Iowa City - A Crucial Week for Iowa Women's Basketball
Carver-Hawkeye Arena is gearing up for what promises to be an electrifying Sunday. With a top-10 Michigan team on the horizon, Senior Day is set to be a spectacle of high stakes and high emotions. But before the Hawkeyes can focus on that, they have a formidable task at hand: facing Purdue.
Iowa’s head coach, Jan Jensen, made it clear on Wednesday that their immediate priority is Thursday night’s clash. “The most important game that we’re going to play is Thursday night, because if we get that one, it makes Sunday what we want it to be,” she emphasized.
The 13th-ranked Hawkeyes, boasting a 20-5 overall record and 11-3 in the Big Ten, are set to battle Purdue at Mackey Arena. While Iowa is heavily favored, Jensen remains cautious.
“It would be a mistake for anybody to think this is going to be an easy one,” she noted. “Should we win?
Of course. A ranked team should win.
I’m confident, but I’m also respectful.”
Iowa enters the game on a high, having secured back-to-back victories against Washington and Nebraska. With just four games left, including the much-anticipated face-off against Michigan, the pressure is mounting. “The seniors, that hourglass, that sand seems to be going a lot faster now,” Jensen reflected.
Purdue presents a unique challenge with their towering lineup, featuring Avery Gordon at 6-foot-7, Lana McCarthy at 6-4, and Kendall Puryear at 6-3. “It’s just a different look they give people,” Jensen explained.
Iowa’s response will likely center around Ava Heiden, who is fresh off a stellar 27-point performance against Nebraska, where she hit 12 of 15 shots. Jensen has been pushing Heiden to step up as a vocal leader.
“Ava’s game was really great at Nebraska. We need an inside/outside presence.
When everybody gets it going at the same time, it makes us hard to guard,” Jensen added.
As the Hawkeyes prepare for this pivotal stretch, the team’s focus remains sharp, knowing that each game is a stepping stone towards their larger goals.