Hawkeyes meet the Mastadons in the first round of the Gulf Coast Classic

What: No. 5 Iowa (4-1) vs. Purdue Fort Wayne (2-1), women’s basketball

When/where: 6:30 p.m. (CT) Friday, Hertz Arena, Estero, Fla., first round of Gulf Coast Classic

TV: None

<!–

–>
#placement_665573_0_i{width:100%;margin:0 auto;}

Live stream: Flo Hoops

Radio: Hawkeye Radio Network affiliates

Iowa’s next games: If the Hawkeyes win, they’ll play the winner of Florida Gulf Coast and Delaware at 6:30 p.m. Saturday. The losers play at 1:30 p.m. Saturday

Sunday’s final round: Seventh place — 11 a.m.; fifth place — 1:30 p.m.; third place — 4 p.m; championship — 6:30 p.m.

What to know: Coach Lisa Bluder is two wins away from her 500th at Iowa (she is 498-250 in 24 years in Iowa City) and could reach the Iowa milestone Saturday.

Fort Wayne opened with an 80-61 loss to Michigan, and has won two straight since, including an overtime victory over Southern Illinois.

Five Mastodons are averaging in double figures, led by Shayla Sellers at 14.3 points per game. Shayla’s sister Shyanne plays for Maryland.

A win would put the Hawkeyes in the semifinals Saturday, likely against “host” team Florida Gulf Coast.

The Hawkeyes could gain a rematch with No. 16 Kansas State on Sunday, whether in the championship game, the third-place game or whatever. K-State defeated the Hawkeyes, 65-58, last Thursday.

Iowa was able to bounce back from the loss to the Wildcats with a 113-90 victory over Drake on Sunday. Caitlin Clark scored 35 points, and Kate Martin added a career-high 25. Iowa established school records for points in the first quarter (37) and first half (64).

Clark has climbed to 19th all-time on the NCAA career scoring chart, with 2,872 points. She is No. 26 in career assists, with 839.

Read more: For Iowa women’s basketball, this weekend could feature a Lisa Bluder milestone and a Kansas State rematch

Comments: [email protected]