Don’t call the Hawkeyes overachievers; just call them Big Ten contenders

IOWA CITY — Neither the media nor the coaches picked them in the top five of the Big Ten women’s basketball race.

At that race’s midpoint, they are 9-0 and tied for first place.

Are the Iowa Hawkeyes overachieving? Probably not the best question to ask Jan Jensen.

“It’s a word I don’t like to use,” Jensen said during Tuesday’s zoom conference with the media. “Instead, I want to get everything we can out of what we can be.

“They have earned the good things that have come their way.”

The Hawkeyes (18-2 overall, 9-0 Big Ten) have been steady climbers in the Associated Press poll; they are up to No. 8 this week, their highest since the final 2024 ballot.

If they can win at USC (11-9, 3-6) on Thursday — certainly not a gimme — they will play for sole leadership of the Big Ten on Sunday, at No. 2 UCLA (19-1, 9-0).

Again, USC is enough of a challenge. Even without JuJu Watkins, the All-American who will miss the entire season after tearing an ACL during the 2025 NCAA tournament. And even though the Trojans have plummeted in the league standings with six losses in their last seven games.

“Their record is completely misleading,” Jensen said. “You see 3-6 and you think, ‘Oh, they must be down.’ But they’re really athletic.”

Tipoff Thursday is 8 p.m. (CT) at Galen Center.

Big Ten coaches and Big Ten media agreed in early October: UCLA was the clear favorite, followed by Maryland, Michigan, USC and Ohio State, in whatever order.

Iowa solidified itself as a legitimate contender in the past two weeks. In the first time in program history, the Hawkeyes defeated three consecutive top-15 opponents (Michigan State, Maryland and Ohio State) in three consecutive games.

“In June, I liked what I was seeing,” Jensen said. “I felt that this team could have a little fun.”

They’ve had more than a little.

“They’ve answered every call,” she added. “The thing I like most, they’re for each other. When you’re for each other, that’s when the magic can happen.”

The Hawkeyes’ rotation took a hit Sunday, when Taylor McCabe suffered a season-ending knee injury.

Addie Deal, a freshman guard who grew up less than an hour from the USC campus, will join the starting lineup, alongside Chit-Chat Wright and Kylie Feuerbach in the backcourt, plus Ava Heiden and Hannah Stuelke in the post.

“Addie’s ready,” Jensen said. “I think we’ll handle adversity. We’ve just got to get used to it.”

The primary reserves going forward will be guard Taylor Stremlow, forward Journey Houston and center Layla Hays.

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com