(ORIGINAL PHOTO CREDIT: Melanie Maxwell, annarbor.com)
What's better than winning five Big Ten games in a row? Winning six Big Ten games in a row, a feat the Iowa women accomplished in dramatic fashion on Thursday night against Michigan. They started the game a ghastly 2/20 (!) from the field, didn't crack double-digits until almost the five-minute mark of the first half, and trailed by as many as 16 points in the second half. In fact, they didn't lead the game at all until Kamille Wahlin made the game-winning three-pointer with 0:46 left in the game. To call this win improbable makes a mockery of that word.
Wahlin led the team in scoring (18 points) and played the entire 40 minutes. But freshman point guard Samantha Logic also deserves some plaudits: she added 12 points, a team-high 4 assists, and oh yeah, a team-high 18 rebounds. From the point guard spot. It was her second-straight points-rebounds double double and her fifth-straight game as the team's leading rebounder. She's certainly upped her game tremendously in the absence of Jaime Printy.
The win moves Iowa to 17-10 overall and 9-5 in league play, good enough for 4th place in the Big Ten. They could be tied for third by the end of the weekend if Purdue loses to Michigan State on Sunday. Two games remain in the regular season, but this has already been yet another impressive February surge for Bluder's bunch. If you were inclined to quibble you could bemoan the fact that they so often need a hot February to make the NCAA Tournament; it might be nice if that wasn't the case, but there are far worse things than playing your best ball at the end of the season and riding a wave of momentum into the Big Ten and NCAA Tournaments. Iowa will try to run their winning streak to seven games next Thursday when they host head to just Northwestern (14-12, 4-9 B1G).
0 recs | 11 comments
This is so true
See e.g., 2010-2011 UConn
HoyaGoon - February 17, 2012
So much Logic behind this win!
EnergizerHawk - February 17, 2012 via mobile
How does a 5'9" PG lead a team in rebounding?
I realize the women are smaller, but still.
Enoch - February 17, 2012
Would I be wrong
if I guessed technique and hustle?
chitownhawkeye - February 17, 2012
Current B1G standings
Penn State (11-3)
Ohio St. (10-3)
Purdue (9-4)
Iowa (9-5)
Nebraska (8-5)
Michigan St. (8-5)
Michigan (7-6)
Minnesota (6-8)
Northwestern (4-9)
Wisconsin (4-9)
Illinois (4-10)
Indiana (0-13)
I think it’s still technically possible for Iowa to get a share of the Big Ten title (with Penn State and Ohio State), but it’s a really long shot since it’ll require a bunch of help. Penn State needs to lose their last two games(against Ohio State and Minnesota) and Iowa will need to win their last two games(Northwestern and Michigan). Ohio State needs to beat Penn State, but lose their other two games (Minnesota and Nebraska). Purdue has three games left against Michigan St., Michigan, and Indiana. They need to lose at least one of those.
That is all based on just my observation of the remaining schedule. I may have missed something.
Other note: As long as the women finish in the top 5 in the conference, they’ll get a first-round bye in the Big Ten tournament.
iowaengineer - February 17, 2012
Additional other note/correction
Iowa will be playing AT Northwestern on Thursday (7PM central).
Iowa’s final regular season game is at Carver on Sunday, February 26th (2PM central).
iowaengineer - February 17, 2012
Reading is hard. Thanks.
RossWB - February 17, 2012
Yeah
I don’t see them getting a share of the title. I could see them winning their last two games and I could see MSU losing (at least) one more. I don’t see PSU and OSU each losing two more, though. Oh well.
That’s just top 4 now, isn’t it? With 12 teams in the league now, 4 teams should get byes with the remaining eight teams going in the first round (as opposed to before, when 5 teams got byes and the remaining 6 played in R1). Right now it looks like Iowa would get the 4-seed and play the winner of Nebraska/Indiana in R2.
RossWB - February 17, 2012
D'oh
You are correct sir. I was reading the 2011 tournament site by accident.
More about the format of this years tournament can be found here.
iowaengineer - February 17, 2012
Good for them
That is impressive and a pretty big testament to Blunder’s coaching abilities.
The Bacon Explosion - February 17, 2012
Sam Logic is a baller y'all
Tough kid, ALWAYS around the ball. She’s really stepped up her play. It would be nice if the Hawks could make it through the year without 3 to 10 horrible injuries.
djwoody - February 17, 2012
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