Rested Hawkeyes tackle Mackey jinx

IOWA CITY -- They're rested. And the Iowa Hawkeyes think they're ready for their most difficult road assignment of the season.

Iowa (10-7 overall, 2-2 Big Ten) faces 17th-ranked Purdue (14-3, 4-0) at 1 p.m. Sunday at Mackey Arena. It's a venue in which the Hawkeyes have faltered 11 straight times.

"It's a tough place to play," said senior guard Kamille Wahlin. "You're really in close quarters. The fans are on top of you. With it being so tight in there, you have a tendency to overpass. You're chucking passes all over the place."

Iowa Coach Lisa Bluder said it's pretty simple why her teams are 0-10 at West Lafayette.

"I just think (Purdue has) had really good teams," she said.

They have another one this year. Led by a trio of strong guards (Brittany Rayburn, Courtney Moses and KK Houser), the Boilermakers have won seven straight games, including a 72-55 win at Minnesota on Thursday.

The Hawkeyes should be rested and relatively healthy. They haven't played since dropping a 77-72 home decision to Nebraska on Sunday.

"This (was) a good week for us to have a little rest time, I think," Bluder said. "I like the way that our team has been approaching the last two practices. "I think (the rest will) give us our legs for the game at Purdue."

Iowa hopes to rediscover its long-range shooting stroke. The Hawkeyes have made just 4 of 30 3-point attempts in the last two games.

IOWA (10-7, 2-2) at PURDUE (14-3, 4-0)

Where: Mackey Arena, West Lafayette, Ind.

Tipoff: 1 p.m.

TV: Big Ten Network

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

Scouting report: The Hawkeyes will try to end an 11-game losing streak at Mackey. Iowa is just 1-4 in road games this season, with the win coming at UNI. Iowa has shot just 4 of 30 from 3-point range in its last two games. Jaime Printy leads the Hawkeyes at 17.8 points per game; Morgan Johnson averages 15.2. Brittany Rayburn paces the 17th-ranked Boilermakers at 13.7 ppg. This will be Purdue's toughest Big Ten test to date; the Boilers have beaten Minnesota (twice), Illinois and Wisconsin.

Next up for Iowa: Wisconsin, 7 p.m. Thursday, at Iowa City

BIG TEN STANDINGS

Conf.

All

Nebraska

4-0

15-1

Purdue

4-0

14-3

Michigan State

4-0

12-5

Ohio State

3-1

16-1

Michigan

2-2

13-4

Penn State

2-2

12-4

Iowa

2-2

10-7

Minnesota

2-2

10-8

Northwestern

1-3

11-6

Wisconsin

1-4

5-12

Illinois

0-4

6-11

Indiana

0-5

5-13

SUNDAY'S GAMES

Minnesota at Michigan, 11 a.m.

Iowa at Purdue, 1 p.m.

Penn State at Nebraska, 2 p.m.

Ohio State at Michigan State, 3 p.m.

MONDAY'S GAME

Illinois at Northwestern, 6:30 p.m.