IOWA WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

Disterhoft breaks all-time scoring record in Iowa's WNIT win over Missouri State

Matthew Bain
mbain@press-citizen.com
Iowa's Ally Disterhoft gets a hug from head coach Lisa Bluder after breaking Iowa's all-time scoring record during the Hawkeyes' NIT first round game against Missouri State at Carver-Hawkeye Arena on Thursday, March 16, 2017.

IOWA CITY, Ia. — Once Iowa jumped ahead of Missouri State and put the game out of hand — that happened by halftime — the Hawkeyes' first-round Women's National Invitational Tournament game became about one thing:

Ally Disterhoft breaking Iowa’s all-time scoring record.

She tied Cindy Haugejorde’s mark of 2,059 career points with a fastbreak layup near the end of the third. And after two near-baskets early in the fourth, Disterhoft touched in an in-traffic layup off the glass for career points 2,060 and 2,061. She got fouled on the play and stayed hunched on the ground for an extra moment as the crowd stood and roared.

Disterhoft is now Iowa’s all-time scoring leader, surpassing a record that’d held since 1980.

"Relief was probably the biggest emotion at that time," Disterhoft said. "We haven't made it a focal point with our conversations within the team or with the coaches, but it's definitely been a topic of conversation outside of Carver.

"It's hard not to get emotional because I've had so many people support me along the way. My coaches have been incredible. My teammates. My family. So relief, but happy with that."

And, oh yes. There was a game, too.

The Hawkeyes easily dispatched Missouri State 95-74 to advance to the second round of the WNIT. They’ll host defending champion South Dakota on Saturday at 3 p.m.

Disterhoft led the way with 21 points. Kathleen Doyle (18), Makenzie Meyer (14), Megan Gustafson (14) and Hannah Stewart (10) also scored double figures in a game that Iowa shot 62.3 percent (a new WNIT record). It held Missouri State to 39 percent.

Gustafson also broke a record — rebounds in a single season. She grabbed 10 to jump up to 307, breaking Amy Herrig's 1999 record of 306.

Iowa got pretty much whatever it wanted all night, especially inside. They outscored the Lady Bears 50-28 in the paint. Gustafson scored her 14 on 6 of 8 shooting. Stewart netted her first eight points in her first four minutes.

"If you've never gone against Megan and Hannah, it's pretty tough," Iowa head coach Lisa Bluder said.

Missouri State entered the game allowing 63 points per game on 39.6 percent shooting. The Hawkeyes had 63 with 3 minutes and 35 seconds left in the third.

Matthew Bain covers preps, recruiting and the Hawkeyes for the Iowa City Press-Citizen, Des Moines Register and HawkCentral. Contact him at mbain@gannett.com and follow him on Twitter @MatthewBain_.