Nov. 29, 2004

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Iowa Wins Junkanoo Jam Title
The Iowa Hawkeyes are off to a 4-0 start for the first time since 1995-96 (7-0), after claiming the Junkanoo Jam title in the Bahamas over the weekend.  Iowa won the Lucaya Division bracket with its 54-47 victory over #21/23 Oklahoma.  The Hawkeyes became the third Big Ten team to win the annual Junkanoo Jam, as Minnesota won the Lucaya Division in 2003, while Penn State took the Freeport Division in 2003.  The last time Iowa held an opponent to 47 points or less away from Iowa City was in a 74-47 victory over Northwestern in Evanston on December 22, 2001.  For the second straight tournament, Crystal Smith was named tournament MVP.  She was named tournament MVP of the KCRG-TV 9 Hawkeye Challenge two weeks ago in Iowa City. 

Three Other Conference Squads Win Tournament Titles
In addition to Iowa capturing the Junkanoo Jam championship, three other Big Ten squads also claimed tournament titles last weekend.  Indiana topped Central Michigan, 42-32, to win the Hampton Inn Classic, which was hosted by the Hoosiers in Bloomington.  Ohio State played host to the Wonder/Hostess Buckeye Classic and dominated Bradley in the championship game, 86-52.  Purdue traveled to the Flint Hills Islander Classic in Corpus Christi, Texas, and topped host Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, 73-44, in Friday's final.  Michigan State also competed in the final of the Rainbow Wahine Classic in Honolulu, Hawaii, but fell to TCU, 80-75.  Wisconsin was also a participant this past weekend in the Houston Classic Tournament in Houston, Texas.

Penn State's Portland Takes Medical Leave of Absence
Last week, Penn State head coach Rene Portland took a leave of absence from the Lady Lions, citing medical concerns related to her fainting episode on the team plane.  After the season-opening loss at Texas, the PSU mentor was admitted to Mount Nittany Medical Center on November 14 where she stayed two nights.  Portland will not be involved in the Lady Lions' practices or games for an indefinite period of time. Associate Head Coach Annie Troyan is serving as acting head coach in Portland's absence and guided the Lady Lions to their first win of the season last week at home against Duquesne. 

Portland, in her 25th season as head coach at Penn State, has a career coaching record of 649-225, including 562-196 with the Lady Lions.

Big Ten Teams Winning Big
Three Conference teams - Illinois, Ohio State and Purdue - have posted a winning margin of over 30 points so far this season.  Illinois and Purdue have each played three games with the Boilermakers posting the highest winning margin of any League school at 33.7, followed by the Fighting Illini at 30.0.  Ohio State, which has played six games, including two against top-25 opponents, currently holds a winning margin of 32.5.  The Buckeyes have outscored their opponents, 471-276, in their first six games, while Purdue has posted the highest scoring total of the year within the League when it dominated IPFW, 107-39.  Illinois' biggest victory came in the season-opener against Arkansas-Pine Bluff, when the Illini won by 50 points, 88-38.

Michigan State's Bowen Goes Wild For 3's
In the championship final of the Rainbow Wahine Classic on November 28, Michigan State's Lindsay Bowen fell in love with the number three.  The Spartan junior recorded a career high and a League-season-best six three-pointers en route to a career-high 33 points in an 80-75 loss to TCU.  Bowen is shooting her way to the top of the MSU record book for shots behind the arc, as she is the Spartans' career leader in three-point percentage and is approaching the top three in MSU history in career three-point baskets.  

Buckeyes Fall to Notre Dame in Preseason WNIT Final
After winning its first three games at home by a combined score of 243-115, #10/9 Ohio State fell in a tightly-contested battle at #11/10 Notre Dame on November 20, 66-62, in the championship game of the 2004 Sportsview.tv Preseason WNIT.  Jessica Davenport and Caity Matter were named to the All-Tournament team and led the Buckeyes to many tournament records as well.  OSU set two Preseason WNIT team records: three-pointers in a game and three-pointers in a tournament. Ohio State made 13 three-pointers (of 20 attempted) vs. Bowling Green and 27 during the four preseason WNIT contests.  The Buckeyes opened the tournament at home with an 89-41 win over Bowling Green and then ousted St. Joseph's, 76-29, on November 14.  OSU won its semifinal game against No. 24/21 Arizona State, 78-45, which gave Buckeye head coach Jim Foster his 550th career victory.

Milestone Wins For Trio of League Coaches
Three Big Ten coaches have already claimed milestone victories in their respective careers this season.  Beth Combs earned her first win at Northwestern on November 24 at home against Western Michigan.  The Wildcats won 64-60 to give the first-year head coach her first win at NU.  Off to a 5-1 start this season, Ohio State's Jim Foster gained career win 550 in Columbus on November 17 as his Buckeyes topped No. 24/21 Arizona in the semifinals of the Preseason WNIT.  Iowa's Lisa Bluder gained her 75th win at Iowa on November 20 as the Hawkeyes captured the KCRG TV-9 Hawkeye Challenge in Iowa City, with victories over Southern Illinois and Missouri. 

Indiana's Valentin Has Free-Throw Streak Snapped
Indiana's Cyndi Valentin extended her school-record of consecutive made free-throws to 48 before missing her second attempt of the night in a 56-26 win at home over Belmont on November 27.  Prior to the miss, the Indiana junior had successfully made 48 attempts with her last miss coming against Michigan State on January 2, 2004.  Last year, she set a new Big Ten and Hoosier record as a sophomore by converting on 92.5 percent (99-107) of her free throws.  Valentin also netted 42-of-43 attempts (.977) from the charity stripe in Conference play last year. 

Penn State's Strom Eyes Big Ten Assists Record
Penn State senior Jess Strom needs no assistance as she climbs her way toward the top of the all-time Big Ten career assists mark.  Strom had five assists in the season opener at Texas (November 14), which was enough to move her into fourth place with 646 assists.  Strom currently has 660 assists for her career.  Northwestern's Nancy Kennelly holds the League record with 892 assists from 1988-93.

BIG TEN CAREER ASSISTS LEADERS
Player, Team (Years) ... Assists 
1.  Nancy Kennelly, NU (1988-93) ... 892
2. Tina Nicholson, PSU (1992-96) ... 826
3. Helen Darling, PSU (1997-00) ... 791
4. Jess Strom, PSU (2002-Pres.) ... 660
5. Jamie Lewis, OSU (1997-01) ... 643

Big Ten Ranks Second in WBCA/Summerville RPI Ratings
In the latest WBCA/Summerville RPI Ratings, which measure strength of schedule, the Big Ten ranks second among all Conferences, trailing the Pac-10 (.604) with a rating of .596.  In the preseason rankings, the Big Ten was rated first, while Penn State (.707) and Purdue (.673) ranked second and third behind Tennessee (.781) in non-conference action.  Five League teams trailed the Lady Volunteers (.684) in the overall schedule.  Indiana (.618) is sixth, followed by No. 8 Michigan (.613), No. 11 Penn State (.609), No. 13 Purdue (.607) and No. 23 Wisconsin (.588).  The complete list of ratings are located on page five.

An International Flavor
Eight Big Ten student-athletes from six different League schools hail from outside of the United States.  While three players are from just north of the border in Canada, five are natives of Africa, Germany, Senegal, Slovakia and Turkey.  A list of the eight international student-athletes follows:

Name, School, Pos., Yr., Hometown
Sarah McKay, IND, C, So., Victoria, British Columbia
Alisa Wulff, MSU, G, So., Pickering, Ontario
A.J. Glasauer, NU, G/F, Fr., Freiburg, Germany
Nazli Senol, NU, F/G, Fr., Mersin, Turkey
Alice Jamen, OSU, C/F, Fr., Cameroon, Africa
Romana Vynuchalova, PSU, F/C, Fr., Bratislava, Slovakia
Natasha Bogdanova, PUR, F, Fr., Toronto, Ontario
Aya Traore, PUR, F, Jr., Dakar, Senegal