The energy inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena was unmistakable on December 28, 2025, as the No. 14-ranked Iowa Hawkeyes women’s basketball team stormed back from their holiday break with authority, dispatching the Penn State Lady Lions 99-76 in a Big Ten Conference showdown. With the win, Iowa improved to 11-2 overall and 2-0 in conference play, while Penn State slipped to 7-6 and 0-2. For the Hawkeyes, it was a much-needed return to form after their lopsided loss to No. 1 Connecticut a week earlier, and the home crowd’s enthusiasm was rewarded with a dominant, high-energy performance from start to finish.
Sophomore center Ava Heiden was the undeniable star of the afternoon, notching a career-high 27 points on an efficient 13-of-19 shooting from the floor and a perfect 1-for-1 from the free throw line. She also pulled down nine rebounds and added an assist in her 27 minutes on the court. Heiden’s impact was felt early and often, as she provided both a scoring punch and a defensive anchor against Penn State’s 6-foot-6 center Gracie Merkle. Reflecting on her big day, Heiden credited her teammates for creating opportunities: “All of them will pass it up to me on the floor, so they’re really looking for me. So I know I can just kind of expend that energy and I get a reward from that.”
Iowa’s offensive attack was far from a one-woman show. Sophomore Chit-Chat Wright delivered 16 points and six assists, setting the tone early with 12 first-quarter points, including two three-pointers that helped ignite a game-changing 14-0 run. Senior Hannah Stuelke and sophomore Taylor Stremlow each chipped in 14 points, with Stuelke also grabbing eight rebounds. Off the bench, freshman Addie Deal poured in 13 points, and fellow freshman Journey Houston posted her first career double-double, tallying 11 points and 11 rebounds along with three assists and a steal in just 19 minutes of action. “We got about a four-day break and then came back and we weren’t sluggish at all,” Houston said. “We were positive and we just worked hard in practice and we showed up today.”
The Hawkeyes wasted no time establishing control. After falling behind 8-7 early, Heiden’s basket with 7:34 left in the first quarter sparked a 16-0 scoring run, capped by a Wright three-pointer that put Iowa up 23-8. By the end of the opening frame, Iowa led 29-14, having dominated the paint for 10 points and forced six Penn State turnovers. Wright’s hot hand and the team’s relentless pressure set the tone for the rest of the contest.
Penn State, to their credit, refused to fold. The Lady Lions responded in the second quarter, outscoring Iowa 23-20 and narrowing the deficit to 49-37 at halftime. Sophomore Tea Cleante and Kiyomi McMiller kept Penn State within striking distance, scoring 21 and 20 points respectively, while Merkle contributed 18 points and 11 rebounds. Yet, every time Penn State threatened to make it a game, Iowa found an answer—often in transition, where their quick ball movement and aggressive rebounding paid dividends.
Coming out of the break, Iowa’s defense clamped down, and their offense found another gear. Heiden and Deal combined for 12 points in the third quarter, and Deal’s fast break layup—off one of Penn State’s 20 turnovers—pushed the Hawkeyes’ lead to 73-52 heading into the final period. Iowa shot 45.8 percent in the third quarter and scored 18 points in the paint, while Penn State’s shooting cooled and their second-chance opportunities dried up due to Iowa’s dominance on the glass.
The fourth quarter saw Iowa close with authority. Deal and Houston each tallied seven points in the final frame, and the Hawkeyes maintained their double-digit advantage throughout. By the final buzzer, Iowa had racked up 56 points in the paint and 23 second-chance points, shooting a robust 50 percent from the field. Their unselfish play was evident in the 24 assists on 36 made baskets, a testament to the team’s chemistry and ball movement.
Defensively, Iowa’s effort was just as impressive. The Hawkeyes forced 20 turnovers, including 11 steals and five blocks, which continually disrupted Penn State’s rhythm. Gracie Merkle, while productive offensively, was responsible for six of Penn State’s miscues, as Iowa’s pressure forced the Lady Lions into mistakes both in the half-court and transition. “They’re hard to defend,” head coach Jan Jensen said of Penn State. “And that’s why I was so happy Ava wasn’t in foul trouble today. When Ava doesn’t get in foul trouble, and she’s able to counter a big with what she can do, then there’s at least the equalizer. And we weren’t able to do that in the games we haven’t won.”
Injuries and lineup changes were also a story for Iowa. Sophomore Emely Rodriguez missed her seventh consecutive game, reportedly due to a chronic back injury, though she was present on the bench. Graduate guard Kylie Feuerbach, who rolled her ankle in the recent loss to Connecticut, was in uniform but did not play, with her status described as day-to-day by Jensen. Despite these absences, Iowa’s depth was on full display, as six players reached double figures and the bench contributed meaningful minutes and production.
This victory marked Iowa’s twelfth straight win over Penn State, and the eleventh consecutive by double digits—a streak that underscores the Hawkeyes’ recent dominance in the series. With the win, Iowa kept pace near the top of the Big Ten standings, joining Illinois and UCLA at 2-0 in conference play. The Hawkeyes will look to build on this momentum as they prepare to host No. 20 Nebraska on January 1, 2026, in what promises to be another marquee matchup inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
For Penn State, the loss adds to a difficult stretch, with the Lady Lions having dropped five of their last six games. They’ll aim to regroup quickly as they return home to face No. 4 UCLA in their next contest.
As the Hawkeyes celebrated on their home floor, the message was clear: Iowa’s blend of star power, depth, and resilience makes them a force to be reckoned with in the Big Ten. With Heiden leading the way and a host of contributors stepping up, this team looks poised for another memorable season. The sellout crowd in Iowa City certainly left with plenty to cheer about—and with conference play heating up, the best may be yet to come.
