Iowa-Drake women’s basketball Sunday also is a McCabe family reunion

IOWA CITY — One of the positive byproducts of the COVID-19 pandemic was the construction of a full-court basketball court in Fremont, Neb.

That was the hometown of the McCabe residence, home of four active kids — two girls and two boys.

At least, it was a positive byproduct for a while.

“We got banned from playing two-on-two,” said Taylor McCabe, sniper for the University of Iowa women’s basketball team. “We were getting too many injuries from our brothers.”

The McCabe family reunion is one of the most notable storylines when Iowa (3-0) visits Drake (2-1) in the first encounter of the state’s four Division-I teams.

Tipoff is 2 p.m. at the Knapp Center, Des Moines.

Taylor McCabe is a junior at Iowa; Peyton McCabe is a freshman at Drake.

Iowa has won 20 of the last 21 games in this series, but it’s rarely a small-dunk in Des Moines.

The Hawkeyes won in overtime in their last journey to Central Iowa, in 2022. Two years prior to that, they escaped, 103-97.

In 2018, Iowa won at the Knapp Center, 91-82. In 2016, it was an 81-76 loss. In 2014, a 100-98 victory.

You get the picture. It’s going to be high-scoring, entertaining and close.

Another storyline? Sunday marks Jan Jensen’s first Knapp appearance as Iowa’s head coach. She had been there 12 times as an assistant.

Jensen was an All-American at Drake in a career that concluded in 1991. She led the nation in scoring in her senior year at 29.6 points per game, and ranks No. 7 on the Bulldogs’ career scoring chart with 1,996 points.

Jensen’s spouse, Julie Fitzpatrick, scored 1,776 career points at Drake.

“I’m proud to be a Drake alum,” Jensen said. “Drake did so much for me. I have two favorite teams in this state, and I root for Drake every time except when they play us.

“It’s going to take everything we’ve got. I’ve been on the other side of it, so I know it’s really tough when you go over there and you’re wearing a Hawkeye uniform.”

It will be awkward for the McCabe sisters, too.

“I don’t know if we’ve ever played against each other,” Taylor said. “I’m so excited for Sunday.

“(Peyton) is me, except she’s blonde.”

Peyton has played in two games, seven minutes, and hasn’t yet scored.

Taylor is one of seven Iowa players averaging at least 7 points per game. With the graduation of Caitlin Clark and Gabbie Marshall, she is the Hawkeyes’ top outside shooter.

McCabe is shooting 47.1 percent (8 of 17) from distance; the rest of the roster is at 20.5 percent (9 of 44).

“I’ll let Taylor shoot it until the cows come home,” Jensen said.

McCabe started the first two games of the season. When Sydney Affolter was ready to rejoin the lineup Wednesday, McCabe returned to her role as reserve.

“Taylor is a really thoughtful player, and she didn’t skip a beat,” Jensen said. “Everybody wants to start, everybody’s pushing to start, but they’re also pushing for each other.”

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com