Inside The Hawkeyes

Immediate Takeaways From Iowa's Biggest Win of the Season

The Iowa Hawkeyes took care of business against a Top 10 opponent.
Jordon Lawrenz|
Jan 29, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Iowa Hawkeyes guard Ava Heiden (5) is defended by USC Trojans forward Vivian Iwuchukwu (0) and guard Kara Dunn (25) as she drives for a basket in the second half at Galen Center. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
Jan 29, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Iowa Hawkeyes guard Ava Heiden (5) is defended by USC Trojans forward Vivian Iwuchukwu (0) and guard Kara Dunn (25) as she drives for a basket in the second half at Galen Center. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

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Iowa Hawkeyes

The Iowa Hawkeyes knew No. 6 Michigan would be one of their toughest tests of the season, but they didn't expect to pull away as they did in the fourth quarter.

Iowa proved they belonged as they knocked off a Top 10 opponent. The Wolverines will likely fall out of the Top 10 come February 23 when the new AP Top 25 is revealed.

As for Iowa, they're well on their way to re-entering the Top 10. Earlier this week, they handled Purdue, and now they picked up one of, if not their biggest wins of the entire year.

A few players stood out on senior day, but the return of Hannah Stuelke ultimately was the biggest reason for the victory. So many players contributed en route to Iowa's 62-44 victory, where the Hawkeyes' defense shone bright.

1. Double Double Machines

Usually, either Ava Heiden or Hannah Stuelke will come out of these games with a double-double, but this time it was both of them who recorded double digits in points and rebounds.

Ava Heiden led all scorers with 24 points, matching both of the Wolverines' leading scorers combined. Not only was Heiden a prolific 11-17 from the field, but she added 10 rebounds, which was the second most of anyone in the game.

Iowa Hawkeyes center Ava Heiden
Iowa center Ava Heiden (5) turns toward the basket as Michigan forward Ashley Sofilkanich (15) and Michigan guard Olivia Olson (1) defend Feb. 22, 2026 at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa. | Julia Hansen/Iowa City Press-Citizen / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Stuelke returned with a vengeance. She only shot 50% from the field (5-for-10) but still managed to score 10 points and grab a game high 12 rebounds. If that wasn't enough, she had a pair of steals and seven assists as she continues to inch closer to the triple-double mark.

2. Hawkeyes Finally Won The Turnover Battle

Every major game Iowa has had this season has seen them get dominated in the turnover battle. No. 1 UConn exploited this Iowa team in more ways than one, but Carver was in for a treat as finally, Iowa was able to take advantage of their opponents' mistakes.

Iowa picked up a 18 point win and a huge part of that was due to Michigan turning the ball over 24 times. Iowa turned it over 18 times themselves, but the Hawkeyes recorded 21 points off turnovers while the Wolverines had only six.

Second-year head coach Jan Jensen couldn't have had her team more prepared. This was a highlight reel performance from start to finish, and Iowa never took their foot off the gas as they inch their way closer to being a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament.

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Jordon Lawrenz
JORDON LAWRENZ

Jordon Lawrenz serves as the Eastern United States College Recruiting beat writer On SI. Jordon is an accomplished writer covering the NFL, MLB, and college football/basketball. He has contributed to PFSN’s and Heavy’s NFL coverage. Having graduated from the University of Wisconsin - Green Bay with a Sports Communication and Journalism degree, Jordon fully embraced the sports writing lifestyle upon his relocation to Florida.

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