Hawks ends grueling stretch at home vs. UNI

IOWA CITY -- A deep breath. Maybe an ice bath.

Then, back to work.

Fresh off two difficult road wins, the 14th-ranked University of Iowa women's basketball team concludes pre-conference play with a home test against Northern Iowa.

Tipoff is 7 p.m. Wednesday at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

"We're used to a quick turnaround," point guard Kamille Wahlin said, referring to the Hawkeyes' three-game-in-five-day spree that ends Wednesday. "We have a team that loves to play games."

Kachine Alexander said, "It's difficult, but our bodies are used to it."

Wahlin and Alexander, along with several other teammates, take ice baths to flush away the fatigue and the pain.

"I stay in there about 10 minutes," Alexander said. "I don't want to stay in there too long."

Iowa (11-1) had to sweat out victories at South Dakota State (65-54, Saturday) and Drake (75-71, Monday). Now, the Hawkeyes will gun for a season sweep against their three intrastate rivals.

"Anybody we play, we're going to get their best shot," said Alexander, who scored 26 points Monday. "Their emotions and intensity will be running high."

That won't change Wednesday. The Panthers (7-3) have a roster filled with Iowans -- nine of them. Most of them are familiar with the Hawkeyes from the summer Game Time League.

Four of the UNI starters are Iowans -- Jacqui Kalin (Sioux City), Katelin Oney (Cedar Rapids), Rachel Madrigal (Decorah) and Erin Brocka (Allison). So is key reserve K.K. Armstrong (Cedar Rapids).