Sophomore Ava Heiden led all scorers, notching a double-double of 24 points and 10 rebounds, but much of Iowa's success can be attributed to good hustle on both ends of the court.
Iowa women's basketball has seen rises and falls this year, but after navigating a potential trap game in West Lafayette, Indiana, against a struggling Purdue team, the Hawkeyes swiftly handled a toughened Michigan squad in front of a packed Carver-Hawkeye Arena, besting the Wolverines, 62-44.
Sophomore Ava Heiden led all scorers with 24 points, part of her double-double that included 10 rebounds, while senior Hannah Stuelke, honored as one of four graduating players after the game, also saw a double-double of 11 points and 12 rebounds.
Here are three observations from Iowa's win:
Blue collar, blue blood
Iowa's hustle on both sides of the ball was a major talking point for both Heiden and head coach Jan Jensen. In a league dominated by elite programs, the second-year head coach noted the importance of hard work and consistency.
"I really think there's so many blue blood programs," Jensen said during a press conference. "I want to kind of be that blue collar, blue blood, right? That's what we talked about, is just keep establishing who we are."
The Hawkeyes shot at a 48.2 percent clip for field goals, but the defense against Syla Swords and the Wolverines was undeniably a huge factor in the win. Swords is averaging 14.5 points per game this season, but scored just seven points against Iowa.
Add in Michigan's 24 turnovers and failure to surpass 50 points for the first time this season, and Iowa was rolling.
Heiden picks up another impressive performance
Heiden alone scored 24 points, more than half of Michigan's total and way more than any other player on the floor. The Sherwood, Oregon, native also notched this figure, along with 10 rebounds and two steals, in just over 27 minutes of playing time.
Despite being the No. 36 overall prospect in her class, per ESPN, Heiden was competing with both Stuelke and Addison O'Grady for playing time last year, meaning the then-freshman didn't quite break out as much until the end of the season.
Even with her scoring in double figures for three straight postseason games, Heiden's highest total was 15 points, captured against Murray State in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. This season, the center has shattered that marker multiple times, collecting multiple double-doubles and averaging 17 points per game.
Stuelke returns with a vengeance
Stuelke was sidelined for Iowa's 83-74 victory over Purdue on Thursday, owing to a shoulder injury. The forward returned to action against Michigan, playing just over 38 minutes, more than any other Iowa player.
Jensen's previous experience as a post coach during Lisa Bluder's tenure has led to Iowa boasting some great bigs, such as Monika Czinano, Megan Gustafson, and O'Grady. Now, Stuelke has become another household name in the post.
While the senior's 11 points were far from Heiden's 24-point effort, they still paired with her 12 rebounds for a double-double, with three of those boards being on offense, more than any other player for Iowa. Stuelke also led all players with seven assists, much of which she playfully credited to Heiden.
"She's been so great," Stuelke said. "That's where I get all my assists from and she always makes it easy for me."