Iowa women's basketball improved to 2-0 on the season with an 80-39 win over Eastern Illinois at Carver-Hawkeye Arena on Thursday night. Freshman McKenna Woliczko led the way with 22 points as the 10th-ranked Hawkeyes cruised before a Sunday road test at No. 2 UConn.
The Hawkeyes never trailed and turned a sluggish first quarter into a runaway, outscoring the Panthers by 41 points over the final three periods. Yahoo Sports reported that Iowa led just 15-10 after the opening frame before the offense found its rhythm.
Woliczko Delivers Again for the Hawkeyes
The story of Iowa's young season keeps being its first-year forward. Woliczko, one of the highest-rated recruits in program history, shot 9-for-12 from the field against Eastern Illinois and hit 4 of 6 attempts from three-point range. She added four rebounds in the blowout.
The coaching staff challenged her to shoot from deep more often, something she rarely did in high school, and the early returns look promising. Per the Associated Press, Woliczko and junior center Ava Heiden, who scored 15, combined to carry the scoring load on a night when outside shots were not falling consistently.
Heiden Battles a 6-Foot-10 Matchup Problem
Eastern Illinois brought an unusual weapon in 6-foot-10 Texas native Abbie Boutilier, who has battled injuries in her college career but still posed real problems inside. Heiden, normally the tallest player on the floor at 6-foot-4, had a shot blocked in the first quarter, and Iowa struggled to run its usual inside-out offense through her.
The Hawkeyes committed six first-quarter turnovers and shot just 40 percent from the floor in the opening period, according to Yahoo Sports. The 15-10 lead after one quarter felt closer than anyone in Carver-Hawkeye Arena expected against a team that won only four games last season.
Hustle Plays Broke the Game Open
Two scrappy sequences changed the tone before halftime. Heiden blocked Nyah Hardy's midrange jumper in the first quarter, chased down the loose ball, and shoveled it ahead to Dani Carnegie, who scored just before the buzzer.
Midway through the second quarter, guard Taylor Stremlow picked the ball away from Boutilier and fired a pass from her knees to Amari Whiting, who quickly found Woliczko for a layup. Those plays woke up the crowd and helped Iowa build a comfortable lead by the break, Hawk Central noted in its game coverage from Iowa City.
Three-Point Shooting Still a Work in Progress
Perimeter shooting was a weakness late last season, and two games into the new campaign the issue lingers. Iowa shot just 8-of-29 from deep in Monday's season-opening win over Towson, and the Hawkeyes finished 9-of-28 (32 percent) against Eastern Illinois despite plenty of open looks.
The shots are there. The makes have not followed yet. With UConn looming, that has to change fast.
UConn Test Comes Sunday in Storrs
The schedule sharpens quickly. Iowa travels to Storrs, Connecticut, on Sunday to face No. 2 UConn at Harry A. Gampel Pavilion, the second straight season the two bluebloods have met and the start of a home-and-home series.
UConn enters at 1-0 after routing then-No. 20 Ole Miss 92-51 in its opener on Nov. 1. Tip-off is set for 1 p.m. CDT Sunday with national television coverage on Fox Sports 1.
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the final score of Iowa vs. Eastern Illinois?
No. 10 Iowa defeated Eastern Illinois 80-39 on Thursday night at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City.
Who led Iowa in scoring?
Freshman McKenna Woliczko scored 22 points on 9-of-12 shooting, including 4 of 6 from three-point range.
When does Iowa play UConn?
Iowa faces No. 2 UConn on Sunday, Nov. 9, at 1 p.m. CDT at Harry A. Gampel Pavilion in Storrs, Connecticut. The game airs on FS1.