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181 A er earning a starting role and recording her first career double-doubles in consecu- tive Big Ten wins to close the month of January, University of Iowa freshman Megan Gus- tafson is coming in to her own and having a big impact in her first season with Hawkeye women's basketball. "I continue to be amazed by Megan," UI head coach Lisa Bluder said. "Nothing faz- es her. She doesn't back down from anybody, is always working hard, and is incredibly coachable. She just keeps at it and is playing very well as a freshman in our league." e 6-foot-3 center, who has ap- peared in every game for the Hawk- eyes this season, earned the first start of her career Jan. 24 at Purdue and has ramped up her game since. In the three game stretch, Gustafson aver- aged 10.7 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks per contest and is shot.414 from the floor. "Having a starting role is great, but not a lot has changed intensity-wise for me," Gustafson said. "Coach Bluder wants me to keep my intensity up and I've been doing that. I have also been focusing on rebounding, which we've been good at this year, but I personally wanted to pick it up in the last few games." at mindset paid dividends for Gustafson, who posted career highs in the category in consecutive conference victories at home against Michigan (12 rebounds) and at Northwestern (13 rebounds). With her efforts on the glass, the Port Wing, Wisconsin, native was able to earn the first double- doubles of her career. "I just want to win," Gustafson said. "If I know I can score, I'm going to score, and if I feel like I'm not going to be able to, I know I can always kick it out to one of my teammates." A teammate Gustafson particularly enjoys sharing the court with is fellow 6-3 center/forward Chase Coley, who recently moved to the power forward position. "We started experimenting with it a while ago in practice and it was tough at first, but now that we're playing on the court together in games, we're meshing well," Gus- tafson said. "We're getting used to the system and it shows." e duo combined to score 40 percent of the points and 52 per- cent of the rebounds for Iowa in its last two games. ey also have an impact defensively in the Hawkeyes' zone. "ey really enjoy playing together," Bluder said. "ey look for each other and we're big with both of them in there. It gives us some opportunities for mismatches on the offensive end and when we play zone defensively." Iowa is also enjoying getting back on a winning track. "It feels really good," Gustafson said. "Before these two wins, we came together and decided these last 10 games are a new season, and we are going to get back on a win streak. e momentum we have go- ing now is going to be big against the teams we're coming up against next." FEBRUARY SCHEDULE Feb. 4 at Indiana Feb. 7 Michigan State Feb. 11 Ohio State Feb. 15 at Minnesota Feb. 18 Purdue Feb. 21 Indiana Feb. 24 at Penn State Feb. 27 Illinois