Hlas: A perfect seniors showcase for Hawkeye women

IOWA CITY - That is how you (don't) say farewell.

The Iowa women's basketball team had what can accurately be called a perfect Sunday afternoon in Carver-Hawkeye Arena. The No. 16 Hawkeyes' 92-76 win over Minnesota was a showcase for their four seniors in their scheduled home-finale.

But if Iowa does even a little winning at this week's Big Ten tourney, it should be set up for a Top-4 seed and early-round home games in the NCAA tournament. Given the Hawkeyes are unbeaten at home this season, they may have a nice chunk of calendar remaining before their season is done.

The quartet of Melissa Dixon, Bethany Doolittle, Samantha Logic and Kathryn Reynolds are Iowa's winningest senior class in 21 years. This year's team is 23-6, and finished the Big Ten season alone in second place at 14-4.

'A pretty special group of young women, wouldn't you say?” Iowa Coach Lisa Bluder told the season-high crowd of 9,726 during a postgame ceremony honoring the seniors.

Yes, you would. There is the Hawkeyes' all-time assists leader (Logic), their all-time best 3-point shooter (Dixon), a 3-year starter, and their No. 2 all-time shot-blocker (Doolittle).

Then there's Reynolds, who suffered an ACL injury after her freshman season and wasn't able to be a big on-court contributor. But she stayed with the team and clearly meant something to it given the way her coach and teammates talked about her after the game.

Perhaps the biggest ovation of the day came when late-substitute Reynolds sank a 3-pointer with 47 seconds left.

By the way, she's been quite an achiever in her own right. Reynolds earned her undergraduate degree here in three years and is in her first year of law school while being a member of the team.

'Amazing,” Bluder said.

Ditto the three starting seniors. Their performances Sunday all epitomized their careers.

Dixon made 8 of 11 three-pointers and scored 27 points. She has 109 threes this season, and she's not a gunner with no conscience. She has made 44.8 percent from that distance, second-best in the conference.

'So awesome, so special,” Dixon said. She was talking about the game, not her own marksmanship.

Doolittle has the least-fitting last name in college athletics. She had 12 points, 12 rebounds, and a single-game program-record nine blocks. Making that more meaningful is that it was done against Gophers sophomore Amanda Zahui B., who wrecked Iowa with 39 points and 29 rebounds in Minnesota's 93-80 win in Minneapolis on Feb. 17.

The 6-foot-5 Zahui B., had 22 and 21 Sunday, but the 6-4 Doolittle didn't give an inch on either half of the court.

'It was just nice to get that win,” Doolittle said, and against her home state team to boot.

Then there's Logic. She is the catalyst of the Iowa offense that makes you dizzy with how quickly it moves the ball around. She had 24 points and 13 assists. Her game is a blend of pizazz and, yes, logic.

'This was a storybook ending,” Logic said. 'I wouldn't change it for the world.”

But it wasn't anything close to a conclusion.

'I think we're going to be here again,” Logic said.

Iowa hosted NCAA first- and second-round games here the last two years, but got soundly defeated in two second-round matchups.

This year? The Hawkeyes are 16-0 in Carver. Which is also fitting, because they look like a Sweet 16 team.

Comments: (319) 368-8840; mike.hlas@thegazette.com

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