The No.1-ranked UConn Huskies haven’t given opponents much room to breathe this season. With back-to-back wins and ending games with an average score difference of 37.8 points, they have been dominating the league. But that comfort is exactly what head coach Geno Auriemma doesn’t trust heading into a looming test against Jan Jensen’s No. 11-ranked Iowa Hawkeyes.

Coming fresh off an 89–53 win against the Marquette Golden Eagles, where the Huskies led by 44  points after the third quarter, coach Auriemma was already looking ahead. And his tone made one thing clear: the upcoming matchup isn’t about UConn’s record. It’s about whether his team is ready for the kind of balance that exposes flaws.

“They’re really good, they’re really good because they’re really well-balanced,” Auriemma said of the Hawkeyes. “Their post players are really good. They’re smart. They’re tough. They finish around the basket. They make 8 or 9 threes a game. So it’s a good team that can do two things really well.”

“They can score with their bigs in the lane, and their transition offense is really, really good,” he added. “A lot of times when you have a great transition offense, you’re not throwing the ball in the lane a lot. But I think they’re going to be a real challenge and a real test for us to see how good our defense really is, especially our post defense. They’re really good, though. They’re really good.”

While the Huskies’ defense has been suffocating, the Hawkeyes’ frontcourt presents a test rooted in execution rather than speed. With players like Ava Heiden, Hannah Stuelke, and Taylor Stremlow anchoring the interior, the Hawkeyes don’t need to race to score. They force you to guard every option, every possession.

When these two teams last crossed paths on the Final Four stage, Iowa’s Hannah Stuelke was still a sophomore. Yet, she poured in a team-leading 23 points that night and hasn’t slowed down since, growing into one of the Big Ten’s most reliable forces.

At 6-foot-2, Stuelke brings both polish and power, combining scoring touch with real presence around the rim. She’s topped the 400-point mark in every season of her college career and currently paces the Hawkeyes on the glass, pulling down 8.7 rebounds a game.

Meanwhile, sophomore center Ava Heiden has emerged as a major disruptor in the middle. The 6-4 big leads the team in scoring at 15.2 points per night and has already made her mark defensively, swatting away 14 shots this season.

Also, from that tense 2024 Final Four matchup, when UConn cut the deficit to one late before an offensive foul handed Iowa the ball and, ultimately, the win, only two Huskies from that roster are still around: KK Arnold and Ashlynn Shade.

“I think they’re going to be a real challenge,” Auriemma said. “They’re going to be a real test for us to see how good our defense really is, and especially our post defense.”

Both teams are tied at field goal shooting percentage with 51%. However, Iowa dominates the glass. They are securing 44.6 rebounds per game, to the 41.1 of UConn. And head coach Jensen has no plan of slowing down; she knows the kind of discipline this matchup demands.

“The key is really that you have to stay in the moment,” she said. “I know it sounds cliché, but they can turn you over so fast. If you don’t stay in that next play, it’s going to happen and happen and happen. They’re just going to turn you over, turn you over, turn you over. So, regardless of what that play is, good or bad, with a team like UConn that is so fast and is almost flawless, there’s no time to get too high or certainly too low.”

For Geno Auriemma’s UConn, it’s a chance to measure dominance against a well-balanced team. For Jan Jensen’s Iowa, it’s a test of composure against a team that rarely allows mistakes to stay isolated. Either way, the stage is set for one of the most highly anticipated matchups in the second month of the 2025-26 NCAA season, and fans will be keeping their eyes on it.

Geno Auriemma’s UConn Huskies vs Jan Jensen’s Iowa Hawkeyes: Injury report, how to watch & more

UConn and Iowa are set to meet for the fourth time in the last six seasons when they lock horns on Dec. 20 at the Women’s Champions Classic in Brooklyn. Iowa will enter this game at 10–1, with its only loss against the Iowa State Cyclones, while UConn sits at 11-0.

Game Details:

Date: Saturday, December 20, 2025

Top Stories

Greg Biffle Plane Tragedy: What Might Have Caused the Crash That Killed the NASCAR Champ and His Family

Jake Paul vs. Anthony Joshua Fight Purse: How Much Are Alycia Baumgardner and Others Earning?

What Is Alycia Baumgardner’s Net Worth in 2025? Career Earnings, MVP Deal With Jake Paul, Biggest Purse & More

Leila Beaudoin Relationship Status: Is the Canadian Boxer Married or Single?

Alycia Baumgardner Boyfriend/Husband: All About Her Relationship Status and Dating History

Alycia Baumgardner Father: How Did He Die? All We Know About Boxing Star’s Parents

Time: 12:30 p.m. ET

Location: Barclays Center, Brooklyn, New York

How to Watch:

TV Channel: FOX

Livestream: FOX Sports App, FOXSports.com

Radio: UConn Sports Network; WAVZ-AM 1300 (New Haven); WGCH-AM 1490 (Greenwich); WATR-AM 1320 (Waterbury); WICH-AM 1310 / 94.5 FM (Norwich); WILI-AM 1400 / 95.3 FM (Willimantic); Fox Sports 97.9 FM (Hartford); SiriusXM Channel 983, SXM App 973

Projected Starting Lineups:

There are no major new changes in the Huskies’ roster, and the lineup might unfold like this:

The Hawkeyes will enter the game without their sophomore guard Emely Rodriguez, who has been suspended indefinitely for a violation of team rules. Their predicted lineup:

According to ESPN Analytics, this game is predicted to be in favor of Geno Auriemma’s UConn Huskies with 91%, but with both teams boasting experienced coaches and talented rosters, the upcoming showdown can be expected to be a tightly contested affair. Given the defensive and offensive pedigree of both squads, fans should expect a physical, strategic battle with the winner gaining a key nonconference boost heading into the new year.

Prediction: Huskies to sneak a win 88-71.