By Pat Harty

So far, Jan Jensen is making the challenge of replacing a legend look easy.

The Iowa women’s basketball team improved to 5-0 in Jensen’s first season as head coach by defeating Kansas 71-58 before a heavily-leaning Hawkeye sellout crowd on Wednesday at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

Iowa led 18-4 after the first quarter and 38-27 at halftime.

And other than a few mini runs by the Jayhawks in the second half, the momentum stayed with Iowa throughout the game.

The Hawkeyes are known more for their fast-pace offense, but it was defense that paved the way to victory in this game, much to the delight of Jensen.

“Our defense, we held them to four in that first quarter and I’ve got to watch the film, but I think they only missed three they should have made,” Jensen said on the Big Ten Network post-game interview. “So, I thought it was just a defensive win tonight. Our offense, we just didn’t get that rhythm, but we did enough to do what we needed to do to get a really good win.”

Villanova transfer Lucy Olsen and All-Big Ten junior forward Hannah Stuelke led Iowa with 16 points apiece. Stuelke also had 10 rebounds.

But it was Iowa’s defense that stood out the most in this win.

“I think it’s all about mental toughness, especially in physical game s like this,” Stuelke said. “Whoever is going to be more mentally tough is going to win the game, and I thought we held it together really well and we were more mentally tough.”

Jensen was promoted to head coach this past May, and on the same day that Lisa Bluder announced her retirement as the Iowa head coach.

Bluder finished in spectacular fashion by leading Iowa to an NCAA runner-up finish in each of the past two seasons.

It was widely known that Jensen would replace her close friend as she and Bluder had worked together for over 30 years, a relationship that started with Bluder coaching Jensen in Jensen’s senior season at Drake.

Jensen then joined Bluder’s coaching staff at Drake, and after having success with the Bulldogs, Bluder was hired as the Iowa head coach in 2000, and she brought Jensen with her.

Together, they helped to turn Iowa into a national power, and now Bluder is happy in retirement, while the team she led to unprecedented success, and the coach she helped to mold, are continuing to uphold the high standard.

Iowa use nine players in Wednesday’s game and they all scored.

A house full of Hawks

Thank you, Hawkeye Nation!!#Hawkeyes pic.twitter.com/yF4aiQU2gK

— Iowa Women’s Basketball (@IowaWBB) November 21, 2024

There were times when Iowa had three freshmen on the court, and yet, the momentum never swayed.

Freshman center Ava Heiden and freshman guard Taylor Stremlow both played significant roles in Wednesday’s win after having played very little in the victory at Drake this past Sunday due mostly to matchups and style of play.

Iowa had a 23-3 advantage in bench points, thanks partly to the freshman, and to junior guard Taylor McCabe

“I don’t think they were quite ready for all the action of Drake, but I felt like they were really ready tonight, and I think they all did some really good things,” Jensen said of the three freshmen who played in Wednesday’s game, which also includes Teagan Mallegni.

Part of being a head coach is trusting your instincts and your gut feelings and Jensen believed that her freshmen could handle the moment, and they would go on to prove her right.

Jensen has pushed all the right buttons in her short time as the head Hawk, but the level of competition will continue to improve.

There will certainly be struggles along the way because that’s just part of the journey, but this team is connected on and off the court.

It has overcome the shock of losing a coaching legend, and has embraced its new leader.