Two Iowa Players Must Get Back On Track vs. Lindenwood

With a 7-2 team coming to town, the Iowa Hawkeyes know they can't sleep on their opposition. Earlier this year, Fairfield came into Carver and shocked everyone with how many three pointers they made.

The same could happen on December 13 vs. Lindenwood, but first Iowa has to make sure everyone is on the same page. They're coming off their first loss of the season, one that was quite eye-opening for two players in particular.

Thankfully for the Hawkeyes, Chit-Chat Wright was back to 100%. She had a career night even though Iowa came up five points short, but everyone who watched knows these two players need to pull their weight.

Ava Heiden Is Coming Off Her Worst Performance

The ultimate teammate 🤣🥹@ava_heiden x #Hawkeyes pic.twitter.com/C6MNyQZYYF
— Iowa Women's Basketball (@IowaWBB) December 7, 2025

Defending Audi Crooks is no easy feat, so it's quite simple to look past her lackluster performance against the Cyclones. That said, she can't let it happen again. Heiden got into foul trouble far too early in the game, and while fans argued the referees had a one-sided whistle, Heiden failed to adjust and it ended up costing her the game.

Heiden played just 16 minutes, scoring a less than stellar eight points in the process. She finished 4-7 from the field but it's important to note she missed both of her free throws. The other player in this article also missed both of hers, so those four points would make a huge difference in what wound up being a five point loss for Iowa.

Regardless, Heiden was at a huge disadvantage all game long. She couldn't get anything going as she was constantly worried about picking up a foul. Without having to deal with Crooks, it's safe to assume the gameplan vs. Lindenwood will be to get Heiden as involved as possible.

Hannah Stuelke's Horrific Night From The Field

No player wants to finish a game 5-14, but that's exactly what happened to the senior. Stuelke, who was a non-factor against Rutgers, put up a shooting performance that left a lot to be desired. This has become a clear issue as she went 4-11 against Baylor earlier in the season, clearly proving she doesn't have what it takes to match up against ranked opponents.

Sure, Stuelke grabbed a season high 15 rebounds, but she had plenty more that could've gone her way. Iowa had a height advantage, but the constant presence of Crooks down low changed everything. Fans were more than concerned with Stuelke's performance against the Cyclones, so it's crucial she has a stellar game against the Lions.

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