Iowa Women’s Basketball Team Set for Showdown with Buckeyes

By Kif Richmann

Last year the Iowa Hawkeye women’s basketball team made to the  championship game of the Big Ten Tournament.  They lost a heart-breaker to OSU.

Now the AP #21 Hawkeyes (13-3, 1-2) get a chance at payback, as they welcome the #20 Ohio State Buckeyes (10-4, 1-1) to Carver-Hawkeye Arena on Saturday.  Not only is this a big game in the Big Ten, it is also bobble-head night for Iowa’s star guard, Kachine  Alexander.

Tip off is scheduled for 3 pm, and the game will be featured nationally on CBS.

Iowa's Kachine Alexander will have her work cut out for her on her own bobblehead night. (photo via NCAA.com)

Iowa head coach Lisa Bluder talks about rivalry game with OSU

Bluder discusses slowing down Big Ten leading scorer and rebounder Jantel Lavender

Kachine Alexander on last year’s Big Ten championship and matchup against Samantha Prahalis

Ohio State’s offense starts with 6’4″ center Jantel Lavender, who leads the Big Ten in points-per-game (24.5) and total rebounds (158).   Keeping Lavender under control will fall to more than one player, as the Hawkeyes will likely put a double team on Lavender whenever possible.

Iowa’s 6’5″ center Morgan Johnson will likely shoulder most of the Lavender  duty, as Johnson is the only player on the Hawkeye roster taller than Lavender. Hawkeye fans should be enthusiastic about this matchup, as “Not in my House” Johnson is third in the Big Ten in blocks, averaging 2.4 per game.

On the perimeter, two of the best and most passionate competitors in college basketball will duel, as Iowa guard Kachine Alexander will face OSU’s Samantha Prahalis, a fiery and often opposing-fan-aggravating opponent.

Although Prahalis’ fierceness and passion has made her into a top guard in the Big Ten, she can be frustrated into making mistakes.  If Alexander can deter Prahalis enough, expect a turnover or two and even a possible foolish foul from Samantha.

As Iowa will have a tough interior challenge against a big Buckeye team, Bluder’s bunch will likely rely heavily on 3 point shooting.  Expect Iowa, which has attempted more 3 pointers than any Big Ten team (396), to live or die behind the arc. (FYI- #2 in Big Ten 3 pts attempted  is Michigan with 334, 62 less than the Hawks.)

Iowa will need shooters Jaime Printy, Kelly Krei and Kamille Wahlin to be on point in order to get past the Buckeyes.