Hot lady cagers to face Iowa

By WILLIAM KALEC
Collegian Staff Writer

Iowa women's basketball coach Angie Lee ended practice in late December and simply lowered her head.

Coming off a season in which her Hawkeyes posted a 13-3 conference mark to win the Big Ten regular season championship and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament, Lee stood in the Hawkeyes' practice facility with a look of disdain upon her face.

The memories of last year's success were becoming more vague for Lee after every game and every practice with a team comprised of seven freshmen.

And while usually upbeat, Lee's new depressed attitude was subtle, but noticeable.

"That one day after practice I came up to coach Lee and said, ‘Last night I prayed for you, I prayed for you to have patience,' " Iowa forward Randi Peterson said. "I just felt like this year has been really trying for her and she has done her best to stay upbeat, but it has been tough."

Making matters worse, at 3:30 p.m. Sunday afternoon at Carver-Hawkeye Arena, Iowa will face a Penn State team that in its last three contests has averaged more than 90 points per game. Before that matchup in Iowa City, Iowa, the No. 21 Lady Lions (14-5, 6-3 Big Ten) host a struggling Wisconsin team at 7:30 p.m. today at The Bryce Jordan Center.

Lee's patience was tested in the Hawkeyes' 66-60 loss to the Lions earlier in the season. Featured in that contest were two of the best post players in the conference, Penn State's Andrea Garner and Iowa's Amy Herrig.

Sunday that rivalry will be renewed.

"That was fun to watch and Amy has played well for us," Lee said. "But our freshmen have to step up and start to play better if we are going to make a run in the Big Ten Tournament."

Of the seven freshmen, only guard Lindsey Meder is averaging double digits in the total points category. Five of the seven are averaging less than 20 minutes per contest, which has forced players such as Peterson and Herrig to become leaders and playmakers compared to the role players they were on last year's veteran-laden squad.

"Actually, I thought the freshmen would be further along in their development than they are now," Lee said. "They have to realize that they don't really have time to grow, we need contributions from (them) and ever since the Penn State game we really have not got that."

Penn State coach Rene Portland will have a very rested weapon heading into this weekend's action in center Andrea Garner. Torching the Hawkeyes for 21 points and 11 rebounds in the Jan. 15 encounter, Garner only played 19 minutes Wednesday against Northwestern.

Herrig followed her display in Happy Valley with a 29-point, 15-rebound performance against

Michigan State and a 20-point, nine-rebound night against Michigan.

Despite Herrig's brilliance, both games resulted in Hawkeye losses.

"Amy is playing like Amy," Lee said. "She can hold her own, but we can't beat good teams with just her alone."

If Peterson's past plea for divine intervention is ever to come true, Sunday against Penn State will be as good a time as any for Lee's Hawkeyes.