Sunday's Iowa vs Ohio State showdown ended in a blowout, as the No. 10 Hawkeyes defeated the No. 12 Buckeyes 91-70 at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
The victory moved surging Iowa to 18-2 overall and 9-0 in Big Ten play, marking the program's best start to the conference season since 1995-96. It also comes on the heels of Iowa claiming its first Top 10 AP Poll ranking since the Caitlin Clark era in 2024.
The matchup began with a setback for the Hawkeyes when starting guard Taylor McCabe suffered a non-contact knee injury just 23 seconds into the game. Despite losing their leading three-point shooter, Iowa responded with a 12-0 run late in the first quarter to overcome an early deficit.
Freshman Addie Deal led the Hawkeyes with a career-high 20 points and five assists. Senior forward Hannah Stuelke recorded her sixth double-double of the season, finishing with 18 points and 15 rebounds. Center Ava Heiden contributed 18 points on 9-of-11 shooting, while rising star Chit-Chat Wright added 14 points of her own.
Iowa's interior presence was the deciding factor in the contest. The Hawkeyes out-rebounded the Buckeyes 48-30 and held a 42-14 advantage in points in the paint. Iowa’s bench also impacted the game, outscoring Ohio State's reserves 33-3.
Star guard Jaloni Cambridge led Ohio State in scoring, finishing with 26 points and 10 rebounds. But despite Chance Gray's 16 points, the Buckeyes were unable to overcome Iowa's 57.8% shooting from the field.
The Iowa vs Ohio State win marks the Hawkeye's third consecutive victory over a Top 15 opponent.
How to watch Iowa and Ohio State in Big Ten matchups this week
Ohio State will have a few days to reflect, as the Buckeyes host unranked Wisconsin on Thursday at 8 PM ET, live on Big Ten Network.
The Hawkeyes now prepare for a West Coast road trip, as Iowa tips off against unranked USC on Thursday at 9 PM ET, live on Peacock.