No. 10 Iowa defeated No. 11 Ohio State 91-70 in women's basketball on Sunday, extending their winning streak to eight games. Senior guard Taylor McCabe suffered a season-ending ACL injury early in the contest. The Hawkeyes' team effort secured the victory, marking their third straight win over ranked opponents.
The University of Iowa women's basketball team continued their impressive surge with a 91-70 victory over No. 11 Ohio State on Sunday in Iowa City. This win improved Iowa to 9-0 in Big Ten play, their best conference start since the 1995-96 season when they began 12-0. The Hawkeyes, now ranked No. 8 in the AP Poll, have won eight consecutive games, including four against ranked teams—a first in program history.
The game turned somber early when senior guard Taylor McCabe, from Fremont, Nebraska, sustained a non-contact left knee injury during Ohio State's opening possession in the first quarter. McCabe was carried off the court as the sold-out Carver-Hawkeye Arena fell silent. She returned to the bench in street clothes with an ice pack on her knee, receiving support from teammates.
McCabe, averaging 8.1 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 37% from three-point range this season, later confirmed the injury as a torn ACL, ending her senior year. She ranks 11th in Iowa history with 172 made three-pointers and ties for the program's best three-point percentage at .407. "This isn’t how I imagined my senior season ending, but adversity has always been part of the game," McCabe said. "I’m committed to my recovery and to supporting my teammates."
Head coach Jan Jensen praised McCabe's impact: "Taylor gave everything she had to this team, and her impact goes far beyond what has shown up on the court." Sophomore Ava Heiden has emerged as a leader, earning a Most Improved Player vote in midseason awards. Teammates Addison Deal, Hannah Stuelke, Chit-Chat Wright, and Heiden all scored in double figures.
McCabe also noted her sister Peyton's severe right lower leg injury in a Drake game that day, requesting prayers for her. Iowa, in Jan Jensen's second season, has rebounded from last year's second-round NCAA exit under new leadership.
