A week into the college basketball season, both Iowa teams are already showing their shape - and both are about to learn a lot more about themselves.
The women are 2-1 after opening with wins over Towson and Eastern Illinois, then taking a 91-79 loss on the road at UConn. That defeat didn’t erase the early positives, though. Iowa showed enough in that game to suggest there’s a solid base here, and this week brings another chance to build on it.
The Hawkeyes have two games on the docket. On 11/12, Iowa hosts Northern Iowa at 7:30 p.m.
CT at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, with Big Ten Network carrying the game. Then on 11/15, Iowa faces Vanderbilt at 12 p.m.
CT at Tyson Events Center in Iowa City, with FS1 on the broadcast. That second matchup gives Iowa a shot at an SEC team currently ranked inside the top 10.
For the men, the start has been cleaner on the scoreboard. Iowa is 2-0 after beating Lipscomb and Eastern Illinois, but the schedule tightens fast from here. The Hawkeyes are about to hit their first real stretch of tests, starting with Virginia Tech and Creighton.
This week should tell a lot about Ben McCollum’s second year at Iowa. After two comfortable wins, the Hawkeyes are stepping into tougher territory, and there’s an odd twist to the slate: both games are in Iowa, but neither will be played at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
Iowa meets Virginia Tech on 11/10 at 6 p.m. CT at Tyson Events Center in Sioux City, with FS1 airing the game.
Then on 11/15, the Hawkeyes take on Creighton at 2 p.m. CT at Casey’s Center in Des Moines, also on FS1.
There’s also an injury situation worth watching for the men. Andrew McKeever, the transfer from Saint Mary’s, is dealing with a back injury and has not played in Iowa’s first two games. His status for the Virginia Tech matchup remains uncertain.
On the women’s side, the early scoring punch has come from the guards. Dani Carnegie and Chazadi Wright have stood out, and Carnegie is averaging 15.0 points per game through three contests, with at least 12 points in every game so far. Wright delivered the biggest individual burst against UConn, scoring 23 points on 8-for-15 shooting.
In Other News...
Iowa Depth Chart Hints At An O-Line Shakeup Before Purdue
The Week 11 depth chart from the University of Iowa Athletics Department offered a notable look at how the Hawkeyes may line up up front heading into Purdue, with LJ Phillips listed as a starter for the first time since transferring. Michael Myslinkski is now shown at center, while Gene Riordan appears as the backup at right tackle, a set of changes that suggests Iowa is still sorting through its best combination in the trenches as the season enters its stretch run.
It comes at a time when the Hawkeyes remain No. 16 in the rankings with a 7-2 record, so even small shifts on the offensive line carry real weight. Purdue has already made a change of its own by firing defensive coordinator Kevin Kane, adding another layer of uncertainty to a game Iowa will approach with both its standing and its line stability in focus. [Read more 🡒]
Iowas Defense Just Sent Another Message With Three Games Left
With Northwestern down to backup quarterback Nicco Marchiol after Aidan Chiles was likely out, Iowas defense had to make a quick adjustment and still looked every bit like one of the nations better units. Marchiol completed 24 of 32 passes for 181 yards with one touchdown and added 52 rushing yards, but the Hawkeyes kept the pressure on all afternoon, finishing with six sacks in a 24-10 win.
It was the kind of performance that has become familiar in Iowa City, where the defense has stayed steady even as opponents try to change plans on the fly. With three games left, the bigger question is how much more this group can still raise the bar, especially if it keeps forcing opponents to play from behind and make tough decisions under center. [Read more 🡒]
Iowa Just Got An Early Test That Could Shape Everything
A trip to Gampel Pavilion gave Iowa an early measuring-stick game, and second-ranked Connecticut made sure the Hawkeyes felt the full weight of it. UConn beat No. 10 Iowa 91-79 in a womens basketball matchup that offered a reminder of how thin the margin can be when a ranked team steps into a hostile road environment against one of the sports standard-bearers.
Sarah Strong set the tone for the Huskies with a career-high 39 points and 10 rebounds, while Iowa still found some resistance from Chit-Chat Wright, who scored 23 points despite playing through an injury. Ava Heiden added 15 points even while dealing with foul trouble and a facial injury, leaving Iowa with a few encouraging signs and a clear sense that this kind of test can reveal plenty before the season settles in. [Read more 🡒]