University of Iowa Women’s Basketball Team Remains Undefeated with Win Over Rhode Island

The University of Iowa women’s basketball team continued their impressive start to the season with a hard-fought 69-62 victory over Rhode Island on Thanksgiving Day in the Cancun Challenge held in Riviera Maya, Mexico. This win keeps the Hawkeyes undefeated at 7-0, marking a significant milestone under new coach Jan Jensen, who becomes the second coach in program history to achieve this feat, following Angie Lee in the 1995-96 season.

The game was closely contested, with Iowa taking an early lead in the first quarter thanks to strong performances from senior Kylie Feuerbach, who scored eight points, including three three-pointers, and senior Sydney Affolter, who added five points. However, Rhode Island managed to take a narrow 26-25 lead into halftime after a strong second quarter.

The third quarter saw a back-and-forth battle with six lead changes and four ties. Junior Taylor McCabe and freshman Aaliyah Guyton each sank two three-pointers, keeping the game tied at 49 going into the final period. In the fourth quarter, Iowa pulled away with a 12-0 run, led by senior Addi O’Grady, who scored 10 points in the quarter. Iowa’s defense also outrebounded the Rams 8-2 in the final stretch.

Key contributors to the win included Addi O’Grady with 18 points, Hannah Stuelke with 13 points, and Kylie Feuerbach with 12 points. This victory marks Iowa’s fifth appearance in the Cancun Challenge, where they have a strong record of 9-1 all-time.

The Hawkeyes will next face BYU in the Cancun Challenge on Friday at 8 p.m. CT at the Hard Rock Hotel Riviera Maya. The game will be streamed on FloCollege and the Hawkeye Radio Network.