Glitz is down, grit might be up for this version of Iowa women’s basketball

IOWA CITY — You’re not going to get the logo 3-pointers, the what-did-I-just-see behind-the-back passes.

Instead, signature plays of the 2024-25 Iowa women’s basketball season are going to be more like this:

Let’s venture back to Wednesday at Sioux Falls, in the second quarter of the Hawkeyes’ game against Kansas.

The Jayhawks’ Laia Conesa stole the ball from Iowa’s Lucy Olsen and took off the other direction, with Olsen and Kylie Feuerbach in pursuit.

As Conesa went up for a layup, both Olsen and Feuerbach got a hand on the ball, cleanly, and it went out of bounds off Conesa’s knee.

“Yeah, we’re going to mention that one at practice,” Iowa Coach Jan Jensen said Friday.

There’s less glitz surrounding the Hawkeyes this season. But maybe more grit.

“We’d been such a juggernaut on offense lately,” Jensen said. “Now, we don’t always have that luxury. Just the intangibles make this team so enjoyable.”

Enjoyable, as in 5-0 for the first time since 2017-18.

The Hawkeyes aim to keep rolling Sunday, when they host Washington State (2-2). Tipoff is 3 p.m., at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

“Obviously, 5-0 is where we want to be at this point,” freshman guard Taylor Stremlow said. “We’re seeing progression every day in practice.

“Now, the next game is our most important game.”

It’s Iowa’s first home game in 11 days, and its last until Iowa State comes to town on Dec. 11.

Other than that, it’s all planes and buses. The Hawkeyes bused to Drake (and won, 86-73, last Sunday). They flew to Sioux Falls (and beat Kansas, 71-58, Wednesday).

They head to Cancun for two games over Thanksgiving break, then it’s a trip to Brooklyn for a Dec. 7 encounter with Tennessee.

“I’m thankful for opportunities like this,” freshman post Ava Heiden said. “My mom played softball at Michigan. She always said, ‘Back in my day, we always had to take the bus.’”

With the graduation of Caitlin Clark (and others), and the retirement of Lisa Bluder, the Hawkeyes have been forced to reinvent themselves somewhat.

So far, so good. Yes, the Hawkeyes’ offensive production is down, to 82.6 points per game. But they are allowing just 62.6 points per contest and celebrating plays like the one that Olsen and Feuerbach pulled off Wednesday.

Jensen said Friday that freshman guard Aaliyah Guyton “looks good in half-court drills, and we’re hoping we can get her some game action in Cancun.”

Guyton tore an ACL last year during her senior year of high school.

“I’ve seen the highs and lows for her,” Stremlow said. “It’s been a long journey, but she’s close to coming back, and I’m glad for her.”

Jensen added that Kennise Johnson (another ACL victim) is “a little slower in her rehab.”

Washington State appeared to be an ascendant program as recently as a year or two ago, but the Cougars — like Oregon State — had the proverbial rug pulled out with the temporary dissolution of the Pac-12.

Both Washington State and Oregon State are playing under the West Coast Conference flag this season.

Still, Sunday holds special meaning for Heiden, an Oregonian.

“I want to beat as many West Coast schools as I can,” she said.

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com