Iowa Women's Basketball Tip Time Preview: Rutgers Scarlet Knights

#12 IOWA HAWKEYES (8-0, 0-0) AT RUTGERS SCARLET KNIGHTS (7-2, 0-0)

TIME: 5:00pm CT

TV: FS1 – Kylen Mills and Kim Adams

SERIES: 18th Meeting – Iowa leads the all-time series 14-3 – Iowa has won 13 of last 14 meetings

BY THE NUMBERS

OFFENSE: IOWA: 84.0 PPG, 50.6% FG, 35.8% 3PT, 16.0 TO RUTGERS: 63.7 PPG, 38.6% FG, 32.0% 3PT, 16.0 TO

DEFENSE: IOWA: 55.9 PPG, 32.8% FG, 29.2% FG, 17.0 TO, +16.4 REB MARGIN RUTGERS: 55.0 PPG, 35.2% FG, 27.1% 3PT, 16.3 TO, +6.6 REB MARGIN

IOWA HAWKEYES PROJECTED STARTING LINEUP

Taylor Stremlow	Point Guard	5-10/ Soph.	Averaging 7.1 PPG, 3.5 AST and 19.6 MIN. Leads the team in assists (28) and steals (12). 9 pts, 7 reb, 7 ast vs Fairfield
Taylor McCabe	Guard	5-9/ Sr.	Averaging 9.3 PPG, 4.5 REB, 2.3 AST and 27.4 MIN. Leads the team in made threes (23) and minutes (219). Has made multiple threes in seven of eight games. 13 pts, 2 reb, 2 ast vs Fairfield
Kylie Feuerbach	Guard	6-0/ Grad Sr.	Averaging 5.8 PPG, 2.6 AST and 22.6 MIN. Leads the team in steals (12), third in assists (21). Played in 141 career games, including 68 starts. 17 pts, 2 reb vs Fairfield
Hannah Stuelke	Forward	6-2/ Sr.	Averaging 12.5 PPG, 8.4 REB and 26.8 MIN. Second on the team in field goals (42) and rebounds (67). Double figures scoring in seven of eight games. 13 pts, 8 reb, 3 ast vs Fairfield
Ava Heiden	Center	6-4/ Soph.	Averaging 16.0 PPG, 9.9 REB and 24.5 MIN. Leads the team in rebounds (79), field goals (50) and points (128). 18 pts, 16 reb vs Fairfield

RUTGERS SCARLET KNIGHTS PROJECTED STARTING LINEUP

Kaylah Ivey	Guard	5-8/ Grad Sr.	Boston College transfer. Averaging 9.7 PPG, 3.1 REB, 3.4 AST and 35.9 MIN. Leads the team in assists (31) and made threes (16). 12 pts, 3 reb, 3 ast vs St Peter’s
Nene Ndiaye	Guard	6-1/ Jr.	Boston College transfer. 16.9 PPG, 6.2 REB and 32.8 MIN. Leads the team in points (152) and made field goals (47), second in rebounds (56). 12 pts, 5 reb vs St Peter’s
Imani Lester	Forward	6-3/ Sr.	Kansas State transfer. Averaging 11.2 PPG, 6.7 REB and 25.3 MIN. Leads the team in rebounds (60), third in made field goals (31) and points (101). 12 pts, 7 reb vs St Peter’s
Zachara Perkins	Forward	6-3/ Soph.	Averaging 11.9 PPG, 5.8 REB and 33.1 MIN. Second on the team in points (107) and made field goals (34), third in rebounds (52). 8 pts, 6 reb, 4 ast vs St Peter’s
Janae Walker	Forward	6-3/ Jr.	Averaging 4.7 PPG, 4.1 REB and 18.8 MIN. Fewest minutes played of the starters (18.8 mpg). 4 pts, 7 reb vs St Peter’s

RUTGERS PLAYER TO WATCH: Guard Nene Ndiaye

A transfer from Boston College, junior guard Nene Ndiaye has had a breakout season to this point for Rutgers after averaging just 13.5 minutes per game for BC last season. Ndiaye is the Scarlet Knights leading scorer, averaging 16.9 points and 6.2 rebounds per game, including three games with 20+ points scored. On a team that struggles with scoring efficiency, Ndiaye has been a bright spot, shooting 52.2% (47-of-90) from the floor and 44.0% from three-point range (11-of-25). She’s also produced on the glass, pulling down 8+ rebounds in four games, including four consecutive games with three offensive rebounds.

Ndiaye isn’t a volume three-pointer shooter, but has made a three in seven of nine games, while she 60.0% (33-of-55) on shots in the paint. She’s got height for the off-guard position at 6-foot-1, so it will be interesting to see who guards her because any of the Hawkeye starting guards will be shorter than she is. Whoever is on her has to defend without fouling, as Ndiaye is averaging 5.22 points per game at the free throw line and 6.55 free throw attempts per game.

IOWA PLAYER TO WATCH: Point Guard Taylor Stremlow

There were concerns coming into the season about the backup point guard position, but those questions have been answered by Taylor Stremlow. She’s averaging 8.8 points, 4.8 rebounds and 5.3 assists over her last four games, including nine points, seven rebounds and a career-high seven assists against Fairfield. With Chit-Chat Wright still considered day-to-day, it’s looking more and more likely that Stremlow will get her fourth consecutive start.

She’s ninth in the Big Ten in assist rate (27.5%), but turnovers have crept up over the last couple of games, including five turnovers against Western Illinois. The Rutgers defense doesn’t force a ton of turnovers, but they have a lot of length in their lineup, which will make passing lanes a bit tighter. It will be a good test for the Iowa offense. If Chit-Chat is able to return for the Cy-Hawk game next week, this is one last chance for Stremlow to cement herself as a must play off the bench.

KEY MATCHUP TO WATCH: Iowa Defensive Rebounding vs Rutgers Offensive Rebounding

This appears to be an improved Scarlet Knights squad compared to year’s past and they do present some challenges. However, there’s one thing Iowa can do to ensure this isn’t a tight game in the fourth quarter and that is rebound the basketball, especially on the defensive end of the floor. Rutgers has shot below 45.0% from the floor in seven of nine games, but have made living on the offensive glass, averaging 15.33 offensive rebounds and 16.0 second chance points per game.

As for the Hawkeyes, they’ve been elite on the defensive glass, ranking third in the country in defensive rebound percentage (78.9%). Ava Heiden and Hannah Stuelke have led the way, averaging a combined 18.3 rebounds per game. Rutgers ranks 206th in field goal percentage, so if the Hawkeyes can clear the glass and limit second chances for the Scarlet Knights, they’ll have a tough time scoring enough points to pull the upset.

SCOUTING THE SCARLET KNIGHTS

The Scarlet Knights are coming off of a 13-20 that included a 3-15 mark in Big Ten play, although, they did appear in the WNIT for their first postseason trip since they made the 2021 NCAA Tournament. Head coach Coquese Washington is in her fourth season at the helm, guiding Rutgers to a 40-66 overall record and a 10-44 mark in Big Ten play. The Scarlet Knights are off to a 7-2 start this season, with a notable win over Rhode Island, as well as losses to Auburn and Stony Brook.

Looking at the rest of the Scarlet Knights projected starting five, Boston College transfer point guard Kayleh Ivey makes up the rest of what really is a two-player backcourt for Rutgers. A two-year starter at BC, the grad senior, Ivey posted a 3.11 assist-to-turnover ratio over those two seasons and knocked down 82 threes, including shooting 35.5% from behind the arc a year ago. She’s averaging 9.7 points and 3.4 assists per game but has really struggled with her efficiency. Ivey does lead the team with 16 made threes but is shooting just 29.1% (16-of-55) from three-point range and 26.9% (14-of-52) from two-point range.

A versatile small/power forward, 6-foot-3 sophomore forward Zachara Perkins has stepped into a much larger scoring role in her second season with the program. She started 28 games last season but averaged just 5.3 points and 4.7 shot attempts per game. So far this season, Perkins is averaging 11.9 points and 5.8 rebounds per game. She’s taking 10.9 shots per game and is already 11-of-31 (35.5%) from three-point range, nearing the 16 made threes she had a year ago. On the glass, she has grabbed at least four rebounds in every game, including nine boards against Wagner and Fairleigh Dickinson. Not many teams have 6’3 available to guard her, so Perkins can post up and score in the paint against smaller defenders.

The other forward, 6-foot-3 junior Janae Walker, is the one that will play the fewest minutes of anyone in the starting lineup. A former Kentucky transfer, Walker has made eight starts but is seventh on the team in minutes per game (18.8). She averaged 6.2 points per game over the first five but has attempted just 2.5 shots per game over the last four. It will be very interesting to see how Iowa defends Perkins and Walker. Perkins is the more dangerous scorer, which makes you consider Hannah Stuelke on her, but Walker does not shoot threes, so putting someone like Taylor Stremlow on her is probably not an option.

Rounding out the projected starting five for the Scarlet Knights is 6-foot-3 Kansas State transfer post Imani Lester. She will be the biggest threat on the offensive glass, averaging 6.14 offensive rebounds per 40 minutes, including 4+ offensive boards in six of nine games. Lester is averaging 11.2 points per game, although she hasn’t been very efficient, shooting 45.5% (25-of-55) on shots in the paint. Against the Scarlet Knights two toughest opponents, Rhode Island and Auburn, Lester put up 13 points on 3-of-13 shooting.

Off the bench, Coquese Washington is mainly going to go with two or three players for the majority of the minutes. Senior 6-foot-3 forward Antonia Bates is the most experienced option. She started 25 of 30 games as a sophomore and started the first five games last season before suffering a season-ending injury. This season, Bates has come off the bench, but is playing starter minutes, averaging 3.6 points, 5.2 rebounds and 26.2 minutes per game. She provides help on the glass, grabbing 5+ boards in five games and despite not being a big scorer, Bates is 4-of-8 from three-point range.

The other two names to know are Stephen F Austin transfer guard Faith Blackstone and UNC Greensboro transfer forward Yacine Ndiaye. A First Team All-Southland selection last season, Blackstone missed the first six games of the season, but is averaging 7.0 points, 5.0 rebounds and 16.0 minutes over the last three since joining the rotation. She was a capable three-point shooter at SFA last season, knocking down 39 triples at a 36.4% clip. As for the UNCG transfer, Yacine Ndiaye, she’s averaging just 8.6 minutes per game, but brings more height to the rotation at 6-foot-4. She recorded a blocked shot in 15 games last season.

Shooting Heat Maps (CBB Analytics): Iowa and Rutgers

A deeper look at the advanced stats behind the matchup between the Hawkeyes and Scarlet Knights…

THE PICK

Warren Nolan Projection: IOWA 77 RUTGERS 63

Bart Torvik Projection: IOWA 72 RUTGERS 59

This has always been a peculiar spot to have a Big Ten opener. Jan Jensen says that most coaches in the Big Ten will tell you that this game, the pre-Christmas conference opener, is the most important game than any non-conference game they play. Sandwiched into the schedule right before a potential top ten matchup in Ames, this will be an easy game for fans to overlook, but the coaching staff understands the importance of starting 1-0 in Big Ten play and a trip to Piscataway is said to be the toughest trip, travel wise, in the entire conference.

As for the game itself, Rutgers is still pretty far from competing for a WBIT or NCAA Tournament spot, but they do appear to be a bit improved from the three previous Coquese Washington teams that combined to go 11-46 against Big Ten opponents. They’ve got the length to disrupt Iowa offensively; they can crash the offensive glass and the slow tempo they play at can drag Iowa into a low-scoring affair. That being said, the drawbacks for the Scarlet Knights are there. They don’t shoot the ball efficiently, don’t make very many threes and are facing one of the best defensive rebounding teams in the country. If Rutgers is unable to get on the glass for second chance points, they haven’t shown the firepower to overcome that. They are averaging just 30.9 points per game from their primary offense, which excludes second chance baskets and made free throws. Meanwhile, Iowa averages 57.5 primary offense points per game.

Ultimately, from a scoring standpoint, I think this game is going to closer to the Hawkeyes WBCA Showcase games than their recent game against Fairfield. The Scarlet Knights keep it close for a while, but Iowa is able to keep them off the glass and make some shots of their own to pull away in the second half. IOWA 70 RUTGERS 55