Iowa women's basketball returns to Carver-Hawkeye Arena on Thursday, Oct. 29, when the 10th-ranked Hawkeyes host Division II Maryville in an exhibition game that coach Jan Jensen says will be a real test, not a tuneup against a pushover.
Maryville, a St. Louis school that beat Missouri 90-84 in an exhibition last season and won the Great Lakes Valley Conference with a school-record 25-7 mark, visits Iowa City before the Hawkeyes open the regular season against Towson on Nov. 2, according to Yahoo Sports.
Jensen: Maryville Is No Easy Opener
Jensen met with reporters on Oct. 28 and made clear she scheduled the Saints on purpose. Maryville has recent exhibition experience against Missouri, Illinois and Indiana, and it did not just show up to take a check.
“Their last exhibitions against D-I teams are certainly very high, and they are well coached,” Jensen said. “I think Maryville's an excellent team. We knew that when we decided to schedule them.”
The Saints also bring an unusual problem for a Division II opponent. Jensen said she has watched film and found centers who can shoot from the perimeter, which forces Iowa's post players away from the basket.
“Your bigs will have to play a little differently,” Jensen said. “They've got to play and handle some action outside versus just focusing on the paint area. So, that'll really provide a good and unique challenge.”
Jensen expects to see that style again once the games count, so Thursday gives Iowa a live rehearsal against shooting bigs before the schedule turns serious.
First Look at the 2026-27 Hawkeyes
Thursday marks the first time this roster plays in front of fans. Iowa has held two closed scrimmages, against Oklahoma State and Lindenwood, and Jensen has called those private sessions valuable for evaluation without outside noise, according to USA Today.
“This will be a good test for us, and we need a pretty good test,” Jensen said.
For the newcomers, Jensen described the exhibition as a “great dress rehearsal,” a chance to feel arena noise and the rhythm of a Division I game before results go on the record.
What she wants to see is not a specific offense or defense but a mindset. Jensen said she cares most about how her players turn the page from one possession to the next.
“Whether a good play, a bad play, a bad call, running the game one way or another, I think I am going to learn a lot from how we are attacking a real live game situation with observers,” Jensen said.
“What I hope to see is what I've seen mostly with our team, just transition from whatever happens in that game setting.”
Starting Lineup Still a Moving Target
Jensen did not name starters for Thursday, and she suggested fans should not expect a quick announcement. She said seven or eight players on this roster could credibly start, and the choice will depend on the matchup, as On3 reported from her press conference.
“Once you start a lineup, you usually keep it,” Jensen said. “But every now and then there's different times where maybe you can go back and forth. Or maybe you want a defensive lineup. Maybe you want a taller lineup. Maybe you want a faster lineup.”
Jensen said she has tested combinations in practice and in both closed scrimmages. The rotation, more than the starting five, is what she believes will define this team.
“I think the key though, for this team, and what I love that I've seen so far is regardless of those five who get to start, it's going to be a lot of people playing,” Jensen said.
High Expectations for Year Three
Iowa opens the season ranked 10th in the preseason AP Top 25, a sign that the national media expects the Jensen era to keep building after she took over the program following the departures that reshaped the roster two years ago.
There is recent history behind the optimism. According to the Iowa Hawkeyes athletics site, Jensen picked up her 50th career win in the program's most recent outing, a victory over Virginia in which players distributed the scoring and Hannah Stuelke grabbed 19 rebounds, tying an Iowa NCAA Tournament record.
Maryville went 16-4 in conference play last season on the way to the Great Lakes Valley Conference title, so the Saints arrive with their own credentials. Jensen's point all along is that a Division II label does not guarantee an easy night.
The regular season begins for real on Nov. 2 against Towson at Carver-Hawkeye Arena, and Jensen will use Thursday to settle her rotation before the games count in the standings.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does Iowa women's basketball play Maryville?
Iowa hosts Maryville in an exhibition game on Thursday, Oct. 29, at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City.
Who is Maryville in women's basketball?
Maryville is a Division II school from St. Louis that won the Great Lakes Valley Conference last season with a 25-7 record and beat Missouri 90-84 in an exhibition game.
When does Iowa's regular season start?
The Hawkeyes open the regular season on Nov. 2 at home against Towson.
Where is Iowa ranked in the preseason polls?
Iowa enters the season ranked 10th in the preseason AP Top 25 poll.