Iowa women's basketball defeats Towson 73-45 in season opener

The 10th-ranked Iowa women's basketball team tipped off its 2026-27 regular season campaign with a 73-45 victory over Towson on Nov. 2 at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City. Dani Carnegie led the Hawkeyes with 21 points, shooting 7-of-15 from the field, including three 3-pointers, and converting four of six free-throw attempts.

Head coach Jan Jensen acknowledged that the team's performance was not entirely polished during their first official outing of the season. The Hawkeyes experienced stretches of sluggish play, shooting 41 percent from the field and 29 percent from beyond the arc in the first half.

"It's the first game of the season and you're not going to look perfect," Jensen said regarding the team's execution. "And I'm working a lot of different combinations. I'm trying to get different people in at different times, so it's bound to take a little time."

Jensen pointed out that the offense grew sticky at times due to a lack of ball reversals and patience, noting that the system functions best when players share the ball rather than forcing individual plays. Despite the offensive fluidity still developing with six newcomers on the roster, forward Ava Heiden noted that the squad is continuing to take quality shots.

While the offense worked through its early-season adjustments, Iowa's defense delivered a strong performance. The Hawkeyes limited Towson to 31 percent shooting from the field and just 17 percent from 3-point range, while dominating the boards with a 52-27 rebounding advantage, six blocks, and four steals. They also held their opponents scoreless for the final three minutes and fifty-six seconds of the contest.

Iowa pulled away decisively in the final quarter, outscoring Towson 21-8 over the last ten minutes. Carnegie contributed 10 points in the fourth quarter alone, while teammate Layla Hays added four points during a closing 12-2 run that sealed the comfortable win.

Looking ahead, Iowa is scheduled to host Eastern Illinois on Nov. 5 before embarking on a matchup against No. 2 UConn on Nov. 8.