced right back with a home game against an equally hot MSU team. Iowa again had a tremendous team effort as four starts scored in double figures led by Kachine's 23 points and 10 rebounds. The Hawks would then put together a 4 game winning streak with follow up wins at Indiana, and home against Illinois and Minnesota to get to 8-7 in league play, above .500 in league play for the first time in the season.
The Hawks would drop the next one at NW before two fantastic wins to finish the season, handling Indiana with ease and battling a very good Wisconsin team on the road before winning in overtime to finish the conference season at 10-8, winning 9 of 11 to squarely land on the NCAA bubble.
At this point, people were finally taking notice, the post season awards started coming in. Bluder was named Big 10 coach of the year by the media. Freshman standout Jamie Printy freshman of the year by (coaches and media), Kachine Alexander 1st team all big 10 by the coaches (2nd team by media) and picked to the all defensive team with Kamille Wahlin a 3rd team all big10 selection (coaches and media).
The Hawkeyes were not done, sitting at 17-12 (10-8) overall, Iowa had to win at least one big 10 tourney game to have any NCAA tourney shot, with 2 to really nail down a spot. Iowa responded. The Hawks battled Penn St in a very tough game to secure an opening round win. As we all saw yesterday, Iowa would have to knock off a top 20 MSU team to lock up a NCAA spot for thus young Hawkeye team. Despite an off shooting night (6-23 from 3 point land) and 22 turnovers the Hawkeyes outfought MSU in an absolute dog fight to secure a NCAA berth and spot in the Big 10 title game against a top 10 Buckeye team.
Iowa will have a very tough game today against the Buckeyes, Iowa will not be picked to win this game by many, if anyone. Why not though? Iowa has battled and battled over the last 13 games, winning 11 of those. This team has ice in their veins and refuses to go down. Watch the Hawks come out today and shoot the ball very well. I am picking the Hawks 79-74 and look forward to seeing this group of ladies hold up the Big 10 tourney trophy. Iowa has already pulled off one of the most amazing turnarounds in basketball...this would be the absolute icing on the cake. Good luck to Lisa Bluder and Co. today. What a season!
The young Hawkeyes lost three players to injury (center JoAnn Hamlin and forwards Theairra Taylor and Hannah Draxten) and started the big 10 season 1-6, a Hawkeye worst in 28 years. Throw in an injury to Kachine Alexander and Iowa having zero seniors in the rotation and it appeared a disaster season was underway. It was not and would become anything but.
Sitting at 1-6 Iowa was off to Illinois for a tough game and a loss would put them at 1-7 in conf. Wahlin was coming off back spasms and it it did not look good going into this game. Instead, this game would become a team effort as all five starters scored in double digits led by Jamie Printy dropping in 22 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists. Iowa got the win 74-65. The Hawks got back to back home games against NW and Purdue and exploded. Iowa knocked off NW 78-69 at Carver and came out blazing against the Boilermakers jumping out to a 19-1 start and never looking back. All of a sudden Iowa was sitting at 4-6 in league play and starting to get a little momentum.
Next, Iowa (4-6) was off to OSU for a brutal road game. Despite Iowa playing lights out they did not have enough to handle the best team in the big 10, falling just short 86-82. Iowa bounced right back with a home game against an equally hot MSU team. Iowa again had a tremendous team effort as four starts scored in double figures led by Kachine's 23 points and 10 rebounds. The Hawks would then put together a 4 game winning streak with follow up wins at Indiana, and home against Illinois and Minnesota to get to 8-7 in league play, above .500 in league play for the first time in the season.
The Hawks would drop the next one at NW before two fantastic wins to finish the season, handling Indiana with ease and battling a very good Wisconsin team on the road before winning in overtime to finish the conference season at 10-8, winning 9 of 11 to squarely land on the NCAA bubble.
At this point, people were finally taking notice, the post season awards started coming in. Bluder was named Big 10 coach of the year by the media. Freshman standout Jamie Printy freshman of the year by (coaches and media), Kachine Alexander 1st team all big 10 by the coaches (2nd team by media) and picked to the all defensive team with Kamille Wahlin a 3rd team all big10 selection (coaches and media).
The Hawkeyes were not done, sitting at 17-12 (10-8) overall, Iowa had to win at least one big 10 tourney game to have any NCAA tourney shot, with 2 to really nail down a spot. Iowa responded. The Hawks battled Penn St in a very tough game to secure an opening round win. As we all saw yesterday, Iowa would have to knock off a top 20 MSU team to lock up a NCAA spot for thus young Hawkeye team. Despite an off shooting night (6-23 from 3 point land) and 22 turnovers the Hawkeyes outfought MSU in an absolute dog fight to secure a NCAA berth and spot in the Big 10 title game against a top 10 Buckeye team.
Iowa will have a very tough game today against the Buckeyes, Iowa will not be picked to win this game by many, if anyone. Why not though? Iowa has battled and battled over the last 13 games, winning 11 of those. This team has ice in their veins and refuses to go down. Watch the Hawks come out today and shoot the ball very well. I am picking the Hawks 79-74 and look forward to seeing this group of ladies hold up the Big 10 tourney trophy. Iowa has already pulled off one of the most amazing turnarounds in basketball...this would be the absolute icing on the cake. Good luck to Lisa Bluder and Co. today. What a season!
