Iowa, Northern Iowa readying for head-first plunge into in-state women's basketball slate

IOWA CITY, Ia. — There are usually a couple games and a few weeks before Iowa plunges into its trio of in-state matchups. Easing into the familiar showdowns allows time for missteps to be corrected.

Not this year.

As the college basketball world readies for what should be a wacky, challenging year ahead amid the coronavirus pandemic, schedules all over look as obscure as ever. Such is the case this week in Iowa City, as the Hawkeyes and Northern Iowa battle Wednesday in their earliest meeting since the series resumed its current annual status in 2002.

No one is objecting, given the turbulence absorbed to get here.

“We’re certainly not starting with an (easy first opponent). Usually you have a couple (games) you think you’ve got to start the season. But our players are so ready,” Iowa coach Lisa Bluder said Monday. "Just to be able to play against someone other than our practice guys and themselves, they are very excited to have Wednesday come around.”

Over the past 18 seasons, the earliest Iowa previously faced the Panthers was the third game of the year. On six occasions in that timeframe, the Hawkeyes had played at least nine games before facing their neighbor to the northwest.

Consider that when analyzing the core of these teams. UNI is returning four players — Karli Rucker, Bre Gunnels, Nicole Kroeger and Megan Maahs — who started at least 24 games last season. Iowa is likely to start four underclassmen: freshman Caitlin Clark and sophomores Kate Martin, Gabbie Marshall and McKenna Warnock.  How quickly that experience discrepancy swings one way or another will dictate much about Wednesday’s result.

“Usually you have a couple of games that you’re scouting before you play your in-state rivals,” Bluder said. “We’ve usually been able to see UNI on film, and not just on paper. Neither team obviously has that. But we’re both familiar with each other.”

Although on-court elements have blended with COVID-19 worries throughout a hectic offseason, there’s no need to remind the Hawkeyes what happened when these two last met. Iowa’s ugliest performance in quite some time came Nov. 17, 2019 inside the McLeod Center, resulting in UNI’s first series win since 2006. The Hawkeyes were in a double-digit hole almost the entire afternoon en route to an 88-66 defeat.

To generate a different result, Iowa will need to expedite its scoring options around preseason all-Big Ten selection Monika Czinano. The Hawkeyes’ starting center is cemented among the conference’s elite, but Iowa will need more reliable options as it looks to fill Kathleen Doyle and Makenzie Meyer’s scoring void.

How soon can Clark match her elite recruiting profile? Will Warnock and Marshall surge further after nice freshmen seasons? Does Martin, Alexis Sevillian or a different returner have another forward step in them?

UNI, meanwhile, has fewer personnel questions to answer — but still plenty of inquiries about how Tanya Warren’s rotation will materialize. Rucker and Maahs are undoubtedly the lead offensive options. Kroeger and Gunnels offer senior experience. But what do Kam Finley and Cynthia Wolf have as juniors? And does anyone in UNI’s hyped in-state freshman class emerge for a larger role?

“We have a great mix of upperclassmen and underclassmen,” Warren said. “Practices have been extremely competitive, which I absolutely love. We’ve been able to mix and match and still create that competitiveness you like to see as a coaching staff. Our upperclassmen have in no way taken it easy on our underclassmen. And our underclassmen have in no way backed down from our upperclassmen.   

“But it’s literally one day at a time. You have to be flexible and adaptable, no matter what the circumstances might be.”

These are all questions Warren and Bluder are happy to worry about, considering how much uncertainty lies in the months ahead. A head-first dive into this campaign — and the in-state slate — seems only fitting.

Dargan Southard covers Iowa and UNI athletics, recruiting and preps for the Des Moines Register, HawkCentral.com and the Iowa City Press-Citizen. Email him at msouthard@gannett.com or follow him on Twitter at @Dargan_Southard.