Dec. 4, 2025, 12:34 p.m. CT
IOWA CITY — For an Iowa girls’s basketball workforce nonetheless studying the right way to digest success collectively, the awkward early-December convention sport might be trickier than anticipated.
The No. 12 Hawkeyes (8-0) are about to get their crack at dealing with this example. Coming off wins over pesky mid-majors Western Illinois and Fairfield, Jan Jensen’s squad should lock in for a Dec. 6 date at Rutgers (5 p.m., FS1) that’ll set an early tone in Large Ten play. The Scarlet Knights (7-2) are harmful sufficient to current issues if Iowa is not centered.
With that, listed here are three issues to look at for forward of Iowa’s go to to Jersey Mike’s Enviornment.
Whereas this is not Iowa’s most intriguing December matchup, it is arguably essentially the most pivotal
The Hawkeyes have encountered a minimum of one in every of these each season for the reason that COVID-19 pandemic, a possible Large Ten landmine able to even tripping up a workforce rolling by the non-conference schedule. Caitlin Clark and Iowa’s veteran make-up made the primary three years of that no downside. Early-December wins over Michigan State (88-61) in 2021, Wisconsin (102-71) and Minnesota (87-64) in 2022 and Wisconsin (87-65) in 2023 arrived drama-free.
The Hawkeyes met a unique destiny final season.
Coming off an emotional Cy-Hawk win that noticed seniors Lucy Olsen and Sydney Affolter carry Iowa throughout the end line, the Hawkeyes could not ship the identical consequence 4 days later at Michigan State. The Dec. 15 stumble noticed Iowa blow a nine-point fourth-quarter lead. When Iowa and Michigan State met once more three months later, the result was fairly completely different. The Hawkeyes rolled to a 74-61 win that they managed all through.
So what’s the important thing to navigating by this unusual starting to league motion?
“As a result of we’re extra younger than we’re older, getting the outdated youngsters to translate how tough it’s to win on the highway (within the Large Ten) is a priority,” Jensen mentioned. “I have been speaking about it. I positively have not made it simply one other highway sport. I’ve talked in regards to the pleasure and the significance of going 1-0 (to begin convention play).
“Not all is gained or misplaced. However the video games on paper that land in your favor, you positively wish to maintain these.”
Now, this Rutgers workforce is nowhere close to pretty much as good because the Michigan State squad Iowa confronted final season. And the Scarlet Knights, for all their elite historical past, have solely crushed the Hawkeyes as soon as in 14 tries since becoming a member of the Large Ten. On the very least, Iowa needs to be a double-digit favourite in Piscataway.
Jensen is aware of, although, how expensive this loss may very well be in the long term if Iowa is not dialed in. Whereas this is probably not the Hawkeyes’ most glamorous pre-Christmas showdown, it is arguably an important.
“That is not anyone’s favourite with these expansive conferences. We now need to throw a convention sport in the midst of all the things else (in December),” Jensen mentioned. “As a result of irrespective of how a lot folks wish to speak about what we did in Florida or the thrill of Iowa State (on Dec. 10) or the tip of the non-con with Connecticut (on Dec. 20), any coach will let you know an important sport earlier than Christmas is the convention one.”
The Hawkeyes’ harm considerations proceed to linger
Relating to Iowa’s harm state of affairs, the Hawkeyes hoped extra readability would arrive this week with a number of days in between video games. That, nevertheless, hasn’t occurred.
Jensen continued to label Chit-Chat Wright (higher physique), Emely Rodriguez (again) and Teagan Mallegni (tonsils) as day-to-day. Wright hasn’t performed since getting injured towards Baylor on Nov. 20, whereas Rodriguez and Mallegni final performed Nov. 22 vs. Miami.
“It’s not coach converse. They’re really day-to-day once they’re going to be launched,” Jensen mentioned. “And there’s completely different testing and protocols, and I haven’t received that but. I nonetheless assume we’re slightly bit away with Teagan’s restoration. However I’m crossing my fingers about Chat and Emely. Nevertheless it actually is day-to-day.”
Jensen mentioned the trio didn’t apply this week and later added she does not anticipate to get all three again directly. It seems like Mallegni is the furthest away from returning, although her restoration is especially simply getting game-ready stamina again. Wright and Rodriguez will in the end need to do the identical.
The Hawkeyes have been sturdy of their response to adversity, led by Taylor Stremlow and Addie Deal contributing extra to maintain the undefeated begin going. The team-wide confidence gained ought to stay even when Iowa has to re-adjust when Wright, Rodriguez and Mallegni ultimately return.
“It’s important to type your workforce slightly bit completely different once more,” Jensen mentioned. “And all people, as soon as once more, goes to need to realign roles. It’s what it’s. Once you’re a child who has sadly gotten damage or had a process, then you’re a little bit behind. And so then you have to push everybody and keep affected person.
“In order that they’ll proceed to be slightly forming once we get these youngsters again. I don’t suspect we’ll get all of them again on the similar time. We’ll in all probability get one again, then one-and-a-half, after which perhaps one other two or three days, 5 days, we’ll get the third one again. So we’ll need to once more study these subbing patterns and position acceptances. However I do assume the constructive is we have gotten folks a number of expertise.”
What stands out most on this overhauled Rutgers roster?
It is a widespread theme in immediately’s faculty basketball local weather, attempting to guage a workforce that appears nothing like its earlier self. With six transfers on the roster, Rutgers is firmly in that boat.
Contemplating the Scarlet Knights entered this season with simply 33 wins in three years underneath Coquese Washington, an inflow of recent faces in all probability wasn’t a nasty thought. Anchored by a beginning lineup that has only one participant underneath 6-foot-1, Rutgers has blended respectable play with rising pains early on.
The Scarlet Knights enter on a three-game profitable streak, however Rutgers additionally has a house loss to Stony Brook and a highway stumble at Auburn in its solely non-conference Energy 4 matchup. The remaining outcomes have been wins over the northeast’s most interesting mid-majors.
The Hawkeyes’ measurement might want to present up, particularly if Iowa’s backcourt is once more shorthanded.
Iowa girls’s basketball vs. Rutgers prediction
The Hawkeyes overcome a sluggish begin and lean on their protection to begin Large Ten play on the precise foot. Iowa 72, Rutgers 60.
Dargan Southard is a sports activities trending reporter and covers Iowa athletics for the Des Moines Register and HawkCentral.com. Electronic mail him at msouthard@gannett.com or observe him on Twitter at @Dargan_Southard.
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