Jan Jensen’s midseason state-of-the-union: ‘There’s so much we can conquer’

IOWA CITY — The performance at Northwestern was, for the most part, forgettable.

However, Iowa’s 67-58 women’s basketball victory at Evanston on Monday did represent a significant milepost.

The season’s midpoint.

“That’s crazy,” sophomore guard Taylor Stremlow said.

No. 14 Iowa (13-2 overall, 4-0 Big Ten) has 14 league games remaining, plus the Big Ten tournament and (more than likely) the NCAA tournament.

At Wednesday’s press conference, Stremlow and Coach Jan Jensen both were prodded for a midseason state-of-the-union assessment.

The Hawkeyes’ greatest strength, both said — in separate interviews — is their potential.

“There is so much that we can conquer,” Jensen said. “I don’t know if, in all of my years and all of my roles, I’ve been in the middle of the season and thought, ‘We can still get so much better.’

“There is so much growth and improvement that we can do. I think that’s exciting ... if we do it.”

The Hawkeyes are one of two Big Ten unbeatens; UCLA is the other.

Iowa’s early league schedule has been less than formidable: Rutgers, Penn State, Nebraska and Northwestern are a combined 2-14 against conference foes, with Indiana (11-5, 0-4) on deck Sunday in Bloomington.

The Hawkeyes flew back to Iowa City on Monday, unimpressed with themselves.

“We were all pretty disappointed with our performance,” Stremlow said. A win is a win, and every Big Ten team is going to be tough, especially on their home floor.

“But we have higher expectations for ourselves. We can and need to do better than that.”

Northwestern (6-9, 0-4) hung around for nearly all of the contest before the Hawkeyes pulled away late. One reason for the unnecessary drama was severe foul trouble to posts Ava Heiden and Layla Hays.

“I’m trying to be more intentional with my defense, not reaching,” Hays said.

Perhaps the Hawkeyes’ best attribute throughout the first half of the season has been its refusal to buckle to an injury rash to its key rotation.

Chit-Chat Wright missed three games. Emely Rodriguez, nine and counting.

Kylie Feuerbach has sat out the last three and remains day-to-day for Indiana.

Jensen made a point Wednesday, again, to emphasize Feuerbach’s value.

“A lot of people are dissecting the role Kylie plays for us,” Jensen said. “People just want points, and if someone’s not scoring, they’re not valued.

“Kylie is calm. She’s a fixer. She’s our best defender.”

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com