Unselfish play has Iowa women’s basketball at 10-1 after rout of Arkansas-Pine Bluff

IOWA CITY — Through 11 games of the women's basketball season, the Iowa Hawkeyes continue to show the way in unselfish play.

The nation's leader in total assists (264) and assists per game (24), players throughout the Iowa lineup consistently work for the best possible shot.

'This team really loves to pass the ball,' Iowa Coach Lisa Bluder said after the Hawkeyes posted 23 assists in an 85-45 rout of Arkansas-Pine Bluff before 3,806 fans Saturday at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. 'We value the assist, we celebrate the assist, we love the assist. When you have players that are giving up good shots for passing to your teammate for a great shot, that's team basketball at its finest. And we love to play that way. I think the fans enjoy it, too.'

Iowa (10-1) has recorded 23 or more assists in nine of 11 games, and nine players have at least 10 this season. Against Arkansas-Pine Bluff, six players tallied at least two assists, led by guards Tania Davis and Kathleen Doyle with five apiece.

After a 1-for-11 shooting performance in a win at Iowa State on Wednesday, Davis found her shooting stroke with four 3-pointers during an Iowa scoring spurt of 37-9 in the first half.

'After Iowa State, I met with my position coach and just went to work,' said Davis, who finished with 16 points. 'Back to the basics. Shooting off the dribble, stationary and just getting back focus and clearing my mind. Every shot is not going to go in, obviously, but for me, I feel like every shot should go in.'

Iowa junior post Megan Gustafson played just 23 minutes but led all players with 19 points and 10 rebounds. It was the 15th double-double in the last 19 games and the 37th of her career.

Six Hawkeyes scored at least seven points, including 11 apiece from Doyle and sophomore guard Makenzie Meyer.

'It's so crucial being able to depend on my teammates,' Gustafson said. 'It's amazing to be able to see that and I'm able to work hard down low but at the same time get my teammates open. It's just great to see everyone sharing the ball and everyone contributing.'

Iowa led by as many as 44 points in the fourth quarter against Arkansas-Pine Bluff (2-6), losers of six games in a row by an average of 35.3 points per game.

With finals this week, the Hawkeyes will not play again until a Dec. 17 visit to Northern Iowa.

'We had a great game against UNI last year,' Bluder said. 'We beat them by 50 on our home court, and then they went to the tournament and we didn't. That is still kind of a sore spot for us.'

AT CARVER-HAWKEYE ARENA

Iowa 85, Arkansas-Pine Bluff 45

ARK.-PINE BLUFF (45):

Faith Ohanta 4-14 7-9 15, Aiya Hassan 4-13 0-0 8, Katherine Darden 3-6 1-2 7, Tiffany Murdock 1-2 0-0 3, Noe'll Taylor 2-6 2-2 6, Kye Richardson 1-9 0-0 2, Trasity Totten 1-5 0-0 2, Shania Hater 1-4 0-0 2, Totals 17-59, 10-13 45.

IOWA (85):

Chase Coley 0-1 2-2 2, Megan Gustafson 6-7 7-9 19, Makenzie Meyer 4-8 2-2 11, Tania Davis 6-8 0-0 16, Kathleen Doyle 4-6 3-3 11, Alexis Sevillian 2-6 2-2 8, Hannah Stewart 3-6 1-1 7, Zion Sanders 0-0 1-2 1, Paula Valino Ramos 1-1 1-2 3, Carly Mohns 1-3 2-4 4, Amanda Ollinger 1-3 0-0 3, Totals 28-49 21-27 85.

Ark.-Pine Bluff 8 14 12 11—45

Iowa 27 20 22 16—85

Halftime — Iowa, 47-22. Three-point goals — Ark.-Pine Bluff 1-13 (Murdock 1-2, Ohanta 0-3, Hassan 0-4, Richardson 0-4); Iowa 8-19 (Davis 4-6, Sevillian 2-6, Ollinger 1-2, Meyer 1-4, Doyle 0-1). Rebounds — Ark.-Pine Bluff 31 (Ohanta 10); Iowa 35 (Gustafson 10); Assists — Ark.-Pine Bluff 5 (Ohanta 1, Murdock 1, Taylor 1, Richardson 1, Hatter 1); Iowa 23 (Davis 5, Doyle 5). Turnovers — Ark.-Pine Bluff 20, Iowa 16. Total fouls — Ark.-Pine Bluff 21, Iowa 16. Fouled out —

Ohanta, Darden, Hatter.

l Comments: douglas.miles@thegazette.com