Iowa Women's Basketball Tip Time Preview: Purdue-Fort Wayne

TIME:

TV: FloHoops – John Vittas and Marin Walseth

SERIES: First Ever Meeting – Iowa is 11-2 all-time against the Horizon League

OFFENSE: IOWA:PFW:

DEFENSE: IOWA:PFW:

IOWA HAWKEYES

Caitlin Clark – 31.0 % FG

Molly Davis – 5.4 PPG, 2.8 AST, 47.4% FG

Gabbie Marshall – 3.8 PPG, 25.0% FG

Kate Martin – 10.4 PPG, 5.0 REB, 55.3% FG

Hannah Stuelke – 12.6 PPG, 6.4 REB, 75.0% FG

F Shayla Sellers

The sister of Maryland guard Shyanne Sellers, Shayla is the player to watch for the Mastadons. Sellers is off to a solid start, averaging in double figures, including 20 points, five rebounds, three assists and three blocks last time out in an overtime win over Southern Illinois. She won Horizon League Player of the Week last week, while she was named to the Horizon League All-Defensive Team last season with 59 steals.

C Sharon Goodman vs F Jazzlyn Linbo

The Hawkeyes have really been able to get their post players going in games where they have the height advantage. Against FDU, Sharon Goodman put up a career-high 19 points, while the Stuelke/Goodman/O’Grady post trio combined for 29 points on 11/15 shooting against Northern Iowa. Last time out against Drake, Goodman went for 15 points. The Mastadons are going to have a tough time matching the size and physicality of Iowa, as they have just one player over 6’1 and that’s 6’2 forward Jazzlyn Linbo. Look for the Hawkeyes to get it to Sharon Goodman often when she is on the floor.

The Mastadons are coming off of a 13-19 season, where they advanced to the Horizon League Tournament semifinals for the first time in program history. So far this season, they are 2-1, including a loss to Michigan in the season opener.

The top returning player for the Mastadons, guard Amellia Bromenschenkel was an All-Horizon League Third Team selection last season. She led the team in points (12.5) and rebounds per game (5.2), while scoring 20+ points in seven games. Through three games, Bromenschenkel is averaging 11.3 points and 7.0 rebounds per game. Pair her with Shayla Sellers and PFW, probably, will have two guards on the postseason All-Horizon League team. Sellers has averaged in double figures each of the past two seasons and scored in double figures 16 times last season. She has knocked down 3+ threes 12 times over the last two years and is an 82.1% free throw shooter for her career.

It was already mentioned, but 6’2 forward Jazzlyn Linbo is going to have her hands full trying guard against the Hawkeyes interior. She averaged 6.2 points and 4.2 rebounds last season, while leading the team with 35 blocks. In two games against DI competition this year, Linbo has 19 points and eight rebounds, but is averaging 7.2 fouls per 40 minutes. If she gets into foul trouble, the Mastadons will be forced to go even smaller with their lineup. After Linbo, the next tallest player on the roster is 6’1 forward Sydney Graber who played just eight minutes against Michigan and five minutes against Southern Illinois, both off the bench.

Rounding out the starting lineup for Purdue-Fort Wayne are guards Audra Emmerson and Destinee Marshall. Emmerson averaged 6.8 points per game last season and led the team with 51 made three-pointers. The Hawkeyes do have to be aware of her, as she shot 40.2% from behind the arc and 72.2% of her shot attempts came from long distance. Destinee Marshall averaged 6.2 points last season and scored in double figures just four times, but put up nine points against Michigan and 14 points last time out against SIU.

Off the bench for the Mastadons, the two main players to know are freshman forward Renna Schwieterman and freshman guard Erin Woodson. Schwieterman scored 28 points, including six three-pointers in a win over DII Great Lakes Christian. She followed that up with six points and four steals in the win over Southern Illinois. Woodson comes in as the #5 SG in the state of Virginia. She went for 17 points and eight rebounds against GLC, while she had seven points and five rebounds against SIU.

This will very likely be the easiest matchup for the Hawkeyes during their stay in Florida. Purdue-Fort Wayne is going to be tasked with trying to keep up with an Iowa offense that is averaging 89.4 points per game. The way to do that is shooting it from outside. However, the Mastadons are 300th in three-point attempt rate and 128th in three-point percentage. The Hawkeyes will be able to score in bunches in the paint and Purdue-Fort Wayne won’t be able to keep up. WarrenNolan.com projects Iowa to win 86-52, but Iowa tends to fill it up in these types of games. The Hawkeyes averaged 101.3 points per game against Quad 4 teams last season.