Short-handed Hawkeyes set to host Bradley

IOWA CITY - Lisa Bluder is used to looking down her bench and not finding many reserves.

After surviving stretches last season with eight available players, Bluder may have one less than that for today's 5 p.m. home opener with Bradley (1-0) at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

The Hawkeyes (2-0) finished Saturday's 50-47 win over Arkansas State with just seven players. They started the game with eight and lost sophomore Hannah Draxten with a back injury after she fell hard to the floor. Freshman Jade Rogers missed both weekend games at the Islander Tip-Off Classic with an ankle sprain suffered in practice last week.

“She got jarred pretty well,” Bluder said of Draxten. “I do believe she will be back, it's just that we have to give her a little bit of rest to get her back.”

Iowa already was without guard Trisha Nesbitt (foot) and forward Kalli Hansen (back) and has lost Theairra Taylor for the year with a torn ACL.

Bluder said Rogers and Draxten will dress today, but is unsure how many minutes, if any, they will be able to play.

That leaves senior Kelsey Cermak and junior Megan Considine as healthy players off the bench. Bluder said Monday she is again open to the possibility of adding a walk-on to the roster as she did last season when Considine and Danni Huss joined the team after injuries mounted.

Bradley has a former area prep standout in Williamsburg's McKenzie Westcott.

The Braves are led in scoring by sophomore guard Katie Yohn, a solid 3-point shooter.