Bluder: Hawkeyes still seeking consistency

IOWA CITY -- They're doing everything right some of the time, and they're doing some things right most of the time.

But, Coach Lisa Bluder said, the Iowa Hawkeyes aren't yet doing anything right all of the time.

"We're just not consistent in any area right now," Bluder said. "We're practicing hard, we're focused at practice. We're driven ...

"I thought we'd be further along right now, just because we returned four starters."

Iowa (4-2) hosts Virginia Tech (2-4) at 7 p.m. Wednesday as part of the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. It's the Hawkeyes' lone game at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in a six-game stretch.

They won at Northern Iowa on Nov. 19 before splitting games at the Junkanoo Jam last weekend. After Wednesday's brief home respite, the Hawkeyes go back on the road for games at Kansas State and Iowa State.

"To be honest, I thought we'd be 5-1 at this point," Bluder said. "It's frustrating that we're not there yet. But I'm excited for the day that the light switch comes on."

The darkest facets have been defense and rebounding. Iowa ranks last in the Big Ten in points allowed (68.3 per game) and rebounding margin (minus-2.0 per game).

Bluder said the Hawkeyes got a defensive lesson in a 74-58 loss to defending national champion Texas A&M in the Junkanoo final.

"They made it very difficult to run any kind of offense," Bluder said of the Aggies. "The challenge is, now that we've seen it, we can do this as well. We can defend like that."

On the other hand, Iowa is seventh in the nation in free throw shooting (82.1 percent). And the Hawkeyes are balanced offensively; all five starters are averaging at least 9 points per game. Jaime Printy leads the way at 19 points per contest.

But that was expected.

"The things I like most about the team, they're not a surprise," Bluder said.

Virginia Tech has lost three straight games, including a 65-64 defeat to Minnesota in which the Gophers scored at the buzzer.

VIRGINIA TECH (2-4) at IOWA (4-2)

Where -- Carver-Hawkeye Arena, Iowa City

Tipoff -- 7 p.m.

Radio -- WMT-AM (600), KXIC-AM (800)

Notable -- It's "Buck Night," and all tickets are $1. These teams met last year at the Caribbean Challenge, with Iowa posting a 72-43 victory. This year, it's the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. The Hawkeyes were runners-up at the Junkanoo Jam in the Bahamas last weekend, falling 74-58 to defending national champion Texas A&M in the finals. Jaime Printy leads the Hawkeyes at 19 points per game. Each of the other four starters are averaging at least 9 points per game. Iowa is seventh in the nation in free throw shooting (82.1 percent). Virginia Tech has lost three straight, including a 65-64 decision to Minnesota on Saturday. The Hokies' top three scorers -- Monet Tellier (19.3 ppg), Aerial Wilson (11.2 ppg) and Alyssa Fenyn (11.0 ppg) all play more than 35 minutes per game.

Next for Iowa -- at Kansas State on Saturday