IOWA CITY — Considering the extraordinary growth in women’s basketball that Iowa has fostered lately, it’s fitting that the Hawkeyes find themselves at the center of an inaugural non-conference event during a prime timeframe. Initially, the Women’s Champions Classic aimed to have Caitlin Clark featured when Iowa was revealed as one of the four competing […]
IOWA CITY — Considering the extraordinary growth in women’s basketball that Iowa has fostered lately, it’s fitting that the Hawkeyes find themselves at the center of an inaugural non-conference event during a prime timeframe.
Initially, the Women’s Champions Classic aimed to have Caitlin Clark featured when Iowa was revealed as one of the four competing teams in mid-February — a few weeks ahead of Clark’s decision to enter the WNBA. Nevertheless, the No. 20 Hawkeyes (8-0), who are set to face Tennessee (6-0) in Brooklyn on Saturday, possess plenty of star power to claim the spotlight.
The Barclays Center event will kick off with two first-year head coaches, Iowa’s Jan Jensen and Tennessee’s Kim Caldwell, starting at 6 p.m. on FOX, followed by No. 22 Louisville (5-3) facing No. 2 UConn (7-0) in the 8 p.m. matchup. Both Iowa and Tennessee are poised to confront their most challenging opponent yet.
With that in mind, here are three key points to monitor ahead of Iowa’s trip to New York.
Hailing from Collegeville, Pennsylvania, located about 100 miles from the Barclays Center, Olsen is expected to have a large and enthusiastic group of supporters on Saturday night. This will be the closest Iowa competes to Olsen’s hometown this season, even nearer than their New Year’s Day game at Penn State (approximately 180 miles away).
“I hope to play. It would be pretty embarrassing if everyone shows up (and I don’t),” Olsen quipped on Tuesday. “Many people are planning to attend this game. I’m looking forward to catching up with my family and friends I haven’t seen in a while.”
Early sentiments indicated that Olsen’s unfortunate incident in Cancun would only sideline her for two games. Against Tennessee’s fast-paced pressure, Iowa will need its seasoned point guard to perform at her best.
Tennessee faced its initial major challenge this week but did so in a chaotic manner. Can the Hawkeyes leverage their experience in the spotlight once again?
Despite the momentum Caldwell built with five convincing home victories and a flurry of points to kick off her time with Tennessee, the Lady Vols weren’t truly tested until Florida State visited Thompson-Boling Arena on Wednesday night. Tennessee managed a 79-77 victory, but only after needing a defensive stand during the final play after relinquishing a 20-point lead.
For the third time in four weeks, the Hawkeyes will encounter a team playing away from home for the first time this season. Already, this will mark Iowa’s fifth neutral-site game, second in an NBA arena, and sixth overall outside of Carver-Hawkeye Arena. With the experience gained from reaching consecutive national title matches, Iowa has considerable experience in high-pressure confrontations leading into this game.
What does this imply? While there are no guarantees, it seems less probable that Iowa will deliver an uncharacteristically poor performance, particularly under the given circumstances, compared to Tennessee. It’s common in one-off non-conference games for one team to have an inexplicable off night that starkly contrasts their typical performance. Even with both programs adapting to new leadership, Iowa seems to hold the advantage in experience.
In a present-day clash of styles, which team can dictate the game’s rhythm?
In a matchup in which one team feels most at ease moving quickly in transition and scoring freely, while occasionally compromising defensive steadiness, it’s surprising to assert that team isn’t Iowa. However, that reflects the current position of these Hawkeyes, who rely on their defense while waiting for a more traditional path to victory.
Despite Iowa managing to keep five of its initial eight opponents under 60 points, Tennessee will undoubtedly provide the Hawkeyes the most significant defensive challenge. Nationally, the Lady Vols rank first in points per game (95), first in made 3-pointers per game (38.2), third in forced turnovers (28), and 27th in assists per game (17.7). With five players scoring in double figures, scouting becomes crucial.
Conversely, successfully stifling this Tennessee squad would further validate Iowa’s recent defensive achievements. With the Cy-Hawk rivalry and their Big Ten opener against No. 25 Michigan State forthcoming, the Hawkeyes could boost their confidence in their adaptability.
Dargan Southard is a sports trending reporter and covers Iowa athletics for the Des Moines Register and HawkCentral.com. Email him at msouthard@gannett.com or follow him on Twitter at @Dargan_Southard.
