The University of Iowa women’s basketball team defeated Purdue, 84-63, in its Big Ten home opener on Sunday afternoon inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena. The Hawkeyes improved their record to 11-2.
I’m OWA CITY, Iowa — The University of Iowa women’s basketball team secured an 84-63 victory over Purdue in its Big Ten home opener Sunday afternoon at Carver-Hawkeye Arena, improving their season record to 11-2.
Senior Addi O’Grady led the way with 12 points and three rebounds, while junior Hannah Stuelke added nine points and six rebounds. Sydney Affolter delivered a well-rounded performance with nine points, seven rebounds, and six assists. Freshman Ava Heiden came close to a double-double, contributing nine points and eight rebounds.
Game Recap
First Quarter:
Iowa started strong, building a 27-13 lead by the end of the first quarter. The Hawkeyes shot an impressive 66.7% from the field, with Lucy Olsen contributing six points and Taylor Stremlow adding five points and two assists. Dominating the boards, Iowa out-rebounded Purdue 12-6 and closed the quarter on an 11-2 run.
Second Quarter:
Despite an early 11-3 run by Purdue that narrowed the lead to six points, Iowa responded with a 15-3 run to close the half, leading 50-32 at the break. Key contributions came from AJ Guyton with seven points, including a three-pointer and a layup, and Sydney Affolter, who added five points and three rebounds.
Third Quarter:
Purdue trimmed the deficit to eight early in the third quarter, but Iowa pulled away again, led by O’Grady and Stuelke, who combined for 11 points. The quarter ended with a three-pointer from Kylie Feuerbach, giving Iowa a comfortable 66-47 lead.
Fourth Quarter:
Iowa sealed the victory with an 18-16 edge in the final quarter. The Hawkeye bench contributed 15 points, extending the team’s largest lead to 27 points late in the game. Iowa’s solid all-around effort ensured an 84-63 win.
Postgame Notes
Taylor Stremlow: Career-high nine points, four rebounds, three steals, and two assists.
Lucy Olsen & Sydney Affolter: Tied for a team-high six assists.
Addi O’Grady: Team-high 12 points, marking her 10th double-figure game this season.
Team Effort: Seven Hawkeyes scored seven or more points.
Ava Heiden: Perfect 4-for-4 from the field and led with eight rebounds.
Sydney Affolter: Nine points, seven rebounds, and six assists.
Team Highlights
Iowa is 38-2 inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena over the past three seasons and has won 19 straight games at home.
Carver-Hawkeye Arena has sold out 28 consecutive games, the longest active streak nationally.
Iowa improved to 56-19 in Big Ten play over the last four seasons.
The Hawkeyes have won nine straight matchups against Purdue, tying the all-time series at 40-40.
The Hawkeyes outscored Purdue 30-10 in the paint during the first half and ended the third quarter on a 13-0 run.
For the first time this season, Iowa recorded back-to-back games with 20+ assists.
Historical Notes
Iowa is 123-16 in Iowa City since November 11, 2016.
The Hawkeyes are 74-24 when recording 20+ assists in a game since 2020.
Iowa leads the nation with 111 games of 80+ points since the 2020-21 season, winning 97 of those games.
