The regular season for the Hawkeyes officially begins Monday night, as the Hawkeyes take on Southern University Saturday night.
The opening game of the regular season often sets the tone for how the season is going to go. Mistakes will likely be there, but if the team can have a good game, they will have a lot of momentum going into the season.
Many will overlook this game, but nobody should take it lightly. This is a Jaguars team that returns some solid production from last year's team that made the NCAA Tournament.
Success will come if numerous game facets are accomplished. Here are the keys to the victory for the Hawkeyes' opening game.
Commit to having paint touches
Southern University only has two players on its team who are taller than six foot one. This is a huge advantage for the Hawkeyes, who have three post players who are six feet two or taller in Hannah Stuelke (six-foot-two), Ava Heiden (six-foot-four), and Layla Hays (six-foot-five).
After seeing their exhibition contest against Ashland, it is apparent that the team will utilize the posts frequently this season.
When examining the top teams that have achieved success over the years, a notable pattern emerges.
These teams consistently feature solid post players who receive the ball frequently in their games. The post play for Iowa is as good as we have seen in a long time.
If they can get the ball in bunches during this game, the team should have no problem scoring.
The guards need to be solid defensively
The backcourt for the Jaguars played the biggest role in their success last season.
They return their leading scorer in Aniya Gourdine, who averaged 12 points per game and just shy of five rebounds per game. She can go on a heat check herself, so she needs to be contained on the perimeter throughout the game.
One of Southern University's most significant weaknesses last year was its tendency to turn the ball over. They had a below 1.00 assist-to-turnover ratio, with an average of 12.5 assists per game and nearly 15 turnovers per game.
The turnover game is heavily reliant on the perimeters to force the issue. The Hawkeyes' guards should approach the game with a defensive mindset.
Show patience offensively
This year's squad has a wide mix of players. From upperclassmen like Hannah Stuelke to freshmen like Addie Deal to transfers like Chazadie (Chit-Chat) Wright, this is a group that lacks the chemistry of playing together that some other teams have had this season.
It takes time for a team to gel, run an efficient offense, and communicate properly defensively.
The biggest thing for the Hawkeyes is not to force the ball, whether that be at the rim or in a passing lane.
The offense should flow naturally, and for that to happen, it takes time. Jan Jensen has proven that she knows how to draw up plays and set up offenses, so the team needs to trust her and look for openings that the defenses give them.
This game is a great opportunity for the team to learn tendencies and get things right going into the regular season.
While it won't be easy, if the Hawkeyes can cover these three keys and play their brand of basketball, they should not have a problem getting a win in the opening night game in Iowa City.