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Inside The Hawkeyes

Three Takeaways From Iowa's Closer Than Expected Win Over FDU

The Iowa Hawkeyes were in for a rude awakening in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
Jordon Lawrenz|
Iowa guard Kylie Feuerbach (4) high-fives Iowa forward Hannah Stuelke (45) March 21, 2026 during a First Round NCAA March Madness game against the Fairleigh Dickinson Knights at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa.
Iowa guard Kylie Feuerbach (4) high-fives Iowa forward Hannah Stuelke (45) March 21, 2026 during a First Round NCAA March Madness game against the Fairleigh Dickinson Knights 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

In no world did the No. 2 Iowa Hawkeyes expect to only have a one-point halftime lead over No. 15 Fairleigh Dickinson.

Head coach Jan Jensen needed to use a timeout in the middle of the fourth quarter to get her team back on track, and that proved to be a decision that helped propel them to victory.

The Hawkeyes didn't look like their usual selves but in the end they prevailed and that's all that mattered. The 30-win Knights certainly stood their ground but in the end fell, 58-48.

Iowa already knows their second round opponent, but they have plenty of adjusting to do if they want to be able to advance to their first Sweet 16 since the 2023-24 season.

1. Ava Heiden Career High

Heiden was there when her team needed her the most. Iowa certainly didn't meet their points per game average, and who knows how this game would've gone if the sophomore center didn't drop a career high 29 points.

Most importantly, Heiden took over in the fourth quarter. She knocked down some clutch free throws and was a monster in the paint. Iowa knew they had a clear height advantage coming into this game, and that's something they took advantage of in the final 10 minutes.

Iowa certainly had a bit of help from their supporting cast, but Heiden is a huge reason why this squad avoided what would've been a disastrous first round upset.

2. Ice Cold From Three Point Range

In no world would have FDU been in this game if they weren't making what felt like all of their three-point attempts. By the final whistle they were 10-32 while Iowa had made just one three pointer (1-13) all game.

It's not like Iowa is making 20 threes a game, but they're certainly not used to being this cold. Jensen will certainly have them getting a bunch of shots up in the coming days as this team simply can't afford to let this happen again.

3. Hannah Stuelke Double-Double + Rebound Differential

Stuelke, once again, finished with a double double. In what could've been her final collegiate game, Stuelke made sure that didn't happen.

The senior forward finished with 13 points and 16 rebounds which happened to be a huge portions of Iowa's boards. The Hawkeyes enjoyed a healthy advantage when it came to the rebound differential, and if they hadn't finished with 19 more this game could've ended much differently.

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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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