Hawkeyes’ challenge: Keep the Racers from running rampant

NORMAN, Okla. — Katelyn Young was asked for a scouting report Friday.

On Katelyn Young.

“I would consider myself a three-level scorer,” said Young, a fifth-year player at Murray State and one of 18 players in NCAA women’s basketball history to score 3,000 points in a career.

“I’m able to do damage in the paint, the 15-footer and the 3-pointer. I’m not going to force anything. I’m going to let the game come to me.”

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Jan Jensen’s assessment of Young was more to-the-point:

“She’s a player,” Jensen said. “She’s a bucket. But they all can kill you.”

Iowa (22-10) will try to slow the nation’s most prolific offensive team Saturday; the Hawkeyes face Young and the aptly named Racers (25-7) at Lloyd Noble Center.

Tipoff is 11 a.m.; the game will be televised by ESPN.

Iowa is a 9 1/2-point favorite.

“This is the best time of the year,” Iowa senior Sydney Affolter said before her fourth and final NCAA. “It’s so much fun. We’ve had such a fun journey together.

“It’s one-and-done. We don’t want any regrets.”

The champion of the Missouri Valley Conference tournament, Murray State leads NCAA Division-I at 87.8 points per game. Of course, the Hawkeyes aren’t afraid to run, either.

“We play relatively fast,” said Jensen, who will coach her first game as a head coach Saturday. “If you get so caught up in changing it, you lose your own rhythm.”

Iowa is in its 31st tournament, its seventh in a row. Murray State is making its second appearance, its first since 2008.

“We’re enjoying every minute of it,” Murray State’s Ava Learn said. “So many people would love to be in our spot.”

Saturday will mark Iowa’s first game in 15 days. Taylor McCabe isn’t overly concerned about rust.

“I don’t think so,” she said. “We’ve had a few scrimmages against the guys. It’s not like we haven’t played.”

Addison O’Grady added, “The last two weeks, we’ve been working on ourselves.

“I feel we’re on an uphill trajectory.”

Before the two-week hiatus, the Hawkeyes pieced together a run of 10 wins in 13 games, moving them well away from the NCAA tournament bubble.

Now, it’s a brand-new ball game against a challenging mid-major.

The Racers won four of five against MVC rivals Drake and Northern Iowa, and hung with top-10 LSU through much of its November game before bowing, 74-60.

“We have a mindset of being who we’ve been the entire season,” Young said. “Sure, we’re smaller (than Iowa), so we’re going to have to be physical.”

Iowa reserve forward Teagan Mallegni did not fly with the team Thursday due to concussion protocol. She is considered day-to-day, and there’s a chance she could make the trip Saturday.

No. 11 Oklahoma (25-7) faces Florida Gulf Coast (30-3) in the other first-round game Saturday, at 1:30 p.m.

Winners will play Monday at a time to be determined.

The Hawkeyes have played to the final day of the season each of the last two years. They were NCAA runners-up in 2023 (in Dallas) and in 2024 (in Cleveland).

Hannah Stuelke was asked if this team was capable of another extended run.

“I think so,” she said.

Why?

“Because we’re that good.”

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Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com