Hawkeyes on pace for a historic season on the boards

IOWA CITY — This was going to be a testimonial on Iowa’s improved defense.

“We’ve grown a lot defensively,” post Sharon Goodman said. “We have a really good offense, but we’ve always had a good offense. But we’ve had to take defense more seriously, because defense wins championships.”

Alas, Iowa’s defensive rate of 65.5 points per game allowed is its best since 2012-13, when the Hawkeyes surrendered 62.4 per contest.

Gone are the days in which Iowa had to outscore and outrace opponents, though the Hawkeyes’ scoring motor still runs hot.

You ask why the Hawkeyes are defending better these days, and Goodman supplied a simple answer.

“The biggest part of defense is rebounding,” she said. “You need to limit those second-chance points.”

Presto.

Look a little deeper than simply “points per game allowed.” Check this out: Iowa is grabbing 76.9 percent of missed shots at the defensive end.

Then, grab an Iowa media guide and check this out: Iowa is on track to notch its most successful rebounding margin in program history. And that includes all of C. Vivian Stringer’s defensive juggernauts of the 1980s and early 1990s.

Through 19 games, the Hawkeyes’ margin sits at plus-10.6 boards per contest. The previous best is plus-8.1, established by the Final Four team of 1992-93.

By comparison, last year’s NCAA runner-up squad rebounded at a plus-3.0 margin.

“Our defensive rebounding ... we’re doing so much better of a job boxing out and getting boards,” Iowa Coach Lisa Bluder said Friday. “That allows us to push.

“And we’ve got kids like Sydney (Affolter) and Kylie (Feuerbach), whose defense and hustle plays make a big difference for us.”

Those kind of plays will be paramount Sunday, when the second-ranked Hawkeyes (18-1 overall, 7-0 Big Ten) face No. 18 Ohio State (14-3, 5-1).

Tipoff is 11 a.m. (CT) at Value City Arena in Columbus. The game will be televised nationally by NBC.

“We talk about limiting second-chance opportunities, and that gets our transition game going,” Affolter said.

Defensive rebounding, and stops, also would prevent Ohio State from setting up their press.

“They’re very aggressive. If people want to press us, we’ve got to take it to the basket,” Affolter said.

Bluder said that sophomore Hannah Stuelke, second on the team in scoring (13.2 ppg) and rebounding (6.9 per game) “should be good to go” against the Buckeyes.

Stuelke missed the Wisconsin game on Tuesday with a tweaked left knee.

Iowa handed the Buckeyes two significant defeats last season.

Ohio State was 19-0 and ranked No. 2 in the nation when the Hawkeyes journeyed to Columbus and won, 83-72.

Then, in the Big Ten tournament final at Minneapolis, Iowa jolted the Buckeyes with a dominant first half (it was 61-24 at intermission) and coasted home, 105-72.

“That was one of those games in which we really got on a roll,” Goodman said. “They’ll definitely want revenge. We’ve got to be ready.”

Graduate student Jacy Sheldon averages a team-high 17.2 points per game for the Buckeyes and has earned Bluder’s admiration.

“I’m a big fan of Jacy,” Bluder said. “She’s a tremendous player. She’s 5-foot-10, shoots the 3, can beat you off the bounce. She’s the leader of that team, definitely the commander of that team.

“Guarding isn’t a one-on-one situation against that team. It’s more of a collective, team effort.”

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com