No. 13 Iowa women's basketball hosts No. 15 Michigan State in a crucial Big Ten matchup at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. The Hawkeyes, undefeated in conference play, lead 36-29 midway through the second quarter. Key contributions from Hannah Stuelke and Addie Deal have powered Iowa's strong start.
The No. 13 Iowa Hawkeyes (15-2, 6-0 Big Ten) faced off against the No. 15 Michigan State Spartans (17-1, 6-1 Big Ten) on January 18, 2026, at 7 p.m. CT in Carver-Hawkeye Arena, Iowa City, Iowa. This game marks the start of Iowa's toughest stretch, with upcoming contests against Maryland, Ohio State, USC, and UCLA. A strong performance here could solidify their NCAA Tournament hosting prospects, with at least two wins in the stretch seen as ideal.
Michigan State entered with just one loss, a road upset to Wisconsin in early December. The Spartans recently edged No. 24 Nebraska 73-71, thanks to 22 points from senior forward Grace VanSlooten and clutch free throws by sophomore Juliann Woodard.
Iowa came off a 74-66 victory over Oregon on January 15, where senior forward Hannah Stuelke recorded 18 points, eight rebounds, eight assists (a career high), and two steals. Freshman guard Addie Deal shone with a career-high 18 points on 7-of-9 shooting, including 4-of-4 from three-point range.
Injuries impact both sides: Iowa's sophomore wing Emely Rodriguez is out, alongside senior forward Jada Gyamfi with a long-term absence since early December. Michigan State misses guard Theryn Hallock (10.6 ppg) and forward Isaline Alexander (9.6 ppg).
Early action favored Iowa. The first quarter ended 22-16, with Stuelke scoring eight points on 3-of-4 shooting and 2-of-2 free throws. Chit-Chat Wright capped it with a half-court buzzer-beater three, energizing the crowd. By 5:44 in the second quarter, Iowa led 32-22 after Deal's three-pointer, forcing a Michigan State timeout. Stuelke had 12 points, and Iowa drew three fouls on VanSlooten. At 2:34 in the second, the score was 36-29 Iowa, following an unsuccessful out-of-bounds appeal.
The game airs on Big Ten Network, with streaming on Fubo and radio on the Hawkeye Radio Network.