The No. 14 Iowa Hawkeyes, sitting at 10-2 overall and 1-0 in Big Ten play, host the 7-5 Penn State Lady Lions on December 28 at 3:00 p.m. CT in Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Iowa leads the all-time series 30-29 and has won the last 11 meetings, entering as heavy favorites with projections around 85-68. Key battles include Iowa's Ava Heiden against Penn State's efficient center Gracie Merkle.
The Iowa Hawkeyes women's basketball team returns from the holiday break to face the Penn State Lady Lions in their second Big Ten game of the season. Iowa, ranked No. 14 in the AP poll, has shown offensive firepower, averaging 82.2 points per game on 50.4% field goal shooting and 37.8% from three-point range. Defensively, they hold opponents to 59.6 points while forcing 15.9 turnovers per game and enjoying a +13.5 rebound margin. Recent setbacks include a 90-64 loss to No. 1 UConn on December 20, where they committed 26 turnovers, and a 74-69 defeat to No. 10 Iowa State, contributing to their drop from No. 11 in the rankings. However, a win over No. 7 Baylor earlier highlights their potential against top competition.
Penn State, under seventh-year coach Carolyn Kieger, enters with a 7-5 record and 0-1 in conference play after a program-worst 1-17 Big Ten mark last season. They average 77.7 points offensively but struggle defensively, allowing 75.7 points and ranking last in the Big Ten in three-point defense at 35.3% opponent shooting. The Lady Lions feature standout center Gracie Merkle, who leads the nation in field goal percentage at 73.5%, averaging 19.8 points and 8.2 rebounds on 108-of-147 attempts, mostly in the paint. Guard Kiyomi McMiller adds 18.2 points, including efficient midrange and paint scoring, though her three-point shooting dips to 19.0% this season. Sharpshooter Moriah Murray averages 3.0 threes at 41.4%, while freshman Tèa Clèante contributes 10.1 points and forward Maggie Mendelson provides rebounding after missing early games.
For Iowa, guard Taylor McCabe stands out as the Big Ten's second-leading three-point maker at 2.83 per game and 43.6% accuracy, poised to exploit Penn State's perimeter weaknesses. The pivotal matchup pits Iowa sophomore center Ava Heiden against Merkle; Heiden's presence boosts Iowa by 19.6 points per 40 minutes, but foul trouble has limited her against elite bigs like UConn's Serah Williams. To secure victory, Iowa must limit turnovers—critical after the UConn miscues—and involve multiple scorers, as they perform best with four or more in double figures. ESPN gives Iowa a 96.8% win probability, with Warren Nolan projecting 85-64 and Bart Torvik 91-70. Coach Jan Jensen's squad aims to capitalize on a favorable Big Ten stretch, starting with this home tilt.
