IOWA CITY — Behind a dominant performance from Ava Heiden and a record-breaking afternoon for their head coach, the 2-seed Iowa Hawkeyes (27-6) secured their spot in the Second Round of the NCAA Tournament with a 58-48 victory over 15-seed FDU.
The win marked a historic moment for Jan Jensen, who picked up her 50th career victory. Jensen now holds the record for the most wins by any head coach in Iowa program history through their first two seasons.
Heiden Takes Over
Sophomore sensation Ava Heiden was unstoppable in the post, netting a career-high 29 points on an efficient 11-of-16 shooting. Adding seven rebounds to her stat line, Heiden eclipsed 700 career points as a Hawkeye and extended her double-digit scoring streak to 21 consecutive games. Her efficiency has been a hallmark of Iowa’s late-season surge; over the last nine games, she is shooting a staggering 69.6% from the floor.
Complementing Heiden was Hannah Stuelke, who recorded her 10th double-double of the season. Stuelke finished with 13 points and a team-high 16 rebounds, providing the physical presence necessary to fend off a gritty FDU squad.
Carver-Hawkeye Magic
Playing in front of their 52nd consecutive home sellout—the longest active streak in the nation—the Hawkeyes started white-hot. Iowa opened the game 7-of-7 from the floor, dishing out seven assists in the first five minutes alone. Taylor Stremlow continued to flourish as the primary facilitator, recording seven assists. Since Stremlow joined the starting lineup, the Hawkeyes have posted a dominant 16-1 record.
Despite a cold shooting afternoon from deep, Iowa found a way to win. They became the 45th team since 2009 to win an NCAA Tournament game while making one or fewer three-pointers. The victory improved Iowa’s all-time First Round record to 17-7, including seven consecutive opening-round wins dating back to 2019.
Stat of the Game
The Hawkeyes maintained their perfect “halftime cushion” on Saturday. Iowa improved to 21-0 this season when leading at the break, a trend that held steady once again in Iowa City.
Up Next: Monday Night Matchup
The journey continues at Carver-Hawkeye Arena on Monday, March 23, as Iowa hosts 10-seed Virginia (21-11) in the Second Round. The Cavaliers advanced following an upset win in their opening matchup.
