Under coach Lisa Bluder, the Iowa women's basketball team is known for hitting 3-pointers.
Those shots aren't falling right now for the Hawkeyes, who visit No. 17 Purdue today at Mackey Arena. That's the biggest concern for the Boilermakers -- Bluder's team won't stay cold for long.
In an overtime win against Illinois and a five-point loss to Nebraska, Iowa made a combined 4 of 30 from 3-point range.
"It's what we like to do," Bluder said during her weekly press conference. "Over the last two games, we haven't shot well but at least we didn't shoot 30 of them (each game). We're not taking bad ones, we're taking good shots and we're not forcing the issue."
Before facing the Fighting Illini, the Hawkeyes had a three-game stretch where they produced 33 3-pointers and shot 42.8 percent. Overall, Iowa is shooting 33 percent from 3-point range through 17 games.
"We have to disrupt them," Purdue coach Sharon Versyp said. "They're going to get some looks and now they're taking it to the hole exceptionally well. We have to play defense, box out and get the long rebounds. We've played against that style but not for a while."
Versyp said Iowa is the best offensive team the Boilermakers have faced since the Dec. 10 loss to Notre Dame. Three Hawkeyes -- Jaime Prinity, Morgan Johnson and Kamille Wahlin -- are averaging 14.5 points or more in Big Ten games.
"It's always a challenge when we play Iowa," said senior Brittany Rayburn, who scored 23 points in last year's win over Iowa at Mackey Arena. "At any moment, someone will go off. It's something we have to control on the defensive end."
Bluder said hitting early 3-pointers could easily provide a spark.
"It really is a confidence issue," said Bluder, the dean of Big Ten coaches. "If we would make our first couple of them or 50 percent to begin in the game, it would make all the difference. I really believe it's a little bit between the ears."
Strong game
Point guard KK Houser's first double-double was her best outing this season, Versyp said.
Houser totaled 10 points and 10 assists in Thursday's victory at Minnesota. But the sophomore committed two turnovers in 32 minutes and continues to play with composure.
"It helps when the point guard is setting things up and getting us off to a great start," Versyp said. "We defended and rebounded and we had some great fastbreaks against Minnesota. We weren't just shooting 3s. Her controlling the tempo was very big."
On track
Maybe some of Rayburn's 3-point success will rub off on Courtney Moses.
The sophomore guard shot 40.9 percent from beyond the arc last season, but has made 19 of 68 (27.9 percent) this year. She missed all five attempts against the Golden Gophers on Thursday.
"I'm getting open shots but they're not falling," Moses said. "I'm focusing on keeping my elbow in, following through and speeding the shot up and not shoot slow. If you're missing long or short, there's nothing wrong but it's when you start missing left and right then you know it's something mechanical."
Moses has tried to focus on other areas while her shooting comes around.
"You have to find whoever is hot and set them up," she said. "Play good defense. There are a lot of other things that go with basketball other than scoring."
Inside scoring
One area the Boilermakers need to improve is the offensive production from Chelsea Jones and Alex Guyton.
The 6-foot-4 post players are shooting a combined 21.4 percent (6 of 28) from the field in the first four Big Ten games.
"Whenever it's in the flow of the offense we're going to shoot," Jones said. "Sometimes, we don't get a lot of shots if other people are playing well."
Versyp has emphasized going inside early, but the pair hasn't been able to convert.
"The last couple of games we were able to get them layups early," she said. "With the new offense we put in, we've had layups early. You've seen slip cuts to get them good shots and it's not always the back to the basket plays."
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