It was a regular weekend for women’s college basketball on January 25, but for the McCabe family, it turned into a disaster. Both McCabe sisters, Taylor McCabe and Peyton McCabe, sustained serious injuries in their respective games for the Iowa Hawkeyes and the Drake Bulldogs.

Chad Leistikow, a sports columnist for the IOWA Citizen, had the perfect reaction to both the McCabe sisters facing injuries on the same day. He wrote via his X post,  “You’ve got to be kidding. Prayers up to the McCabe sisters today.”

Elder sister Taylor McCabe in the opening minute after tip-off. She felt discomfort in her left knee while guarding man-to-man against Ava Watson. As she didn’t return to the game after being carried to the locker room, the injury seemed to be a bit serious for the Hawkeye guard. According to reports, the Iowa’s post-match press conference was also quite intense in the media room. Head coach Jane Jansen shared a brief update during the interview without mentioning the injury’s severity.

“Lots of prayers up for McCabe. We don’t know what it is yet, but that kid’s meant so much, and she’s led so beautifully,” she said. “She’s one of our best defenders, and obviously, she’s a great shooter. But we love her. If you have faith like I do, please lift her up in prayer, her and her family.”

Despite the injury, the Hawkeyes guard looked quite positive on the sidelines after the game. She was seen in regular clothes, with her left knee wrapped. Her teammates came over to her after the 91-70 victory over the Buckeyes and hugged her to cheer her up. There’s no update yet, but the senior was scheduled for an MRI on Sunday night.

On the other hand, the younger one, Peyton, played quite impressively for the first 15 minutes she was there on the court; she registered five points, along with two assists and a rebound. Her (non-contact) injury to the lower right leg came in the dying minutes of the first half, and, similar to her elder sister, she struggled to walk and was eventually carried out of the court.

Amid both incidents, fans shared prayers for the McCabe sisters in a Facebook post by Hawkeye Heaven about their injuries.

Fans Share Heartfelt Reactions for the McCabe Sisters Following Their Disastrous Weekend

The fans were quick to show their love and warmth to Taylor McCabe and Peyton McCabe on X. “Rehab, need both of you to come back like a Rockin’ Hurricane !!!” commented a fan. “Wait, BOTH had injuries same day? 😳,” chimed in another.

There hasn’t been any specific news on the type of injury and the estimated time. However,  as per the visuals on the court, both the sisters can be in for a long halt in this 2025-26 season. If this occurs in the season-ending game, it can be disastrous for Taylor, considering it’s her final year. However, Peyton has a couple of more years of eligibility to make a mark on the circuit.

“One of my favorite Hawkeyes of all time! Well wishes for both McCabe sisters,” stated a fan.

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The Iowa star was grateful for all the support, but wanted to make sure her sister was in everyone’s thoughts, too. “I appreciate everyone reaching out today! I would also appreciate it if everyone would send well wishes and prayers to my sister Peyton, who suffered a severe injury in her Drake basketball game today,” McCabe posted following the game on Sunday.

“Brings back sad memories of Molly Davis going down two years ago,” wrote another Hawkeyes fan.

As an essential part of the Iowa squad, the Hawkeyes guard has earned immense love from the fanbase. One of the fans also drew similarities between Taylor’s injury and Hawkeyes guard Molly Davis’ kneecap injury back in 2024. Former Iowa star also got carried off the Carver floor vs. the same team, Ohio State, returning to the sidelines but unable to play. A “severe kneecap injury” forced her to miss the Big Ten tournament.

“Both terrific women and athletes. Love and prayers to both❤️,” another fan perfectly summed up the reaction of the fans, while praising the athletic prowess of both the McCabe sisters. It’s a significant setback, especially for Taylor McCabe and the Hawkeyes. Iowa is still unbeaten in the conference. And she is having the best season of her career so far in points, averaging 8.1, well above her last three seasons.

Moreover, her defensive work near the paint is also quite essential to her team. As a result, it will pose a significant challenge for Iowa head coach Jensen to field a lineup without Taylor. On the other hand, Drake would miss a very formidable bench player in Peyton. She has contributed on both ends of the court.

As for the games, the results varied for both teams. Even without Taylor, the Hawkeyes powered their way to a commanding 91–70 victory. Meanwhile, the Bulldogs clawed back from an early deficit and built a double-digit lead with some inspired stretches, but Murray State ultimately edged them out, 89–88.

Here’s hoping both players make a full recovery and return to the court soon.