The 10th-ranked Iowa Hawkeyes women's basketball team travels to Storrs, Connecticut, on Sunday, Nov. 8, to face second-ranked Connecticut in a top-10 showdown that could shape the early national championship picture.
Tip-off is set for 1 p.m. CDT at Harry A. Gampel Pavilion, with the game airing on FS1 and streaming on FOX One, according to viewing information published by Fox. Kelsie Kasper will handle play-by-play alongside analyst Isis “Ice” Young, and Hawkeye fans can also catch the radio call on the Hawkeye Radio Network with Jon Swisher and Kathryn Reynolds.
What's at Stake for the Hawkeyes
Iowa enters the game 2-0 after opening the season with a win over Eastern Illinois, while UConn sits at 1-1 after a stunning road loss at No. 5 Michigan on Thursday night. A win over the Huskies would immediately insert Jan Jensen's squad into any early conversation about national title contenders.
The stakes are familiar territory for these two programs. Iowa and UConn famously met in the 2024 Final Four, when Caitlin Clark and the Hawkeyes edged the Huskies 71-69 on the way to a second straight national championship game appearance. The teams renewed the rivalry on Dec. 20, 2025, in the Women's Champions Classic at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, where top-ranked UConn rolled to a 90-64 victory, according to Iowa's official athletic department notes.
Sunday marks the 12th all-time meeting between the schools. UConn leads the series 7-4.
Scouting the Huskies
Geno Auriemma returns for his 42nd season at the helm in Storrs, and the 72-year-old Hall of Famer brings a career record of 1,289-167 into the matchup, a winning percentage of .885. The Huskies went 38-1 last season before falling to South Carolina in the Final Four.
The centerpiece is reigning Naismith Player of the Year Sarah Strong, a 6-foot-2 junior forward who averaged 18.4 points and 7.7 rebounds per game last season. She torched Iowa for 23 points in last year's meeting, according to Yahoo Sports.
Azzi Fudd's departure leaves UConn younger than usual, but the supporting cast remains dangerous. Rising senior KK Arnold averaged 6.8 points and 4.6 assists per game last year, Blanca Quinonez chipped in 10.7 points per contest, and Jovana Popovic is averaging 22 points per game through the early going this season. Olivia Vukosa has pulled down 6.5 rebounds per game.
UConn's defense was the best in the nation last season, holding opponents to just 50.4 points per game.
Can the Hawkeyes Compete in Storrs?
Iowa has shown flashes in its first two games, but the Hawkeyes have struggled from three-point range, hitting just 17 of 57 attempts, or 29 percent, from beyond the arc. That shooting touch will need to return quickly against a UConn defense that suffocated opponents a year ago.
The road environment adds another layer of difficulty. Gampel Pavilion is one of the toughest venues in the sport, and the Huskies rarely lose twice in a row. In fact, UConn has dropped back-to-back games only once since the 1993 season, during the 2022-23 campaign.
There is a silver lining for Iowa: the Huskies are vulnerable coming off the Michigan upset, and CTPost reports UConn will be looking to bounce back from its first loss of the season in front of its home crowd.
McKenna Woliczko and Amari Whiting, who spoke with reporters after the Eastern Illinois win, have helped anchor an experienced Iowa rotation that matches up reasonably well with UConn's retooled roster.
The Prediction
According to Yahoo Sports, expect the Hawkeyes to keep the game close for stretches, but the combination of a hostile road environment, UConn's elite defense, and the Huskies' history of responding to rare losses points to a Connecticut win. The prediction calls for UConn to pull away midway through the second half.
For Iowa, a competitive showing on the road against the nation's No. 2 team would still send a strong signal about where this program stands in Jan Jensen's tenure. A win, of course, would be a statement heard across the country.
Iowa's nonconference schedule doesn't get easier from here, with a neutral-site game against Vanderbilt in Sioux City on the horizon, along with games against Utah and Navy at the Baha Mar Hoops event in the Bahamas.
Frequently Asked Questions
What time does Iowa women's basketball play UConn?
The Hawkeyes and Huskies tip off at 1 p.m. CDT on Sunday, Nov. 8, at Harry A. Gampel Pavilion in Storrs, Connecticut.
What channel is the Iowa vs. UConn game on?
The game airs nationally on FS1 and streams on FOX One. Radio coverage is available on the Hawkeye Radio Network.
Who won the last meeting between Iowa and UConn?
UConn won the most recent meeting, 90-64, on Dec. 20, 2025, in the Women's Champions Classic at Barclays Center in Brooklyn. Iowa won the 2024 Final Four matchup, 71-69.
Who is UConn's best player?
Reigning Naismith Player of the Year Sarah Strong, a 6-foot-2 junior forward, averaged 18.4 points and 7.7 rebounds per game last season and scored 23 points against Iowa in their last meeting.