[Herky] Hawks go down to Minnesota at Big10

[Suzanne Bailey]

*INDIANAPOLIS --*Megan Gustafson 
<http://hawkeyesports.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=8538>was Megan Gustafson 
<http://hawkeyesports.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=8538>and then some on Friday 
at Bankers Life Fieldhouse, but the fifth-seeded University of Iowa 
women's basketball team came up one point short in the quarterfinals of 
the Big Ten Tournament.

Fourth-seeded Minnesota made a defensive stand with 10.4 seconds 
remaining to edge the Hawkeyes, 90-89, to end Iowa's run in Indianapolis.

Gustafson displayed why she was the Big Ten Player of the Year, scoring 
a career-best, a Big Ten Tournament record, and an Iowa school and 
tournament record 48 points.  She also grabbed 15 rebounds to record her 
27th double-double of the season.

The Wisconsin native made 19-of-26 field goals and 10-of-12 free throws 
in the game.  The 19 field goals are also a Big Ten Tournament, school, 
and Iowa Big Ten Tournament records.

"Yesterday I didn't contribute as much as I normally do, and I think 
that gave me a little bit of extra motivation," said Gustafson of her 
12-point performance on Thursday against Northwestern.

"I have to thank my guards, they gave me great passes inside and I was 
able to work on my feet and get in good position. I knew this was going 
to be a great game, Minnesota is a great team, and I knew I needed to 
step up."

The Hawkeyes played from behind for much of the game, trailing by as 
many as 10 points in the second half before fighting their way back to 
tie the game at 61.

Iowa took a 65-63 lead into the fourth quarter and pushed its lead to 
five twice -- the first coming on a Makenzie Meyer 
<http://hawkeyesports.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=8539>3-pointer six seconds 
into the fourth.  The final seven minutes was a seesaw with two ties and 
seven lead changes.

The Hawkeyes trailed 90-87 with 52 seconds left when Kathleen Doyle 
<http://hawkeyesports.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=8537>'s wraparound layup 
pulled Iowa to within one with 35 seconds to play.  The Hawkeyes were in 
a position to win in regulation after Minnesota's Carlie Wagner turned 
the ball over with 10.4 seconds to play.

With the game in the balance, Iowa inbounded the ball to Doyle, who went 
3/4 of the floor under intense defensive pressure. Minnesota forced 
Doyle to give the ball up to sophomore Amanda Ollinger 
<http://hawkeyesports.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=8541>, who's 3-point attempt 
was off the mark.

"We were hoping to get a fast-break down the court," said Meyer, who was 
the only other Hawkeye in double figures with 13 points. "Kathleen did a 
good job of getting past her defender, we were trying to get the ball to 
Megan if we had the opportunity.

"She was covered heavily and Minnesota had a good defensive stop, and we 
didn't get a good opportunity."

Iowa had a higher field goal percentage (54.1 to 43.8), won the 
rebounding battle (41-34), and made six more free throws (18-12), but 
turnovers plagued the Hawkeyes.  Iowa coughed up the ball 19 times, 
leading to 17 Minnesota points.

Minnesota grabbed the early momentum, storming out to an 8-0 lead before 
the Hawkeyes fought back to take a 13-12 lead. The Gophers then went on 
a 13-5 spurt to go up 25-17 at the end of the first quarter.

Iowa fell behind by as many as 12 points (33-21) before Gustafson took 
over. The forward scored nine points during a 12-0 run and Alexis 
Sevillian <http://hawkeyesports.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=8542>added a 
3-pointer to tie the game at 33.

Iowa trailed 42-39 at the half despite a 26-point half from Gustafson -- 
the most of her career.

Four Gophers landed in double digits with Wagner leading the way with 27 
points.  Kenisha Bell had 26 points and nine assists.

*QUOTING COACH BLUDER*
"This was a hard fought game by both teams. Both teams played really 
hard out there. You get down to a one-point game and we're 19 
possessions down, they have 80 shots, we have 61. It was amazing we were 
in the game but we were because of our strong shooting.  As a whole the 
team shot the ball well, we just needed one more defensive stop."

*OH MY MEGAN*

  * Gustafson's 48-point outburst breaks Iowa's school record of 46
    points held by Crystal Smith in 2005.  It also tops Kelsey
    Mitchell's Big Ten Tournament record of 43 points and shatters
    Iowa's Big Ten Tournament record of 28 points by Tangela Smith in 1998.
  * Gustafson scored 48 points -- her Iowa teammates finished with 41.

*OF NOTE...*

  * Minnesota had a 17-2 advantage in fast-break points and had 13
    offensive rebounds to Iowa's six.
  * The loss snaps Iowa's eight-game winning streak that dated back to
    Jan. 28.


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