Why the Iowa women might shuffle the starting lineup against Illinois

IOWA CITY The Iowa womens basketball team ran with a consistent starting five, outside of injury issues, for the first half of the 2024-25 season.

Perhaps, Ava Heiden misspoke.

Or, the freshman center revealed an impending switch up in the Hawkeyes' (12-3, 2-2 Big Ten) starting five when asked about Thursdays matchup against Illinois (11-4, 1-3 Big Ten).

They are going to have some shooting posts, which are always fun to play against, Heiden said.

I think that is why we are starting out with a smaller lineup for this game.

According to head coach Jan Jensen, Heiden did not exactly unveil a closely guarded secret.

The Sherwood, Oregon, product instead offered a glimpse at how Jensen hopes to use Iowas depth.

I am trying to get them prepared to whatever we are facing, Jensen said.

We are pretty good at versatility.

So, I do not want them to get so stagnant, thinking, OK, it is going to be this way every time.

We have been experimenting with a lot of different lineups as you have seen in different types of games.

In practice, I had a lot of different combos going into practice on Monday.

She got the message that we can go a lot of different ways.

Iowa head coach Jan Jensen, left, instructs Ava Heiden, right, during an NCAA women's basketball game against Washington State in Iowa City at Carver-Hawkeye Arena on Sunday, Nov.

24.

Jensen added that she feels her team can play small ball or matchup with a team in terms of size.

And, that is what she wants.

Jensen wants her team to be able to adapt its lineup to best fit what its opponent will struggle with the most.

We are just trying to land on maximizing that when the matchup calls for it, Jensen said.

To do that, you have to continue to condition the mentality.

You can have a role that is pretty consistent and all of a sudden, it gets upset on its ear.

If you are a vet, then it's like, What happened? So, I just did a little bit more.

We have been talking a lot about it since we got together in June, but now, as we are hitting different matchups, we are trying to start to see what is settling.

I want them to really keep embracing that.

I am constantly learning about what I would like to see and how I would like to see it.

I want to be able to use different lineups against different teams that I think could give us the best opportunity.

The last five years, we could just force our lineup on the rest of you.

...

Now, I want to be a little bit more versatile and match up what I think those guys have and what we have.

Iowas most consistent starting lineup throughout the season featured Addison OGrady, Hannah Stuelke, Kylie Feuerbach, Lucy Olsen and Sydney Affolter.

Taylor McCabe and Taylor Stremlow also earned starts when Affolter and Olsen missed time with injury.

That starting five also represents the top five in minutes played for the team this year, but Jensen said she found lineups and substitutions challenging in her first 15 games as the ultimate authority on who sees the floor.

In particular, Jensen said it provided a challenge because of her willingness to play upwards of 10 or 11 players per game, which represents a significant departure from Lisa Bluders tight rotations.

It is a different way to look at it, Jensen said.

It is a different way to roll.

We are deeper and I am learning that and trying to figure out, even day-by-day in practice, who is tracking.

...

The auditions happen every day.

Those are the times you are really trying to get that lineup.

I go by the game, how it is flowing.

...

I am not a big script person.

I more kind of go with my gut for the good or the bad of it.

Heading into their matchup with Illinois on Thursday (6 p.m., Big Ten+), Jensen said she had a lot of respect for the Illini and head coach Shauna Green, a Clinton, Iowa native.

They have been hard to guard for us ever since Shauna got there, Jensen said.

And, they defend.

...

They have really been in some close games that just have not fallen their way.

I am sure Shauna is glad it is at home.

I wish it was at home.

I would feel a lot better, but I think it will be a good road test.

Jensen specifically highlighted fifth-year seniors forward Kendall Bostic and guard Genesis Bryant.

Genesis Bryant is as tough as they come, Jensen said.

She can shoot behind a ball screen.

She can finish.

She has crazy finishes.

And, they have one of the best forwards in the conference, if not the country, in Bostic.

I really think she is that good.

She is very, very lethal.

On Wednesday, Green announced senior guards Makira Cook and Gretchen Dolan would miss the remainder of the 2024-25 season.

The duo averaged 11.9 and 10.5 points, respectively, through eight games this seasons.

Despite Illinois injury issues, Jensen said she expects a hard-fought game.

You have two hungry teams, Jensen said.

We are in the middle (of the conference) and you cannot take too many Ls before you kind of shift to a different level you do not want to be in.

It is going to be a really competitive, fun Big Ten game because we got great athletes going for it on both sides.

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