Bluder: 'We stayed positive, focused'

IOWA CITY - Best coaching job ever? Lisa Bluder couldn't say.

“It's hard to think back, and I'm never good at comparing those kinds of things,” said Bluder, the women's basketball coach at the University of Iowa.

In 26 years, Bluder has never had to overcome the adversity the Hawkeyes have weathered this year. Injuries have cropped up repeatedly, like that Whack-A-Mole game at carnivals.

Yet, with only eight healthy scholarship players, the Hawkeyes have survived. And now, they're surging.

Six wins in the last seven games has Iowa (14-11 overall, 7-7 Big Ten) in fifth place in the conference race and on the periphery of the NCAA Tournament picture.

“I will say this, our staff has done a good job of staying positive and staying focused,” Bluder said.

The Hawkeyes host Minnesota (12-13, 5-9) at 6:30 Thursday night.

Four Hawkeyes are native Minnesotans, including Kamille Wahlin and Kachine Alexander.

“This game is as important as any other game. You can't get overhyped for one game over another,” Wahlin said.

Minnesota beat the Hawkeyes, 72-69, in overtime on Jan. 3. But that was before Iowa hit its stride.

“Those games aren't even in my memory any more,” Alexander said. “Talent was never a question (with this team). We changed our mentality. Now we have a killer attitude.”

Even when the losses were mounting, the staff came up with games and gags - “corny things that this group truly gets into,” according to Bluder - to keep the players loose.

Tuesday, they played Simon Sez in the locker room. The winner?

“Jaime Printy,” Alexander said. “Who else? She wins everything.”

Wahlin said, “(The coaches have) been patient from the beginning, meshing us all together. They never, ever gave up on us.”