Expectations?

[hawkod]

Pressing?

 

[Kceasthawk@77]

FWIW-IU and Michigan State radio guys both pick Iowa 3rd in the BIG, as does Michigan writer at the Bucket Problem.

Big Ten 2026-2027 Preview: The Top Three + Postseason Awards Predictions + Mailbag Pod

Iowa, Michigan, and USC all look like top-ten teams. Which one is most likely to emerge with the Big Ten title?

thebucketproblem.beehiiv.com

FWIW-IU and Michigan State radio guys both pick Iowa 3rd in the BIG, as does Michigan writer at the Bucket Problem.

Big Ten 2026-2027 Preview: The Top Three + Postseason Awards Predictions + Mailbag Pod

Iowa, Michigan, and USC all look like top-ten teams. Which one is most likely to emerge with the Big Ten title?

thebucketproblem.beehiiv.com

Overall these guys are pretty knowledgeable. A lot better then national polls.

 

[o_AMAYS]

Overall these guys are pretty knowledgeable. A lot better then national polls.

I like the Michigan guy at The Bucket Problem. Love this Ava Heiden stat that he highlighted: "Iowa outscored opponents by 24.1 points per 100 possessions when Heiden was on the court in 2025-26 and were a dead even 0.0 when she was on the bench, per CBB Analytics."

 

[Jonesy5960]

I like the Michigan guy at The Bucket Problem. Love this Ava Heiden stat that he highlighted: "Iowa outscored opponents by 24.1 points per 100 possessions when Heiden was on the court in 2025-26 and were a dead even 0.0 when she was on the bench, per CBB Analytics."

That's why we need her on the floor instead of in foul trouble on the bench. She's the most dominant post in the country and she carried the team for much of last year. Getting 30 minutes per game from her will be critical to the team's success. Unbelievable that she was whistled for 4 or more fouls in 15 out of 37 games.

 

[KyleHuesmann]

That's why we need her on the floor instead of in foul trouble on the bench. She's the most dominant post in the country and she carried the team for much of last year. Getting 30 minutes per game from her will be critical to the team's success. Unbelievable that she was whistled for 4 or more fouls in 15 out of 37 games.

She’s kind of said that she doesn’t want to play 30+ minutes per game (average). Said at Big Ten media days that 25-30 is where she feels best because of the effort she gives to run the floor. That doesn’t mean she won’t play 32 or 34 in a game, but it won’t be every night.

 

[Kceasthawk@77]

She’s kind of said that she doesn’t want to play 30+ minutes per game (average). Said at Big Ten media days that 25-30 is where she feels best because of the effort she gives to run the floor. That doesn’t mean she won’t play 32 or 34 in a game, but it won’t be every night.

She’s kind of said that she doesn’t want to play 30+ minutes per game (average). Said at Big Ten media days that 25-30 is where she feels best because of the effort she gives to run the floor. That doesn’t mean she won’t play 32 or 34 in a game, but it won’t be every night.

I think Layla will be ready to give some decent minutes, and there will be teams we can go smaller and MW can play in the post for just a few minutes.

 

[Ohio Herky]

Oh boy, the board is acting like the sky is falling again. How about we give it five games before hitting the panic button and see what kind of season we're actually dealing with?

 

[Jonesy5960]

She’s kind of said that she doesn’t want to play 30+ minutes per game (average). Said at Big Ten media days that 25-30 is where she feels best because of the effort she gives to run the floor. That doesn’t mean she won’t play 32 or 34 in a game, but it won’t be every night.

I don't know that 30+ average is in the cards, but I think you want/need her closer to 30 than 25 in competitive games. Tired Ava is still better than anybody else Iowa has, but even more importantly, you don't want her minutes limited by foul trouble in tight games. The only 2 games Iowa lost where Ava had less than 4 fouls were vs UCLA and Uconn. They definitely don't lose that game vs ISU if Ava plays more than 18 minutes.

 

[Jonesy5960]

Oh boy, the board is acting like the sky is falling again. How about we give it five games before hitting the panic button and see what kind of season we're actually dealing with?

Weird take. I haven't heard anyone panicking.

 

[LloydBraun]

Losing a 17 point lead in 3 minutes, less than 3 minutes, is choking any way you slice it. Luckily, they pulled it out.

I knew you would not answer the question, but your post provides a good laugh! Interesting logic here: the 3-minute collapse is poor coaching but the other 42 minutes that led to the win was lucky.

It is awesome that you used a Big Ten road win against a top 15 team as your Exhibit A in this thread!

 

[Hawk14]

I can see Mckenna getting a decent amount of minutes at the 5 position, similar to Hannah. I hope Ava averages less than 30 minutes during the regular season so she is not worn down for post season action. Post players, like Ava, have more weight and stress on their body. I don’t know if anyone thinks much about the fact that they are the only players running baseline to baseline. In Iowa’s system that is a full sprint often. That’s a lot of wear and tear on the body. Hopefully Layla is able to pick up the extra minutes but there is a good possibility in my mind that McKenna will be needed some in the post.

 

[Hawkangler]

I hate that I am entering this conversation, but here I am.

My first year year of mbb seasons tickets, I watched the Miller six-pack go undefeated in the BIG10 and average 100+ points/game. He left. I let it go.

I watched games in Iowa's very first season under Lark Birdsong (best name ever). They weren't very good. I let it go.

I was there when Vivian Stringer violated the fire code with 22,157 in 1985. When she left and handing off to Angie Lee, the program wasn't good. I let it go.

Tom Davis's dismissal was handled badly. I let it go.

I didn't... appreciate Alford, Lickliter, or McCaffrey. I let it go.

When Lisa Bluder left coaching, I let it go.

To those who think that some decision in the past was a mistake, let it go.

We are here now. We can't change the past but we can appreciate the present. Live in the moment.

And let the past go.

DISCLAIMER: I often don't know what I am talking about. I feel right at home on this forum.

Unfortunately too many people live in the past. I'm always looking to the future with optimism. Looking forward instead of the rear view mirror is safer and a better way to not miss exciting events.

 

[Jonesy5960]

I can see Mckenna getting a decent amount of minutes at the 5 position, similar to Hannah. I hope Ava averages less than 30 minutes during the regular season so she is not worn down for post season action. Post players, like Ava, have more weight and stress on their body. I don’t know if anyone thinks much about the fact that they are the only players running baseline to baseline. In Iowa’s system that is a full sprint often. That’s a lot of wear and tear on the body. Hopefully Layla is able to pick up the extra minutes but there is a good possibility in my mind that McKenna will be needed some in the post.

Maybe? I don't know that McKenna has the body strength yet for minutes at the 5. Listening to Jan she has some work to get done there. I'd be really surprised if most of Ava's backup minutes don't go to Layla this year which would work out to around 10-12 minutes per game. She averaged 7.5 in conference play as a freshman last year. I hope she's ready to contribute.

 

[HawksGoneWild1]

This reminds me of Arte Johnson. Interesting ... very interesting, but ...

https://i.imgflip.com/1dj89o.jpg

 

[TheGreatDivider101]

This reminds me of Arte Johnson. Interesting ... very interesting, but ...

https://i.imgflip.com/1dj89o.jpg

UConn will be tough. I watched a little of their scrimmage against Texas and they blew them away by 20+. Not even close. And they have a freshman, Popovic from Serbia who was impressive.

 

[Hurricane88]

Two tough non conference games will be a benchmark on how this team will be perceived. Not a fan of the depth of the roster, hope it goes well.

 

[The Big Z]

Maybe? I don't know that McKenna has the body strength yet for minutes at the 5. Listening to Jan she has some work to get done there. I'd be really surprised if most of Ava's backup minutes don't go to Layla this year which would work out to around 10-12 minutes per game. She averaged 7.5 in conference play as a freshman last year. I hope she's ready to contribute.

I don't see her getting any minutes at the 5. She's not physically ready yet and that would be just silly. Agree with you 100%. Ava is just kind of foul prone, and she makes a lot of her fouls when she gets tired. We really need Layla as you said to step her game up and be able to give us 8-10 minutes a game of solid play. If that happens we are a Final 8 even possible Final 4 contender. Our starting 5 is really really good just need some solid play from the bench when our top players need to sit.

 

[AFM22]

I don't see her getting any minutes at the 5. She's not physically ready yet and that would be just silly. Agree with you 100%. Ava is just kind of foul prone, and she makes a lot of her fouls when she gets tired. We really need Layla as you said to step her game up and be able to give us 8-10 minutes a game of solid play. If that happens we are a Final 8 even possible Final 4 contender. Our starting 5 is really really good just need some solid play from the bench when our top players need to sit.

If McKenna is in at the 5 it means we are in serious trouble.

 

[NORTHSTAR]

I can see Mckenna getting a decent amount of minutes at the 5 position, similar to Hannah. I hope Ava averages less than 30 minutes during the regular season so she is not worn down for post season action. Post players, like Ava, have more weight and stress on their body. I don’t know if anyone thinks much about the fact that they are the only players running baseline to baseline. In Iowa’s system that is a full sprint often. That’s a lot of wear and tear on the body. Hopefully Layla is able to pick up the extra minutes but there is a good possibility in my mind that McKenna will be needed some in the post.

Nope.

 

[Hawk14]

I hope you are all correct. I hope Ava can stay healthy and Layla can give quality minutes off the bench. I have seen too many things happen over seasons in the past with many teams. If there is an issue with either Ava or Layla I don’t know what other options the Hawkeyes have. We will all stay positive and hope it’s not an issue. Also I agree with you but I’m just saying…

 

[The Big Z]

I hope you are all correct. I hope Ava can stay healthy and Layla can give quality minutes off the bench. I have seen too many things happen over seasons in the past with many teams. If there is an issue with either Ava or Layla I don’t know what other options the Hawkeyes have. We will all stay positive and hope it’s not an issue. Also I agree with you but I’m just saying…

With NIL there aren't a lot of teams with a ton of depth anymore. UConn isn't going to get kids to sit the bench anymore and wait 2-3 years to play, those girls are going to get money to go play somewhere else. This starting 5 is as good as we've had in a long time. I'm not including CC's teams because she was a force of nature on her own and carried those girls to 2 finals. But this is a much more balanced starting 5, but obviously we don't have the best player in the country. You can't do anything about injuries. And Layla was a pretty high ranking recruit. Hopefully after a full year in the program she's gotten quicker and stronger. She has to. We just need 8-10 solid minutes out of her and I'm hoping we can do it. We know there will be games where Ava gets in foul trouble as that's just who she is.

 

[Conn53victor]

While I agree that Layla has to get all the backup minute when Ava is on the bench, I would rather have Journey Houston as the emergency back up at Center, because although she is too small for the job, she has a year of experience and she is calm, cool and collected. I don't want her to be forced into that position, but it would be better than McKenna.

DISCLAIMER: There could be errors in any of the above, but it is close to correct. I often don't know what I am talking about. I feel right at home on this forum.

 

[The Big Z]

While I agree that Layla has to get all the backup minute when Ava is on the bench, I would rather have Journey Houston as the emergency back up at Center, because although she is too small for the job, she has a year of experience and she is calm, cool and collected. I don't want her to be forced into that position, but it would be better than McKenna.

DISCLAIMER: There could be errors in any of the above, but it is close to correct. I often don't know what I am talking about. I feel right at home on this forum.

Journey cannot be the backup Center. She’s maybe 6 ft.

 

[Jonesy5960]

Journey cannot be the backup Center. She’s maybe 6 ft.

It's a good question though. If Layla or Ava is injured, that's a worst-case scenario for Iowa. You could argue that Iowa could lose virtually any player on the court for some period of time, and a suitable and effective backup exists, but there is no one else on the team that comes close to doing what Ava can do. We're hoping Layla can fill in for 10 minutes a game when Ava goes to the bench, but no one is really expecting her to be much of an offensive producer this year. Were Ava to miss any time this year, Layla couldn't come close to putting up her numbers, and then the question of who might back her up becomes problematic with Journey (6') and McKenna (6'2") as the only apparent post options. I wonder if Faison might be an option there as an emergency? She's listed at 6'1".

 

[hawkod]

hope you are all correct. I hope Ava can stay healthy and Layla can give quality minutes off the bench. I have seen too many things happen over seasons in the past with many teams. If there is an issue with either Ava or Layla I don’t know what other options the Hawkeyes have. We will all stay positive and hope it’s not an issue. Also I agree with you but I’m just saying…

The resources necessary to carry 3 post players on a roster of significant skill level would be outside of almost every WBB team in the country. Plus, who wants to be 3rd string these days? Just not realistic.

 

[Conn53victor]

I am very excited about the upcoming season. I think this is the most complete team since Stringer's best teams. In 1962, when John F. Kennedy hosted a dinner honoring Nobel Prize Winners of the Western Hemisphere, he said, "I think this is the most extraordinary collection of talent, of human knowledge, that has ever been gathered together at the White House, with the possible exception of when Thomas Jefferson dined alone."

I will paraphrase that as "I think this year's women's team is the most extraordinary and balanced collection of basketball talent that has ever been gathered together at the Carver Hawkeye Arena, with the possible exception of when Caitlin Clark was standing on the court by herself."

 

[Jonesy5960]

The resources necessary to carry 3 post players on a roster of significant skill level would be outside of almost every WBB team in the country. Plus, who wants to be 3rd string these days? Just not realistic.

It's not realistic. I think that's where having players who can fill multiple positions is a huge plus in terms of roster flexibility.

 

[Anon1750875978]

How the coaches expect to get through the season with eleven players is absolutely ridiculous.
Maybe get JadaG back. She certainly should have "fresh" legs.

 

[fish1hawk]

Lisa oftentimes didn’t fill every spot. Part of it might of been financial, but she said it was so hard to keep the last few happy and motivated.

 

[KyleHuesmann]

I'm not going to research it, but I did just stumble across the fact that LSU, Ohio State and Penn State also only have 11 players on their respective rosters. UCLA, with Lena Bilic out for the season, will play the whole season with 11 players available.

 

[pablow]

Lisa oftentimes didn’t fill every spot. Part of it might of been financial, but she said it was so hard to keep the last few happy and motivated.

Yeah - Jada Gyamfi was generational. They don't come along every day.

 

[citizenHawk1]

I think you have to play your cards in one direction or the other. Pay top talent for the front of a shorter roster, and hope for no season-ending injuries, or fill out a roster and hope for the cheaper talent to rise up to elite levels. There are only a few select teams that don't have to make a bet

 

[Jonesy5960]

I'm not going to research it, but I did just stumble across the fact that LSU, Ohio State and Penn State also only have 11 players on their respective rosters. UCLA, with Lena Bilic out for the season, will play the whole season with 11 players available.

Oh my. This is the second year in a row that Cori Close at UCLA has rode with only 11 players. When will she learn that you can't win anything of substance that way?

 

[Scott559]

Big WBB rosters, Injured players already announced counted in roster total. MSU has 16 players listed on their roster, There are NCAA exemption rules that allow over 15 on Scholarship.

Wisconsin 14
Nebraska 12
Minnesota 15
Illinois 15
NW 15
MSU. 16
Michigan 14
Indiana. 14
Purdue. 14
OSU 11
PSU 11
Maryland 13
Rutgers 14
Oregon 12
Washington 12
USC. 12
UCLA 12
Iowa 11

 

[KyleHuesmann]

Big WBB rosters, Including any injuries already announced. Also MSU has 16 players listed on their roster, There are NCAA exemption rules that allow over 15 on Scholarship.

Wisconsin 14
Nebraska 12
Minnesota 15
Illinois 15
NW 15
MSU. 16
Michigan 14
Indiana. 14
Purdue. 14
OSU 11
PSU 11
Maryland 13
Rutgers 14
Oregon 12
Washington 12
USC. 12
UCLA 12
Iowa 11

See you did the work I didn’t really want to do.

 

[Scott559]

See you did the work I didn’t really want to do.

Old retired guy Kyle, I have the time.

 

[o_AMAYS]

Post Okie State-scrimmage interview with Jan Jensen on the Dribble Drive podcast. A good listen.

 

[HawksGoneWild1]

Another Top 10...

USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll Women's College Basketball 2026-27 Preseason Top 25 Rankings (10/20/26)

Rank	Team	PTS
1​	South Carolina Gamecocks	792​
2​	UConn Huskies	772​
3​	USC Trojans	686​
4​	Duke Blue Devils	664​
5​	Michigan Wolverines	652​
6​	Texas Longhorns	632​
7​	Louisville Cardinals	578​
8​	LSU Lady Tigers	572​
9​	Vanderbilt Commodores	521​
10​	Iowa Hawkeyes	476​
11​	North Carolina Tar Heels	432​
12​	UCLA Bruins	422​
13​	Notre Dame Fighting Irish	403​
14​	Kentucky Wildcats	352​
15​	Washington Huskies	319​
16​	TCU Horned Frogs	270​
17​	Maryland Terrapins	267​
18​	Minnesota Golden Gophers	252​
19​	Oklahoma State Cowgirls	239​
20​	Ohio State Buckeyes	233​
21​	Oklahoma Sooners	211​
22​	Illinois Fighting Illini	163​
23​	Ole Miss Rebels	95​
24​	West Virginia Mountaineers	92​
25​	North Carolina State Wolfpack	67​

NCAA Women’s College Basketball Coaches Poll | USA Today Sports

Weekly results from the USA TODAY Sports NCAA Women’s College Basketball coaches poll, conducted weekly using a panel of head coaches at Division I schools.

sportsdata.usatoday.com

 

[Scott559]

Post Okie State-scrimmage interview with Jan Jensen on the Dribble Drive podcast. A good listen.

That was a good listen, Thanks for sharing.

 

[Kceasthawk@77]

If McKenna is in at the 5 it means we are in serious trouble.

If McKenna is in at the 5 it means we are in serious trouble.

That totally depends on who we're playing at the time. There are teams that go pretty small, and don't have the big bruiser in the paint.