The Hawkeyes are definitely feeling the weight of losing senior Taylor McCabe, but have righted the ship over the past two games.
McCabe was not only a leader on the court, but she was also one of Iowa's best defenders, which contributed to Iowa's three-game slide.
Her absence was not the only reason the Hawkeyes went on a brief three-game losing streak, but it was a major contributing factor.
With McCabe sidelined for the remainder of the season, the Hawkeyes lost games to USC, UCLA, and Minnesota before finally getting back on track with back-to-back wins against Washington and Nebraska.
Before Iowa's big win over Nebraska, McCabe revealed to the Des Moines Register that while her surgery was successful, it took longer than expected.
McCabe tore her meniscus along with her ACL
The surgery to repair her ACL took longer than expected because they realized she also tore the meniscus in her left knee.
Taylor told me pregame that her surgery was longer than expected as it was discovered she also tore the meniscus in her left knee, in addition to the ACL.
— Chad Leistikow🆑 (@ChadLeistikow) February 16, 2026
That'll lengthen the recovery, but she is in good spirits ... and Hawkeye fans here showed support to the Nebraska native. https://t.co/BMWj7unuLG
According to the Des Moines Register's Chad Leistikow, McCabe's surgery got more complicated with a meniscus tear, which will also increase her rehab time.
He also mentioned that McCabe is in good spirits, and we all wish her a speedy recovery.
Without McCabe in the lineup, Taylor Stremlow and Addie Deal have each gotten starts in her place, with Stremlow playing better lately.
Against Nebraska, she finished with 17 points on an efficient 86 percent shooting from the field and 75 percent shooting from beyond the arc.
The Hawkeyes hit the road for their next matchup against Purdue in West Lafayette on Thursday, February 19.