WBB: Hawkeyes' Dixon gets offensive in GTL

NORTH LIBERTY - Melissa Dixon came off the bench for the Iowa women's basketball team last season. She's hardly on it during Game Time League play this summer.

Dixon played behind star guards Samantha Logic and Jaime Printy for the Hawkeyes as a sophomore. She averaged 10.1 points per game on 8.5 shot attempts, winning the Big Ten Sixth Player of the Year award.

GTL Commissioner Randy Larson took Dixon with the top pick in the GTL draft - ahead of Logic - and she's been the top scoring option for his team. In the opening game June 19, she hit nine 3-pointers and poured in 41 points. Wednesday night, she followed that with a 28-point performance in helping her team improve to 2-0.

Dixon said that increased offensive role hasn't changed her approach to the game. But she admitted she is shooting more this summer than she ever has.

“I go with the same mindset, that I'm willing to do whatever I can to help whatever team I'm on at the time,” she said. “But it's always fun as a shooter to shoot more.”

Printy has graduated, meaning Dixon most likely will move into the starting lineup next year. And Larson said the team's leading 3-pointer shooter at just under 40 percent would benefit from carrying such a scoring load over the summer.

“She's an automatic starter, because I know Lisa (Bluder) loves how she plays,” he said. “And I also think they want her to shoot every time she can get a shot. That's going to be her role.”

Dixon has been in attack mode in GTL games. She has hit 3-pointers off the catch and off the dribble, with defenders in her face and at the end of the shot clock. But it isn't just 3-pointers.

Four times Wednesday night, Dixon pump-faked and drove for a layup. She dished to open shooters for three assists and got to the free-throw line nine times. Larson said that developing ability reminded him of Printy, who had a “great long-step layup.”

“I think Melissa's going to get that game, too,” he said. “She's going to be harder to take out of games.”

“I'm looking to develop my overall game, too,” she said. “I'm known for my shooting, but I'm trying to get better passing.”

Larson was pleased with his top pick's ability to take on a go-to scoring role without changing her game.

“She's been a natural player all her life, and I think she just plays,” he said. “That's one of the things I love about her. I don't think she's thinking about a lot of stuff. She just goes out and goes.

“And she was the number one pick. Everyone talks about how great a shooter she is. One of the impressive things is, she is a marked woman now.”