Hawkeyes earn a record-breaking blowout win over Evansville

Scanning the final box score, almost everything for the Hawkeyes pops. With respect to the visiting Evansville Purple Aces, statistically, Iowa’s 119-43 win on Sunday might be the most lopsided game in program history. In fact, in some ways, it was. It goes as the largest margin of victory (76) and most points scored in a single game (119) in program history. There’s no doubt that tougher tests are ahead, but it was a very fun day for anyone wearing the black and gold.

Head coach Jan Jensen felt confident coming into the game, looking at the matchup on paper, but was happy with how the team performed, getting to the historic final result.

“I really talked (to the team) about the beginning of the game and really trying to earn a dominant performance,” said Jensen. “I thought we would have a victory, not overconfident, but I thought looking on paper, I wanted it to be a game where, at the end of it, we could all feel good about it at every position, and I think we were able to do that.”

Former Iowa guard and current Evansville grad assistant Molly Davis summed up the Hawkeyes performance pretty well.

“They’re really freaking good.”

Layla Hays, who scored a team-high 20 points, was the one that put the Hawkeyes past 115 points, which broke the previous record for points in a game back in ’22 (also against Evansville). Although it’s not likely going to be a common occurrence for the Wasilla, Alaska native, it gives a lot of hope for the future with her at center alongside Ava Heiden.

“It’s amazing (to lead the team in scoring). My team is so supportive and that’s the best part about it,” said Hays. “Especially Ava, she’s just such a good mentor with all of this post stuff…The guards really know how to pass to the post.”

It was nearly an onslaught from the opening tip, but not quite. The Hawkeyes jumped out to an early 9-0 advantage, but Evansville battled back to 11-7, before an 18-3 run by Iowa ended the opening quarter. There was little drama after that, but Jan Jensen was happy with how her team started after a slower start in the opener against Southern.

“I loved how we started out defensively and doing that every possession and just trying to set the tone. They had ten points at the (end of the first) quarter, so I was really pleased with that response.”

Offensively, the Hawkeyes were clicking cylinders that hadn’t been in motion since Caitlin Clark was leading the team up and down the floor at a feverish pace. It was the first time that Iowa has put 100+ points on the board in a regular season game since Clark’s senior season when they beat Minnesota 108-60 back on February 28th, 2024.

“Just going out there and playing freely, pushing the pace, making sure we see the bigs, and making the right play,” said Chit-Chat Wright on how the 119 points came to fruition. “I think that’s what we did a lot today.”

The Georgia Tech transfer was on point, at the point position, finishing with a double-double 16 points and ten assists to just one turnover. Wright knocked down four triples for just the second time in her career, while she has now tallied 21 assists to three turnovers over three games in an Iowa uniform.

“I try to go out there and not overthink it. I rep this and practice when I’m getting shots up in the gym by myself. Just go out there and play freely. I did get a turnover tonight, but the assists kind of overpower that,” said Wright. “I play within the system and let the game come to me, try not to force anything and just make the right plays. That’s my mentality.”

Chit-Chat wasn’t the only Hawkeye to see success from behind the arc in the win. After the team shot just 12-of-42 (28.6%) from three-point range through the exhibition and season-opener, they broke out for 14 made triples against the Purple Aces. Taylor McCabe knocked down four of her seven attempts, but seven different Hawkeyes made a three, including a last-second, shot clock buzzer beater in the corner from Hannah Stuelke in the first half. Three-point shooting was far from a concern this early in the season, but seeing them fall was a welcome sight.

At the buzzer ‼️@StuelkeHannah x #Hawkeyes pic.twitter.com/NIUgnbtfga

— Iowa Women's Basketball (@IowaWBB) November 9, 2025

“This sport is funny. You get a few of those (threes) to go your way, and they stick in your memory bank, right?” said Jensen.

“To see that first one go through the net, that’s a confidence booster,” said Wright. “To see my teammates also knocking down threes, that just builds up the morale.”

For Taylor McCabe, the Hawkeyes top three-point threat, she is averaging 6.0 three-point attempts through three contests (including the exhibition), which is an increase from the 4.94 threes she attempted per game last season. It’s a small sample size and defenses will get more stout, but Jan Jensen says they’re trying to find ways to get her more looks.

“I think she’s one of the best shooters in the country and we’ve just got to keep finding ways to get her looks,” said Jensen. “It’s going to get harder when the defenses know us. When you get in the Big Ten, Drake knows us, Northern Iowa knows us, when we play Baylor and Miami, they all have people that can research and get every analytic.”

“She’s pretty good without the ball, with a little help, you give her just an inch on a back screen shape up if you hit her at the right time (and she makes it). I’m trying, but we’ll be tested in these next two weeks for sure.”

The lone drama in the game came in the fourth quarter. Would the Hawkeyes break the program record for points in a game? They scored 29, 30 and 31 through three quarters, building a 90-30 lead, but to break the record, they could hardly slack off, still needing 26 points to surpass the previous high.

With 1:21 to play, Layla Hays was the one to break the record, with a basket, plus the foul. She converted the free throw to give the Hawkeyes 116 points, which was later followed by three Callie Levin free throws for a new record 119 points.

“We just got off on the right foot,” said Jensen. “I would like to think they all watch film, but they all are going to have real film (to watch), not just film against our gray squad, not film against each other. That’s what I was hoping to accomplish. Give them meaningful minutes to which they can learn and grow from. Thankfully we were able to do that.”

On the night, the Hawkeyes shot 64.6% from the floor for the game and 53.8% from three-point range. Six players scored in double figures, while Ava Heiden recorded her second double-double, with 14 points and ten rebounds. True freshman Addie Deal reached double figures for the first time with 11 points and two made threes.

Up Next: The Hawkeyes will host in-state rival Drake on Thursday night at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Tipoff is set for 7:30pm CT on the Big Ten Network.