How to Watch No. 20 Nebraska Women's Basketball vs. No. 14 Iowa with Preview, Breakdown, TV Channel

A 53-32 outburst from the second through third quarter paved the way for No. 17 USC to hand No. 20 Nebraska its first loss of the women's basketball season 74-66.

Former No. 1 overall recruit and true freshman star Jazzy Davidson equaled a team-high 17 points alongside Kennedy Smith to lead the Trojans. Britt Prince poured in a game-high 18 points for the Huskers, who finished 12-1 in the 2025 portion of the new campaign. Logan Nissley and Eliza Maupin also reached double figures with 10 points apiece.

There's not much time to dwell for Nebraska, which now turns around to face rival and No. 14 Iowa on New Year's Day in Iowa City. Here's all you need to know.

How to Follow Along

Matchup: No. 20 Nebraska (12-1, 2-1 B1G) at No. 14 Iowa (11-2, 2-0 B1G)
When: Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026
Where: Carver-Hawkeye Arena, Iowa City, Iowa.
Time: 1 p.m. CST
Watch: Big Ten Network
Listen: Huskers Radio Network and Affiliates

No. 14 Iowa Scout

Head Coach

Jan Jensen | 2nd season at Iowa and as HC
34-13 (.723) at Iowa & Career Record
WBCA Assistant Coach OTY, Maggie Dixon Award
Previous assistant at Iowa and Drake.

2024-2025 Record & Awards

23-11 (10-8 B1G, T-8th)
All-B1G: 1x First Team, 1x Second Team, 1x Honorable Mention

All-Time Series

Iowa leads 25-17
Feb. 10, 2025, last matchup, 81-66 Iowa.

Center Ava Heiden (5) has taken the leap to become Iowa's leading scorer at 15.5 points per game. | Julia Hansen/Iowa City Press-Citizen / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Key Returners

Hannah Stuelke | F | Sr. | Returning All-Big Ten Second Teamer who's improved her production to 13.5 PPG and 8.4 RPG in her senior season.
Taylor McCabe | G | Sr. | Fremont native who was a part-time starter last season and acted as Iowa's sharpshooter by hitting a team-high 68 three-pointers.
Kylie Feuerbach | G | Gr. | Sixth-year graduate student who started all 34 games last season, adding 6.7 PPG and totaling a team-high 43 steals.
Ava Heiden | C | Soph. | 6-foot-4 center that's transformed into the Hawkeyes' star player in only her second season by averaging a team-high 15.5 PPG and 7.8 RPG.
Taylor Stremlow | G | Soph. | Another player that developed over the offseason, the Wisconsin native has improved to average 7.8 points and 3.1 rebounds per game in starting four of 13 contests this season.

Key Departures

Lucy Olsen | G | Graduated | Iowa's leading scorer with 17.9 PPG, who earned her unanimous All-Big Ten First Team honors in her lone season as a Hawkeye.
Addison O'Grady | F/C | Graduated | Veteran post that put up 9.3 points per game (3rd on team) as a part-time starter for Iowa last season.
Sydney Affolter | G | Graduated | Starting guard that averaged 8.5 points per game and led Iowa with 7.8 rebounds per contest.
Aaliyah Guyton | G | Transfer | Made her way to in-conference foe Illinois over the offseason after recording 4.7 points per game off the bench as a true freshman last year in Iowa City.

Washington Mystics guard Lucy Olsen (33) was an All-Big Ten First Team pick for Iowa in her final collegiate season. — Washington Mystics guard Lucy Olsen (33) was an All-Big Ten First Team pick for Iowa in her final collegiate season last year. | Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

Impact Transfers/Newcomers

Chazadi 'Chit-Chat' Wright | G | Soph. | Has started in all of her 10 appearances with 12.1 PPG after spending her true freshman season at Georgia Tech.
Emely Rodriguez | G/F | Soph. | UCF transfer that's added 7.2 points per game off the bench as a key reserve.
Layla Hays | C | Fr. | 6-foot-5 freshman center who's scoring over seven points per game and grabbing nearly four rebounds, coming off the bench for all 13 games.
Addison Deal | G | Fr. | Top-20 prospect that's scoring 6.1 points in 16 minutes of action as part of a productive freshman campaign.
Journey Houston | G | Fr. | Iowa native who's provided important minutes off the bench by adding 4.8 points and 5.3 rebounds per contest.

Outlook

It was going to be impossible for Iowa to replace a pair of legends in head coach Lisa Bluder and generational guard Caitlyn Clark, but the Hawkeyes did their best interpretation by promoting longtime assistant Jan Jensen and bringing in star Villanova transfer Lucy Olsen.

Iowa didn't reach its previous heights, falling in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, but it was far from a failing campaign. Aside from Olsen, starters Addison O'Grady (9.3 PPG) and Sydney Affolter (8.5 PPG) also graduated, while Aaliyah Guyton transferred to Illinois after a productive first college season.

Moving to the 2025-2026 season, the strongest theme so far has been the rapid development of the returning roster pieces. The biggest evidence of that is sophomore star and 6-foot-4 center Ava Heiden, who went from a depth piece to scoring a team-high 15.5 PPG and grabbing nearly eight rebounds. Senior forward Hannah Stuelke was already a strong returner, but she's improved her production to 13.5 PPG and a team-high 8.4 rebounds. Fremont native Taylor McCabe continues to be Iowa's sharpshooter by hitting over 40% of her threes this season, while guard Taylor Stremlow has put up nearly eight points per contest in her sophomore season.

Iowa guard Chazadi Wright (11) has added over 12 points a game as a transfer from Georgia Tech. | Pamela Smith-Imagn Images

Former Georgia Tech guard Chazadi Wright has proved to be the biggest transfer portal addition by being one of three players to average double figures for the Hawkeyes with 12.1 PPG. A trio of true freshmen has shown early returns in a potential difference-making recruiting class. Layla Hays leads the three reserves as the 6-foot-5 center collects 7.1 PPG and 3.7 RPG. Plus, Addison Deal (6.1 PPG) and Journey Houston (4.8 PPG) each play productive minutes.

Restocking the cupboard paints a bright picture for the Iowa program, which isn't on track to slow down under Jensen. An early 57-52 win over No. 7 Baylor has already showcased Iowa's talent, and losses to No. 10 Iowa State and No. 1 UConn don't discourage any thought of this Hawkeye squad being a top-five team in the conference. Facing a Gold Out crowd on New Year's Day, it's difficult to see the Huskers pulling out the road win, but crazier things have happened.

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