McKenna Warnock is close to returning to the Iowa women’s basketball lineup

IOWA CITY — Gradually, the Iowa Hawkeyes’ puzzle is becoming more complete.

In Friday’s press conference, Coach Lisa Bluder revealed that junior McKenna Warnock is on track to dress Saturday, when the 22nd-ranked Hawkeyes (16-7 overall, 10-4 Big Ten) face No. 5 Indiana (19-4, 11-2) in a key women’s basketball contest.

Tipoff is 3 p.m. (CT) Saturday at Assembly Hall in Bloomington, Ind. (B1G+).

“I am optimistic that she’ll be in uniform,” Bluder said. “I don’t know how productive she’ll be, but she’ll be in uniform.”

Warnock has missed the last four games with an injured left hand. The junior is third on the team in scoring at 11.7 points per game, second in rebounding (7.2 per contest).

Her return would give Iowa an active roster of at least nine, 10 if A.J. Ediger is ready to go.

At its lowest point, Iowa was down to seven players.

“Whenever McKenna returns, it will be huge,” Caitlin Clark said.

“I don’t think she gets enough credit. She does so much dirty work. She’s a hard matchup, an undersized ‘4’. She can step out and shoot the 3.”

Saturday’s game is the first of two meetings in three days between the Hawkeyes and Hoosiers. They’ll square off at 7 p.m. Monday in Iowa City (BTN).

Iowa will close the regular season at Rutgers (next Thursday), at home against Michigan (Feb. 27).

That’s four games in nine days, three against top-10 teams.

“It’s a tough stretch, but an opportunity stretch,” Bluder said.

Somewhat curiously, Iowa is 4-3 in the Big Ten at home, 6-1 on the road.

“I think a lot of it is who we have played at home, and who we’ve played on the road,” Bluder said.

“We’ve lost to some pretty good teams at home. The wins on the road, a lot of them have been to the bottom part of the Big Ten.”

The numbers agree: Iowa’s seven home opponents are 51-47 within the league, compared to 44-58 for the seven road foes.

However, Iowa did lose to Northwestern at home and beat the Wildcats on the road.

“It’s kind of strange,” Clark said. “We’ve played great on the road. I like silencing the crowd. I love going against a big crowd, cheering against us. It’s what I live for.”

Home and away, Indiana is going to be a handful. All five starters average in double figures, led by Mackenzie Holmes at 17.0 points per game.

The Hoosiers’ lineup consists of four seniors and a junior.

“They’re a super-talented team. They’ve had the same issues us, some injuries,” Clark said.

They’ll go at it Saturday, then they’ll do it again Monday.

“(Scouting between games), it makes it easier, there’s just one game to watch, and it’s your game,” Bluder said.

“They have to travel, we have to travel. It doesn’t favor one team or the other.”

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com