‘Hoping against hope:’ Taylor McCabe will undergo MRI after knee injury

IOWA CITY — Jan Jensen is “hoping against hope” that Taylor McCabe can return this season from a knee injury sustained Sunday.

A senior starter from Fremont, Neb., McCabe suffered a non-contact incident to her left knee on the first possession of the game, 23 seconds in.

McCabe was scheduled for an MRI Sunday night.

“I don’t know for sure, but I think it’s a tough one,” Jensen said in the press conference after 10th-ranked Iowa blasted No. 12 Ohio State, 91-70, at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

One of the most accurate outside shooters in program history, McCabe is the fourth-leading scorer on the team this year at 8.1 points per game.

She is shooting 37.8 percent from distance this year, 40.7 percent for her career. Her 177 3-pointers rank 11th all-time.

“I’m really, really sick about Taylor’s injury,” Jensen said. “It’s heartbreaking.”

Addie Deal came in and more than softened the blow, scoring a career-high 20 points.

“As soon as my number is called, I’m going to go out there and give it my all,” Deal said.

McCabe was carried to the tunnel. She returned to the bench, briefly, late in the first half.

Jensen said she was “certain” that McCabe “won’t be ready for this trip, at the very best” when the Hawkeyes (18-2 overall, 9-0 Big Ten) go to Los Angeles for a pivotal road trip this week.

They’ll face USC on Thursday, UCLA on Sunday.

“I’m praying for (McCabe),” Kylie Feuerbach said. “I hope that everything’s OK.

“She was in the back of our minds.”

Taylor’s sister, Peyton McCabe, also suffered an injury Sunday, playing for Drake.

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