Inside The Hawkeyes

Iowa Maintains Steady Lead vs. Undefeated Miami at Halftime

The Iowa Hawkeyes haven't trailed for a second as they lead undefeated Miami Hurricanes at halftime.
Jordon Lawrenz|
Iowa guard Taylor Stremlow (1) and Iowa center Ava Heiden (5) react Nov. 9, 2025 during a women’s basketball game against the Evansville Purple Aces at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa.
Iowa guard Taylor Stremlow (1) and Iowa center Ava Heiden (5) react Nov. 9, 2025 during a women’s basketball game against the Evansville Purple Aces at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa. | Julia Hansen/Iowa City Press-Citizen / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Iowa Hawkeyes

Through 20 minutes, the Iowa Hawkeyes have yet to trail the undefeated Miami Hurricanes. These two teams combine for a 9-0 record, but it's the No. 19 Hawkeyes that have dominated throughout.

While it hasn't been the cleanest performance out of Iowa, head coach Jan Jensen has plenty to be happy about going into halftime. At the half, her team is leading, 36-28. Not only that, but Iowa has all the momentum on their side as they've made five of their last six field goals.

Taylor Stremlow Stays Hot

When Chit-Chat Wright went down against Baylor, Iowa had a huge void to fill. The Hawkeyes knew they have a deep bench, but it's quite the ask to have someone step up and fill those shoes. In the end, it was Taylor Stremlow. Stremlow is once again all over the court as she makes the most of her minutes, earning the start vs. Miami.

Stremlow may not lead Iowa in scoring, but she's been a key piece to their eight point halftime lead. Jensen decided to take it easy with her at the end of the half as she has two fouls and is someone the Hawkeyes absolutely cannot afford to lose. She has six points at the break and is 3-5 from the field with a pair of assists.

The Ava Heiden Show

After 20 minutes, the only player in double digits is Ava Heiden. Iowa's sure glad to have her on their team as she's 5-5 from the field tonight and has knocked down both of her free throws. Heiden is doing everything right, and Iowa continues to find her open down low. Heiden has had to earn quite a few of her makes, but she's a force to be reckoned with and Miami seemingly has no answer to stopping her in the paint.

Even if Heiden wasn't in double digits, the Hawkeyes know Hannah Stuelke is someone they can still rely on. She's tied for second of all scorers with nine points and is 4-7 from the field. Stuelke already has eight assists, another number that Iowa in their favor.

Iowa's Key Differentials

Obviously, Iowa wouldn't be at this point in the game if they weren't leading in a few key areas. Stuelke's eight rebounds have certainly helped as the Hawkeyes have out-rebounded the Hurricanes, 21-14. They have more offensive and defensive rebounds, two key numbers that they need to keep up in the second half.

Iowa is shooting 52% from the field compared to Miami's 32%, another huge number that is going to go a long way if the Hurricanes continue to struggle this much. Both teams have struggled from three point range as they're both under 20%.

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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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