Hawkeyes’ first road trip of the season is a short one to UNI

IOWA CITY — After three more-than-dominant home victories, the Iowa Hawkeyes could use a little discomfort.

The venue might provide it.

The opponent? We’ll see.

No. 21 Iowa (3-0) breaks out its road uniforms for the first time this season, busing to Cedar Falls for a Sunday encounter with Northern Iowa (0-2).

Tipoff is 2 p.m. at McLeod Center.

“It’s another in-state rivalry that is always emotional, and when you’re playing on the road, you never know,” Iowa Coach Jan Jensen said.

True, but judging by the Hawkeyes’ first two games against Missouri Valley Conference opposition, you might have a pretty good clue.

Iowa blitzed Evansville, 119-43, last Sunday, setting a program record both for victory margin and points in a game. Four days later, the Hawkeyes handled Drake, 100-58.

In both of those games, six players reached double figures.

“Everybody’s going to celebrate each other, and they’re going to pass the baton when it’s not they’re turn,” sophomore guard Taylor Stremlow said. “It’s hard to guard eight to 10 players and scout that way.”

Jensen has settled into a rotation of 10: Ava Heiden, Hannah Stuelke, Kylie Feuerbach, Taylor McCabe and Chit-Chat Wright in the starting lineup, with Layla Hays, Addie Deal, Emely Rodriguez, Journey Houston and Stremlow coming off the bench.

All are getting between 12 and 27 minutes per game. All are contributing.

“Their depth ... they go with one post, then the next post, then the next post,” Drake Coach Allison Pohlman said.

The trio of Heiden, Stuelke and Hays — 6-foot-4, 6-2 and 6-5 — has been good for 43.7 points and 23.0 rebounds per game, shooting at a 67-percent clip from the floor (54 of 81).

UNI, meanwhile, lost virtually two-thirds of its scoring production from last year, and the Panthers have managed just 53.5 points per game in their first two contests.

“They did lose a couple of key players from last year, and they’re still in their forming stage,” Jensen said.

“They’re a team similar to Drake in that they run a five-out motion and they run various sets that can pose a bit of a challenge to guard because your bigs aren’t used to guarding on the perimeter.”

Two of the Panthers have area ties. Senior Ryley Goebel played at Center Point-Urbana; junior Jenna Twedt is a Benton Community alum who spent two years at Kirkwood Community College.

After Sunday, Iowa heads to Orlando, Fla., for two games next week against Baylor and Miami (Fla.).

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com