What we learned in No. 21 Iowa women’s basketball’s exhibition win over Ashland

IOWA CITY — College basketball season is back — exhibition version.

Iowa women’s basketball had its first moments in the spotlight Thursday night with an exhibition match against Ashland, defeating the Eagles 104-63. It was the first time Hawkeye fans saw the new starting lineup and bench rotation, and what this particular Iowa team could look like throughout the season.

Here are some takeaways from the Hawkeyes’ exhibition win.

The starting five and early subs

As expected, sophomore guard Chit-Chat Wright got the starting nod. She was joined by Taylor McCabe, Kylie Feuerbach, Hannah Stuekle and Ava Heiden. The experienced lineup boasted a lot of quick passes, particularly in transition.

Iowa had two early turnovers to start the game, but settled into a groove not long after. Wright and Stuekle had four assists, while freshman guard Addie Deal led the Hawkeyes with five.

Then came the first substitutions. Freshman Deal stepped in for her collegiate debut, followed by guard Taylor Stremlow. Deal was also the first substitution for the Hawkeyes in the second half.

Head coach Jan Jensen said she’d be mixing up her personnel beyond the initial five depending on how the team’s depth looks, specifically with the eighth, ninth and tenth substitutions. Those eighth, ninth and tenth subs were Emely Rodriguez, Layla Hays and Teagan Mallegni.

Jensen said the substitutions were planned out, especially in the first half, to help get as many players on the court as possible.

“You just need some data as a coach, and sometimes that's the hard thing,” Jensen said. “So, yes, we scripted the majority of the first half, but there's not much to it other than that.”

Transfer player impact

The Hawkeyes picked up a handful of transfers over the offseason — and they showed some flair against the Eagles.

Rodriguez played 14 minutes against Ashland, but could make her presence felt quickly. She had 17 points, including a perfect 3-for-3 from the 3-point line. The 6-foot former UCF Knight also had three assists, despite not collecting any boards.

With Rodriguez coming off the bench for Iowa, Jensen had the ability to use her both as a forward in some plays and as a guard. Rodriguez is listed as both, giving Jensen the flexibility to try her out with a few other players.

Jensen previously described Wright’s playing style as a ‘pass-first’ point guard. It was pass first, but she got her fair share of points on the board.

Wright, coming from Georgia Tech and was in that starting five, finished the game with 12 points, her four assists and one rebound by the end of the game. She left the court with less than eight minutes to play after knocking down a triple, walking gingerly off the court without assistance. Wright did stay on the bench for the remainder of the game.

“I think it was just a really bad cramp,” Jensen said of Wright’s exit. “And at that point, we didn’t really need to her keep playing, and I needed to get some other people minutes.”

Players of the game...and who to watch now

All 14 Hawkeyes made an appearance against Ashland. The starting five played just over 20 minutes each, with Wright’s night ending a few minutes before the rest of her teammates.

But who made a good impression?

Rodriguez’s performance was one to look for as the season begins. Her ability successfully shoot from distance and put pick up points in the paint, while only having one personal foul, could make her a valuable asset off the bench this season.

“She fits into the team like a missing puzzle piece,” Heiden said. “I love playing with Em.”

Stuelke led the way with 23 points, going 10-for-16 on the floor, nine rebounds and four assists against Ashland. The preseason All-Big Ten honoree played smooth, scoring a team-high 11 points in the third quarter.

Heiden, however, was the first Hawkeye with a double-double — scoring 14 points and 12 rebounds with just two turnovers. Her connections with Wright to get deep into the paint helped set up an eventual 12-0 Hawkeye run in the second quarter, too.

Iowa’s season officially begins against Southern at Carver-Hawkeye Arena on Nov. 3 at 6:30 p.m.

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