Iowa City Today

The University of Iowa women's basketball team secured a decisive 100-58 win over Drake University at Carver-Hawkeye Arena on Thursday. The Hawkeyes, who are nationally ranked, dominated the game from the start, ending the first quarter with a 25-9 lead after a 17-0 run that kept Drake scoreless for the final seven minutes. Iowa forced eight turnovers in the opening period, converting them into 15 points.

Sophomore Taylor Stremlow opened the second quarter with consecutive three-pointers. Although Drake responded with a brief run to cut into Iowa's lead, senior Hannah Stuelke scored out of an Iowa timeout to halt their momentum. By halftime, Iowa led 45-25, buoyed by strong bench contributions that accounted for most of their second-quarter points.

After halftime, Iowa continued its strong performance by scoring 13 straight points while holding Drake to just one point in the first three minutes of the third quarter. The Hawkeyes shot over 63 percent from the field and nearly 67 percent from beyond the arc during this period. Six different players contributed to the scoring in this stretch, led by sophomore Ava Heiden.

In the fourth quarter, sophomore Chit-Chat Wright hit her fourth three-pointer early on as part of an 11-3 run. Ten Hawkeyes found their way onto the scoreboard in the final period as Iowa closed out its victory.

Ava Heiden recorded 14 points on seven-for-nine shooting along with six rebounds and two blocks; she has now scored in double figures for three consecutive games. Chit-Chat Wright made a career-high four threes and added four steals and three assists while reaching double figures for only the second time as a Hawkeye with 14 points. Hannah Stuelke finished with 11 points, eight rebounds, and five assists—her highest assist total this season—and marked her 64th career double-digit scoring game.

Other notable performances included Emely Rodriguez (11 points), Taylor Stremlow (tied her career high with ten points), Layla Hays (her first double-double with 14 points and ten rebounds), and Taylor McCabe (six points along with five assists and five rebounds).

This win marks Iowa’s largest margin of victory against Drake since the early '90s and extends several program streaks: home sellouts have reached 39 games—the longest active streak nationwide—and they have won thirteen straight non-conference home games. Since December 2022, Iowa is now nineteen-and-one at home versus non-conference opponents.

The Hawkeyes also notched their eighth consecutive win over Drake and have taken twenty-two out of their last twenty-three meetings in this series; they've also won eleven straight against Drake when playing at home in Iowa City. With this result, Iowa starts its season at three wins without defeat for a sixth year running.

Iowa has achieved several milestones under head coach Jan Jensen: "The Hawkeyes are 14-1 when scoring 80+ points in the Jan Jensen era." They have scored more than one hundred points thirty-nine times in program history—including three times against Drake within their last five matchups—and surpassed thirty assists for only the fourteenth time since 2009.

Looking ahead, Iowa will face Northern Iowa on Sunday at McLeod Center; fans can follow live coverage via ESPN+ or listen through the Hawkeye Radio Network.