After 17 days away, Hawkeyes return home

IOWA CITY — You don't need a map to find the hometowns of the Robert Morris University women's basketball starting lineup.

You need a globe.

The Colonials make their third trip to Carver-Hawkeye Arena in four years — tipoff is Sunday at 1 p.m. — and they do so with an all-international starting five.

'It's a team that's unusual in style,' Iowa Coach Lisa Bluder said. 'The stuff they run ... they run some unusual plays. But they're a nice team. Sometimes they can get on a roll and tear it up with their shooting.'

Only seven of the 15 players on the Robert Morris roster are Americans. The starting-lineup melting pot consists of Niki Stamolamprou (Greece), Mikalah Mulrain and Megan Smith (both Ontario, Canada), Rebeca Navarro (Spain) and Ashley Ravelli (Italy).

Robert Morris has become a regular visitor at Carver lately. The Colonials were here last season (Iowa won, 85-67), and three years ago.

'There's no real link between us,' Bluder said. 'They're willing to travel, and they keep coming back.'

This will be the toughest test yet for the Colonials (4-3). No. 24 Iowa is 7-1 after an impressive 85-73 win at Virginia in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge.

'It was our most complete game of the season,' Bluder said. 'We played unselfish basketball, made the extra pass. The good thing was, we just looked like the better team on the floor.'

Sunday's game marks the Hawkeyes' first appearance at Carver in 17 days. Iowa has won 21 consecutive home games.

'It will good to be home,' Bluder said. 'It almost feels as if we're starting the season all over again.'

Ally Disterhoft leads the Hawkeyes at 16.1 points per game. Alexa Kastanek is next at 13.5.

Kastanek has softened the blow of Melissa Dixon's departure; the junior is ninth in the country in 3-pointers (23).

A 5-foot-9 junior guard, Stamolamprou leads the Colonials at 12.4 points and 7.3 rebounds per contest.

l Comments: (319) 368-8857; jeff.linder@thegazette.com