One last time in Carver-Hawkeye Arena this season for the No. 2 seed Iowa Women’s Basketball squad. one last opportunity to play in front of the home crowd for the program’s three seniors.
On the line? A spot in the Sweet 16.
The opponent? The No. 10 seed Virginia Cavaliers, who will be playing their third game in five days after beating Arizona State last Thursday in the First Four, and Georgia in overtime on Saturday in the tournament’s first round. The Cavaliers come into Carver on a hot streak,
particularly from guard Kymora Johnson, who led all scorers on Saturday with 28. She was aided by fellow junior Sa’Myah Smith, who scored 23 points in the outing. Virginia also leads the country in blocked shots per game. All that to say, this is not a 10 seed that Iowa can overlook.
AcSpeaking of the Hawkeyes, much has been made in the short two days since the first round about their closer-than-anticipated performance. The guards will need to step up today, and the bench will need some production, even if it’s minimal. Yes, Virginia will have tired legs, but it’s still very much Iowa’s game to lose if points are once again coming at a premium.
Hannah Stuelke, too, would benefit from a strong outing. While her rebounding has been tremendous all year, her scoring output hasn’t always been what Iowa needs. Standout performances from her and fellow senior Kylie Feuerbach in their Carver finales would be greatly appreciated.
One more game in Carver for the year…let’s end with a win, yeah? We can’t only have the men’s team going to the Sweet 16, right? GO HAWKS!
How to watch:
Date: March 23, 2026
Time: 1:00 m. CST
Matchup: No. 2 seed Iowa Hawkeyes vs. No. 10 seed Virginia Cavaliers
Location: Carver-Hawkeye Arena — Iowa City, IA
TV: ESPN
