The DI women’s basketball teams at Iowa and ISU get it: Take the risk and play UNI and Drake

IOWA CITY — A great basketball game took place Friday night at Carver-Hawkeye Arena, and it happened because the Iowa and Iowa State women’s programs still schedule Drake and Northern Iowa.

A month after defeating then-No. 8 Iowa State 87-75 in Cedar Falls, UNI came to Iowa and battled the No. 22 Hawkeyes to the end before falling 92-86.

If basketball had had the three-star system after the game in hockey, the No. 1 star would have gone to the Panthers’ 5-foot-10 senior guard Maya McDermott. She scored 30 points and led her team to a one-point lead late in the game from an 18-point hole in the third quarter.

McDermott, of Johnston, Iowa, was determined. Again. She scored 37 points against Iowa State and averaged 22.6 and is fifth in the nation after Friday’s game.

Senior teammate Kayba Laube of Marion had 20 points. She made 5 of 7 three-point shots. When it comes to heartfelt showmanship, no fellow Iowa native can match Caitlin Clark. In terms of accuracy, Laube is 41 of 76 this year, best in the country at 53.9 percent, up from Missouri Valley Conference’s 45.5 percent last season.

Do you think UNI didn’t want to win that game in Carver in front of five times as many fans as normal? Do you think Iowa coach Jan Jensen didn’t know that fellow coach Tanya Warren brought with her from Cedar Falls a deceptive 5-5 record that included three losses by four points or less to major conference opponents?

Do you think the Hawkeyes didn’t want to win the state championship?

Instead of Iowa playing two mid-majors that have no relevance here, it still plays UNI and Drake, two consistently strong programs. Bravo.

“You can’t put it into words that both Iowa State and Iowa are going to play us,” Warren said.

“All four state schools are really, really good. And it’s not often you don’t see a good game (in state).”

Jensen doesn’t criticize the Iowa and Iowa State men’s programs for cutting the Bulldogs and Panthers from their schedules. It has become ancient history. She says it’s a business decision for her, understandable. When the so-called big brother loses to the so-called little brother, the fans question the coach.

Additionally, if you’re recruiting the same Iowa high school students as Drake or UNI, you don’t want to give them the chance to raise their profile at your expense.

The risk of playing an in-state mid-major “is much different than playing a mid-major out of Ohio,” Jensen said.

Still, she and Iowa State Coach Bill Fennelly carry on. The games mean something. The fans who flocked to Carver on Friday night were thrilled. And it was a win that the Hawkeyes had to get because the Panthers weren’t going to give them the win.

Forward Hannah Stuelke of Cedar Rapids had a career-best 15 points and seven assists for Iowa. Iowa guard Taylor McCabe came off the bench and made five 3-pointers. Center Addi O’Grady had 18 points and scored more goals in 12 games this season than in 38 last season.

In this case, however, they all had to sweat. Iowa led 53-37 at halftime, but it wasn’t over yet. Laube hit two bombs and her teammates grew more confident in the third quarter, then McDermott went on a Clark-like run in the fourth quarter, scoring 12 points in 3:27 to pull the Panthers within one point.

It was a two-point game with a minute left. The Hawkeyes prevailed and celebrated, knowing they had defeated a tough opponent. They’ll be facing some superstars in 2025, but McDermott would be on their all-opposition team if there was one.

“Maya, she’s one of the best guards in the country,” Warren said. “I mean, hands down. You know, she probably wasn’t recruited highly enough out of high school because of her size, but you can’t measure heart.”

“I love this kid,” Jensen said. “She’s just a winner.”

Laube is pretty nice herself. She made 10 of 15 three-pointers in a win over Pittsburgh last month. Not only is she a shooter, but what a shooter she has become.

“I think it just shows us that we’re a really good team and we can play with anyone,” Laube said.

“Winning is hard,” said Jensen. “No matter who you play against, it’s difficult. And intrastate rivalry games are really tough.”

Afterward, she told her players, “You did what you had to do when you had to do it.”

But then she told reporters: “I’m very grateful that we played here tonight.”

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