HAWK TALK

December 2017

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19 At tip-off on Nov. 29, it was 251 days. Before the Big Ten/ACC Challenge on Nov. 29, that's how long it had been since University of Iowa junior center Megan Gustafson played a women's basketball game and finished without a double-double in points and rebounds. e last "off-day" was March 23, 2017, when the Hawkeyes walloped Colorado, 80-62, in the third round of the WNIT inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena. In 25 minutes, Gustafson scored 12 points and pulled down a team- high eight rebounds. "at was a while ago," Gustafson said with a laugh. In a cruel twist, Gustafson's streak fell one rebound short of extending Nov. 29 during a 94-93 loss to No. 13 Florida State in Carver-Hawkeye Arena. While she grabbed "just" nine rebounds, she poured in a game-high 34 points. In eight games this season Gustafson averages 22.9 points and 12.9 rebounds a game…with a double- double in the first seven outings. She has 34 double-doubles in her career. On Nov. 27, for the third consecutive week, Gustafson was honored by the Big Ten Conference as either its Player of the Week or a member of the weekly honor roll. "I see it more as a team honor," Gustafson said. "My teammates do a great job setting me up every game and every week. I'm able to depend on them, too. It is a two-way street and I'm proud to be on this team." Iowa (7-1 overall) went 3-0 at the Puerto Rico Challenge from Nov. 22-25 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Gustafson averaged 20.3 points and 12.7 rebounds in the Sunshine State, shooting 67.4 percent from the field. In the finale against Elon — a 74-61 win by Iowa — Gustafson scored 20 points with 14 rebounds (nine offensive). "Megan continues to put up amazing numbers and play so well," Iowa head coach Lisa Bluder said. "She has been nothing short of amazing all year." e stakes were higher in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge. e Hawkeyes hosted No. 13 Florida State (7-0) — the fourth team Iowa has faced this season that played in the 2017 NCAA Tournament. e others are Quinnipiac, Western Kentucky, and Elon. "It was exciting to have (Florida State) on our home court," Gustafson said. "We treated it like an NCAA Tournament game." Gustafson's prowess on the glass could be her most admirable trait. Her rebounding mentality is simple: defensive rebound means Iowa's offense gets the ball; offensive rebound prolongs a Hawkeye scoring opportunity. But there is more to Gustafson's game than rebounding. She is fourth in the country in field goal percentage (70.5 percent) and 12th in points per game (22.9). Gustafson has provided steady production in all 75 career games as a Hawkeye. "Every night, every practice, it doesn't matter," Bluder said. "Road game, home game. She plays the same way all the time. "It's not human nature to go 100 percent effort every single second you're on the floor and she does it. at is what has made her so great — an unbelievable work ethic and a desire to get the job done. She is consistent whether it is shooting, rebounding, running the floor hard, or the manner in which she practices." DECEMBER SCHEDULE Dec. 3 Samford Dec. 6 at Iowa State Dec. 9 Arkansas-Pine Bluff Dec. 17 at Northern Iowa Dec. 21 Drake Dec. 28 at Wisconsin Dec. 31 Michigan

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