Three Reasons For Iowa's Three Game Losing Streak

There's no point in sugarcoating it, the Iowa Hawkeyes are not okay without Taylor McCabe.

While not everything McCabe did showed up in the stat sheet, Iowa allowing 91 points against Minnesota proved exactly how vital she was to this team.

For the Hawkeyes to lose at home, 91-85, that makes it far worse than it should've been.

Dropping two games on the west coast is one thing, but there is absolutely cause for concern after this team fell to 18-5 (9-3).

1. McCabe Meant Everything to this Defense

Iowa G Taylor McCab — Indiana's Nevaeh Caffey (2) shoots past Iowa's Taylor McCabe (2) during the Indiana versus Iowa womens basketball game at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall on Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. | Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Prior to this three-game losing streak, Iowa only gave up 80+ points in a game once. To no surprise, that was to No. 1 UConn. Even in their loss to No. 10 Iowa State, they only allowed 74 points.

USC dropped 81 on Iowa, No. 2 UCLA scored 88, and we all know what happened against the Golden Gophers. Allowing 260 points in a three-game stretch simply isn't acceptable, and it's no surprise to see them drop all three of those games.

Iowa enters a "bye week" seeing as they don't play again until Feb. 11. Second-year head coach Jan Jensen has all the time in the world to fix this team's defense, something they desperately need with just six games remaining.

2. Addie Deal is Not a Starter

Iowa G Addie Dea — Iowa guard Addie Deal (7) drives to the basket against Minnesota center Sophie Hart (52) on Feb. 5, 2026, at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. | Cody Scanlan/The Register / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Nothing against Deal, but she hasn't provided that extra spark this team has needed from her. When McCabe went down, Jensen opted to go with the freshman who just made a huge statement against No. 12 Ohio State.

For whatever reason, that hasn't translated with Deal in the starting lineup. Jensen needs to make an adjustment, and she needs to do so fast. During the time she's been a starter, Deal has just nine points in 56 minutes. Keep in mind, she scored 20 against OSU in 32 minutes.

3. Inconsistencies Across The Board

Iowa G Kylie Feuerbac — Iowa guard Kylie Feuerbach (4) passes the ball into the paint against Minnesota guard Mara Braun (10) on Feb. 5, 2026, at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. | Cody Scanlan/The Register / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

This third reason is mainly centered around Kylie Feuerbach, but sadly, the same could be said about Chit-Chat Wright or a few other players on this team. Feuerbach has been ice cold, 0-for-9 in her last two games.

McCabe gave this team everything from 3-point range, something they haven't been able to replicate with her gone. Wright is coming off a fantastic game against Minnesota, a game where she scored more points than she did on the West Coast trip combined.

In the team's last three games, Wright has sat a grand total of two minutes. Jensen is getting everything out of her that she can, but obviously, that's not sustainable with the B1G tournament coming up and March Madness right around the corner.

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