After a frustratingly close loss to Iowa State on Wednesday due to uncertainty, the Iowa women’s basketball team returned home for a Saturday matinee matchup with the Lindenwood Lions.
The outcome of this game was never in doubt, as the Hawkeyes took care of business with a convincing 104-68 victory over the Lions. Iowa did exactly what it needed to do to an opponent it heavily favored, showing some encouraging signs in the process.
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With the schedule really heating up soon and a showdown with No. 1 UCONN on the agenda next Saturday, what did this Lions win show us over the Hawkeyes? These are the most important takeaways from Iowa’s great victory over Lindenwood.
Hannah Stuelke domina
It was a tough game for Iowa’s big men against the Cyclones, but they responded in style on Saturday. Hannah Stuelke, in particular, had a wonderful afternoon. The senior point guard scored a staggering 19 points in the first game and finished with 31 points in the game. He shot 13-18 from the field, finishing with ease at the rim and actively looking for his shot.
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It hasn’t been the senior season Stuelke expected up to this point, as he’s averaging his lowest amount of points per game since his freshman season. Maybe this will be the game that gets her going as Iowa prepares for the conference. Stuelke is an incredible player with the skills and leadership to help steer this team toward a deep run in March. If he starts running around like this constantly, be careful. Iowa will be a force to be reckoned with in the Big Ten.
The ball movement was excellent.
Iowa’s offense as a whole was cooking from the start, but the ball movement was what caught my attention the most on that end of the floor. The Hawkeyes finished the game with 31 assists, led by Taylor McCabe’s seven. Entering the game, Iowa was averaging 21.1 assists per game, sixth in the country among FBS programs. That number will increase after Saturday’s conquest.
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There’s a reason Iowa’s offense is one of the most efficient units in all of women’s college basketball. Everyone knows where they are supposed to be, the spacing is excellent and the passing is effective. This leads to a lot of easy looks at the rim for bigs and a lot of open threes. Even without a bona fide No. 1 scoring guard, the Hawkeyes possess a top-notch offense domestically. A lot of credit must go to Jan Jensen for that.
Iowa is resistant
This game had the potential to be a prototype trap game for the Hawkeyes. Sandwiched between two of the top ten teams on the schedule and coming off a heartbreaking loss, this Lindenwood game presented an opportunity for a disappointing game for Iowa. The Hawkeyes made sure this game was never in doubt, completely dominating from the start to make sure they didn’t slip up against the Lions.
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This team played with a lot of heart and energy after the Iowa State loss, which was incredible to see. They take every game and every opponent seriously, a trait that will pay huge dividends this season. Every team that has the Hawkeyes on their schedule knows that they will have to dig deep and dig deep to come away with a win. Iowa doesn’t go into a ladder when an opponent makes a big run or when shots aren’t falling. They play their game, and that game is good enough to beat any team in the country on any given day.
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This article originally appeared on Hawkeyes Wire: Iowa Women’s Basketball Takeaways from Dominant Conquest Over Lindenwood
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