Well folks, today’s the day that the Iowa Women’s Basketball team finds out what they’re really made of. The Hawkeyes face an extremely daunting challenge: the reigning national champion, No. 1 ranked UConn Huskies on a neutral court in Brooklyn as both teams once again participate in the Champions Classic.
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To say this game would be an uphill climb was an understatement, and that was before the Huskies went to the west coast and absolutely dominated the hosting USC Trojans in a game that was the best example yet that the champs are still the team to beat this season.
In comes Iowa, on the heels of a 1-1 stretch that featured a brutal loss on the road to the Iowa State Cyclones, and a small controversy with sophomore Emely Rodriguez indefinitely suspended from the team and not making the trip to New York. Not great by any stretch of the imagination, but I’d imagine the bulk of her minutes get split between some combination of Taylor Stremlow, Addie Deal and the newly returned Teagan Mallegni. Freshman Journey Houston, who looks like an absolute steal from the Class of 2025, should also see her role continue to increase.
Being realistic here, coming back to Iowa City with a victory will pretty much require an absolutely perfect performance from every Hawkeye who sees the court, and an off day for Sarah Strong or Azzi Fudd. You play the games for a reason, but I’m not feeling great about this one!
At the same time, this is the kind of game you love to see a program seeking to cement its status in the upper tier of college basketball schedule. Iowa is a young team. UConn is not. This game is a gauge for how far Iowa has come, and how far it still has to go to be among the elites.
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Let’s just hope they can keep things close for the majority of the game.
Date: December 20, 2025
Time: 12:30 p.m. CST
Matchup: No. 11 Iowa Hawkeyes vs No. 1 UConn Huskies
Location: Barclays Center – Brooklyn, NY
TV: FOX
I unfortunately have a family holiday party conflicting with the game today but I still should be around in the comments a bit here. Be nice, be responsible – remember, Santa’s watching!
GO HAWKS!
