If you walked into Carver-Hawkeye Arena expecting a nail-biter, you probably left early to beat the traffic. Most people think of the Iowa Hawkeyes women's basketball vs Drake Bulldogs women's basketball matchup as this gritty, down-to-the-wire in-state rivalry where anything can happen. Honestly, for about three minutes on November 13, 2025, it kinda felt like that. Drake hit a tough contested three, grabbed a 9-8 lead, and the Des Moines crowd—or at least the ones who traveled—got loud.
Then the floor fell out.
Iowa didn't just win; they essentially dismantled the Bulldogs' defensive identity in a 100-58 rout. It was Jan Jensen’s second year at the helm, and if there were any lingering doubts about whether the post-Caitlin Clark era would maintain its lethality, this game answered them with a sledgehammer. The Hawkeyes ripped off a 25-0 run that lasted over eight minutes. Drake went scoreless for the final seven minutes of the first quarter. You’ve seen blowout games before, but this was a tactical suffocating.
The Night the Hawkeyes vs Drake Rivalry Went Sideways
When we talk about Iowa Hawkeyes women's basketball vs Drake Bulldogs women's basketball, we're talking about a series that dates back to 1974. Historically, Drake actually held the upper hand for a long time—they once won 17 straight games against Iowa in the late '70s and early '80s. But things have shifted. Hard. Following this most recent 42-point shellacking, Iowa has now won 22 of the last 23 meetings.
What made this specific 100-point performance so jarring was the sheer balance. Usually, you have one star lighting up the scoreboard. Not this time. Six different Hawkeyes hit double figures.
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- Layla Hays: 14 points
- Ava Heiden: 14 points
- Chit-Chat Wright: 14 points
- Emely Rodriguez: 11 points
- Hannah Stuelke: 11 points
- Taylor Stremlow: 10 points
Basically, Drake head coach Allison Pohlman had to pick her poison. She chose to try and collapse on the interior, which worked for exactly two possessions before Taylor Stremlow started raining back-to-back threes to open the second quarter.
Why Drake Couldn't Keep Up
The Bulldogs aren't a bad team. They entered the 2025-2026 season with high hopes, led by players like Abbie Aalsma and Grace Knutson. Knutson actually had a decent night, relatively speaking, putting up 19 points. But the turnovers were the story. Drake coughed up the ball 23 times. You simply cannot give a team like Iowa 23 extra possessions and expect to leave the gym with your dignity intact. Iowa turned those mistakes into 35 points.
It's sorta fascinating to watch Jan Jensen work. She was a star at Drake herself back in the day, leading the nation in scoring in 1991. Now, she’s the one masterminding the demise of her alma mater on a yearly basis.
Depth is the New Superpower in Iowa City
A lot of the national media focus has been on how Iowa would replace the sheer volume of scoring from previous years. The game against Drake showed the strategy has shifted from "superstar-centric" to "waves of talent."
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Iowa played all 14 players on the roster. 13 of them scored.
Chit-Chat Wright, the Georgia Tech transfer, has changed the dynamic of the backcourt. She isn't just a pass-first guard; she’s a floor general who can suddenly decide to drop four threes in a game. Against Drake, her two early triples were the spark that started the avalanche. Then you have Hannah Stuelke, who is just a matchup nightmare. She finished with 11 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 assists. When your "big" is passing like a point guard, the opposing defense eventually just breaks.
The Misconception About Drake's Defense
People look at the 100-58 score and assume Drake played "ole" defense. That’s not really true. They actually out-rebounded Iowa on the offensive glass at times and tried to stick to a physical, mid-major blueprint. The problem is the speed.
Iowa’s transition game in 2026 is faster than it was two years ago. They’re playing at a pace of 76 possessions per game, and in this specific matchup, they were scoring 1.31 points per possession. That is elite efficiency. Drake’s 0.74 points per possession looks like a typo by comparison, but it’s a result of Iowa’s length on the perimeter. They forced the Bulldogs into bad shots and even worse passes.
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Looking Ahead: What This Means for the Season
If you're an Iowa fan, this game was the "proof of concept." It showed that the system works regardless of who is wearing the jersey. If you're a Drake fan, it’s a reminder that the gap between the Missouri Valley Conference and the top of the Big Ten is widening, mostly due to the depth provided by the transfer portal.
For those tracking the Iowa Hawkeyes women's basketball vs Drake Bulldogs women's basketball series for betting or bracketology, here are the cold, hard takeaways:
- The "Trap Game" is Dead: Drake used to be the team that could sneak up on Iowa in November. With the current talent gap, that hasn't happened since 2016.
- Watch the Bench: Iowa’s bench scored 16 points in the second quarter alone. If the Hawkeyes stay healthy, their second unit is better than most MVC starting fives.
- Turnover Margin is Everything: If Drake doesn't fix their ball-handling issues (23 turnovers), they’ll struggle in conference play against teams like Northern Iowa that mimic this pressure.
The next time these two meet, don't just look at the final score. Watch the first five minutes of the second half. In this last game, Iowa came out of the locker room and went on a 13-1 run. That’s where the game is won—in the adjustments.
If you're following the Hawkeyes this season, keep a close eye on the development of freshman Layla Hays. Her 14 points against Drake weren't "garbage time" points; they were high-leverage buckets that showed she’s ready for the Big Ten grind. On the flip side, keep tabs on Drake's Grace Knutson—she’s the real deal and will likely be the MVC Player of the Year if she maintains that level of play against teams that aren't ranked in the Top 25.
Actionable Insight for Fans: If you're planning to attend next year's matchup in Des Moines, buy your tickets early. Despite the lopsided scores recently, the Knapp Center usually sells out for this one because the atmosphere is still one of the best in college basketball, regardless of what the scoreboard says. Over 14,000 people showed up at Carver for this one, and the energy for in-state hoops in Iowa is currently at an all-time high.