Freshman guard Addie Deal’s emergence is coming at the perfect time for No. 10 Iowa women’s basketball (18-2, 9-0 Big Ten).
Deal arrived on campus carrying a tremendous amount of hype as a five-star signee that was ranked as the No. 9 overall recruit in the 2025 class per 247Sports. Understandably, it took a bit of an adjustment period before Deal’s recent play has started to blossom into exactly what Hawkeye fans and Iowa’s staff envisioned out of the 6-foot guard from Irvine, Calif.
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Over the past four contests, Deal has averaged 12.0 points, 2.3 assists, and 2.0 rebounds per game on 55.9% shooting from the field and 50% from 3-point territory. It began with Deal’s 18-point breakout performance against Oregon on Jan. 15, which propelled her to earn Big Ten Freshman of the Week honors on Jan. 19.
Then, when Deal’s minutes drastically increased against Ohio State following Taylor McCabe’s injury, Deal fearlessly stepped up to the challenge. Against the Buckeyes, Deal led the team in scoring with a new career-high of 20 points on 8-of-17 shooting. The rising frosh added five assists, three rebounds, one steal, and one block in 32 minutes of action.
As a result of her sensational performance on Sunday, Deal secured her second consecutive Big Ten Freshman of the Week honors on Jan. 26 by virtue of a shared title with Illinois freshman forward Cearah Parchment.
“Yeah, I feel like it’s going great. My team’s amazing. My coaching staff’s amazing. Everyone here today and everyone always supporting us just really helps me, so it’s amazing.
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“I’d just say it was business as usual. As soon as my number is called, I’m going to go out there and give it my all. Obviously praying for Taylor and hoping for the best, but just always being ready for any moment,” Deal said on the Peacock broadcast afterwards.
Iowa head women’s basketball coach Jan Jensen knew that Deal was ready for the moment.
“She’s just ready. She’s always ready. She’s been ready. Just that eagerness. I’ve always been very confident in Addie, but I also knew that this game goes big and fast and strong. Our culture is our culture, and they pass the baton. They learn, and they grow, and if you’re open and you’re willing to just be ready, the process can be really, really great,” Jensen said.
With McCabe now out for the rest of the season, Deal will be called upon to deliver similar performances moving forward. The Cali kid could be thrust into Iowa’s starting lineup earlier than expected, and, if recent performances are any indication, she’s ready for that opportunity.
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Iowa’s next game is at USC (11-9, 2-5 Big Ten) from the Galen Center in downtown Los Angeles on Thursday, Jan. 29. That contest will be streamed exclusively on Peacock.
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This article originally appeared on Hawkeyes Wire: Addie Deal emerging at the right time for Iowa women’s basketball
