Locked On Hawkeyes - Daily Podcast On Iowa Hawkeyes Football & Basketball - LOCKDOWN D: Iowa Hawkeyes SHUT DOWN Michigan Again—How Ava Heiden, Hannah Stuelke, and Defense DOMINATE

Episode Date: March 8, 2026

Iowa Hawkeyes women’s basketball shuts down Michigan yet again, powering to a dominant 59-42 win and proving their defense is championship-caliber. Can this newfound defensive identity propel them past No. 2 UCLA in the Big Ten Championship clash? Trent Condon spotlights Ava Heiden's gritty 16-point effort, Hannah Stuelke's clutch fourth quarter, and Taylor Stremlow’s infectious attitude that has transformed the team’s mentality. Key highlights include struggles and adjustments after a three-game skid, the emergence of Iowa’s elite defensive efficiency, and what makes this victory especially impressive against a strong Michigan squad. The episode also recaps the men’s basketball bubble watch with bubble teams faltering, analyzes wrestling updates—both frustrations in the men’s and multiple national titles on the women’s side—and previews the high-stakes weekend ahead. Don’t miss expert analysis and bold takes on Iowa’s drive for postseason glory. Follow Trent Condon on X: https://twitter.com/trentcondon LISTEN TO THE PODCAST: APPLE: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/locked-on-hawkeyes-daily-podcast-on-iowa-hawkeyes-football/id1441592240 SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/0GTyz5ygevcGXdTF6QSoEo YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/LockedOnHawkeyes Everydayer Club If you never miss an episode, it’s time to make it official. Join the Locked On Everydayer Club and get ad-free audio, access to our members-only Discord, and more — all built for our most loyal fans. Click here to learn more and join your team’s community: https://lockedonpodcasts.com/everydayerclub Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! 5-Hour ENERGY Have your cake & drink it too. Birthday cake-flavor is back, no fork needed. Vanilla-y cakey flavor, caffeinated kick, and no sugar. It's party time. Order Now at https://5-hourENERGY.com or Amazon. Coast Right now, Coast Pay is offering our listeners up to $2,000 credit when you get started at https://coastpay.com/LOCKEDONCOLLEGE. Term Apply. The Coast Visa®️ Commercial Credit Card is issued by Celtic Bank. All card accounts are subject to credit approval. Mazda Like our players, we’re driven by the details. Because highlights make the reel. What it takes to get there makes it count. There’s more to a Mazda. Because there’s more to you. TurboTax This year you’re getting a major upgrade — Intuit TurboTax now has in-person locations nationwide. Visit http://TurboTax.com/local to book your appointment today. Robinhood You’re no longer just a spectator. Play by play. You decide. Trade Every Play with Robinhood. Now available across the U.S. Download the Robinhood app now to begin. Futures and cleared swaps trading involves significant risk and is not appropriate for everyone. Event contracts are offered by Robinhood Derivatives, LLC., a registered futures commission merchant and swap firm. Indeed Listeners of this show get a $75 Sponsored Job Credit to help give your job the premium placement it deserves at http://Indeed.com/podcast Gametime Today's episode is brought to you by Gametime. Download the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDON for $20 off your first purchase. Terms and conditions apply. FanDuel FanDuel is giving you a way to turn that energy into even bigger potential wins with a College Basketball Parlay Profit Boost. Visit https://FANDUEL.COM to get started — Play Your Game. FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Hawkeyes women's basketball team, Lockdown Michigan, for the second time this season, turning stops into runs and reminding everyone, this team can win with defense. You are Locked on Hawkeyes, your daily podcast on the Iowa Hawkeyes. Part of the Locked On Podcast Network, your team every day. Welcome in, I'm Trent Condon, and this is the Lockdown Hawkeyes podcast. Your daily Iowa Hawkeye podcast, glad to have you aboard with us here. today. I've been covering the Hawkeyes for over 20 years on the radio. You can hear me currently on the Iowa Sports Radio Network with stations all across the state, including Cedar Rapids, Iowa City,

Sioux City, the Quad Cities, and our flagship 106.3 KX&O in Des Moines each weekday from noon to two. Today's episode is brought you by Fandual. Fandual is giving you a way to turn your energy into even bigger potential wins with the college basketball parley profit boost. Head to Fandual.com today to get started. We got a lot to talk about here on this bonus edition over the weekend because we got a big win from the Iowa women. We're certainly going to get into that. Though the Iowa men have to wait to Sunday before they take the hardwood as they'll get

their finale of the regular season on the road against Nebraska, some good news for the Hawkeyes as bubble teams all over the country are falling here on Saturday. Some updates from wrestling, both the men and the women, as the big tens did not go very well to this point for the Iowa wrestlers, just one finalist for them and the Iowa women. Already a couple national championships actually happening as we're recording here this evening. So won't have a full update on that team races. They're buying for a national championship at year number one with the official NCAA designation in women's wrestling. But already at this point, three national champions there.

We'll talk a little wrestling as well. We begin today, though, with the Iowa women's basketball team as they get it done in Indianapolis. 59-42 over Michigan as the Hawkeyes in a day where they race out to an early lead, jump out 9-0, nothing. They're cruising, they're rolling, and then they hit the skids for the better part of, oh, man, I'd have to do the math and add it all up because Michigan came back, cut it down to a two-point game a couple of times there in the first half. Then a little spurt at the end gave them a six-point lead.

The third quarter looked like a disaster at times for Iowa, but it was a fourth quarter that will be remembered. a long time as Iowa outscores Michigan 24 to 6 in the final stanza wins a game by 17 going away 59 42 against a Michigan team that has looked awful against Iowa and that has a lot to do with the hawkeye defense let's dive in a little bit for players in double figures for iowa they were letting scoring by eva hyden with 16 points yet there were times where it felt like eva hyden definitely was out of sorts. Six turnovers in the game. There were so many times. They were trying to get her in post feeds, wasn't able to get it done. Her mid-range jumper that is usually so consistent, wasn't there certainly at the same level that we're used to. In fact, just one rebound in the game for Ava Hayden still in a game in a game like that where you can tell she just wasn't at her best, still finished with 16 points in this one to go along with a couple of assists in the game. I thought one of the keys was obviously in the second half and definitely in the fourth quarter. the play of Hannah Stulke. And Stolke working her way back from the injury, trying to find her flow.

How about three or four from the free throw line? So many contested buckets inside. She struggled at times also with those turnovers as they were again working that high, low action with her in hiding inside, trying to find different ways to get both of them involved at the same time. That was a struggle. There were some bad passes in there. The pressure of Michigan definitely gave them some trouble too. But in the end, Hannah Stulke definitely in that fourth quarter helping pull that one away. Stremlow, we talk about Taylor a lot. And there's times that some of those turnovers that just leave you pulling your hair out. But she is just such a big time player.

Three, three pointers, a couple of them in the fourth quarter of this one as Iowa pulls away. A couple of big assists. She finished the game with a team leading six. Chit chat in the first right, first half, excuse me, Chip chat right in the first half of the game was really good. A couple of timely shots from her. Three of four from behind the arc as Iowa finishes game. Three three, three pointers from. Stremlow, three from right. That is all that they got. The defense of Kylie Fearbock,

got to mention her at a day where she's scoreless. Addy deal, I thought, gave them a couple of good moments. Journey Houston, a couple of big rebounds right when she came into the game. In fact, she finished the game overall with six rebounds in the limited minutes that she played, just 13 minutes and six rebounds. It was tight. Only a seven-player rotation in this one, as it was nip-tuck until that fourth quarter when Iowa pulled away to get it done. This is a Michigan team. How about this number for you? In the 29 games where the Wolverines are not playing the Iowa Hawkeyes,

they're averaging 86.4 points per game. And the two games against Iowa, they're averaging 43. Michigan, this is no wilting violet. This is a team that is physical, as you saw defensively, in the way that they were guarding Iowa, 94 feet up and down the floor, pressing. They got athletes, they got skill. this is a really good Michigan team.

And if you've only seen the Wolverines twice this year against the Hawkeyes, you might be saying to yourself, that team stinks. That's not the case. This is a good Michigan team. Iowa has just made them look bad, and it's because of that defense. You go through and now talk about this Iowa team and what they've been able to accomplish.

And we've said more and more as a season's gone on. After the three-game losing streak, after the loss of Taylor McCabe, finding roles, finding what works, bringing Stremlow back into the starting lineup, another big piece of that. As everybody has settled in, Iowa now the winning street continues

as they win the final six games of the regular season. These two games now back to back in the Big Ten tournament against Illinois and against Michigan, eight straight wins, but you look at defensively what they're doing. This is an elite level.

You talk about defensive grades about at the highest level that you're going to find in college basketball. That's what this squad is doing. on the defensive end of the floor. If you would have told me Iowa women's basketball, this would be their identity. I would have thought you were crazy a couple years back.

But here we are. They hold the defensive efficiency number for Iowa in this game, coupled with the opponent that you're playing, a 51.2, that is, the top mark of the season for this Iowa women's team. Tremendous against, again, a very good Michigan squad that they may look anything but. In fact, when you go through the same game winning streak,

the only game you say was not a great defensive performance was against Illinois. That was a game where they hit nine straight threes, including eight in the second half of the ball game. And that doesn't happen, right? We just, we know those kind of things normally don't happen. This team has been able to figure it out, put it all together, and they are clicking at all levels. You also mentioned what's up next. And that's, of course, UCLA. Now, remember, that was in the middle of that three game losing street.

They went out first, played USC, really struggled in that game for the first time playing a full game minus McCabe. I know McCabe left early that game. Deal came in and played her best game probably the season when he coupled in the opponent that they were going up against. And since then took a step back. And then they went to UCLA and there were a couple of moments. But UCLA with Lauren Betts and 6'7, they're built different. But that's a really good squad. And there's a reason now that they come in here, 20 and 0 in the Big 10, 18 and 0 in the regular season.

and then the back-to-back victories against Washington and against Ohio State. I was going to have to play really, really well. They can't afford to have the turnovers at the same level. They're going to need them probably to struggle knocking down three-pointers, something like that. You need them to shoot at 20% from behind the arc, maybe even lower than that. Maybe Betts gets in foul trouble. There is a path. It's threading a needle against UCLA, but it is possible.

And a couple other things. UCLA, we'll recap it on Sunday before you. And just looking forward to having that opportunity and seeing the appreciation afterwards of Jan Jensen, just how happy she was for the squad and doing this. She said, and you could hear her in the huddle, which I thought was awesome on Big Ten Network. Nobody believed. Nobody believed that they were going to be here. You come into the season, they were a fringe top 25 team,

but nobody thought Iowa was going to be a number two seed in the NCAA tournament. Nobody thought that this team was going to finish second in the Big Ten. Nobody thought that they'd be playing in the championship against UCLA this season. Yet here they are. And credit to Jan Jensen, there's been two times now in her first two seasons where questions were starting to pile up. And her teams have responded time in and time out. That is a credit to the coach and what she's been able to do. The crowd in Indianapolis was incredible again, the support that this women's basketball program gets,

and the notoriety that is going to continue to build with it. if they can continue to build and make a run again this season and get back to the second weekend and get to an elite aide and do the kind of things that national programs have. This goes back to our conversation two years ago and capitalizing on the success of Caitlin Clark and taking what she built in Iowa City and taking it to that next step

and doing it with something that is sustainable. The fan base is there, the coaching is there, the NIL money is there, there's a real chance of having this be something special, something that's sustainable for Iowa women's basketball. But it needs to continue coming up next week. One more game up before that. A couple other things.

Want to mention just the attitude of this squad. You saw it a lot during the fourth quarter of the game. And it helps. Everybody plays better and has got a little more swagger to them when you're winning a basketball game at any sport, really, at that level. But we go back to mentioning Taylor Stremlo being inserted in the lineup. And she's got attitude, right? She's feisty.

She's tough. She's going to talk crap. And that is rubbing off on this team. We heard so much that she is kind of the next in line that's going to be that communicator, that person that brings everybody together, the leadership qualities that you look for. And you get that from Taylor Stremlo. But you also get the swagger. That comes along with it.

and she's got attitude, and you love to see that because having that is absolutely huge, and it rubs off on the rest of the team. Hanna Stalkie when she showed up in Iowa City four years ago, it was difficult to get much out of her. She wasn't comfortable, and then to see her hooting and hollering after making a play and getting the end one and seeing that coming from her, and the way that that just continues with this whole team. And Chit Chit Right is not somebody that is demonstrative. She's just a silent assassin out there. And that's how she got the nickname Chit Chit,

is because she doesn't talk very much. And it was a joking kind of nickname that stuck with her. But seeing that, coupled with the fan base, coupled with a team with a different kind of attitude and a defense that goes along with it, the recruiting is going well. There's a lot to be excited about. One more to go.

And how about that one? A matchup against UCLA tomorrow. CBS National for that one right after the MVC championship game is Illinois, Chicago will take on the U and I Panthers. On the men's side, punching their ticket to the NCAA tournament, the winner of that one. And then we'll get the Big Ten championship after that at about 115, followed up by the 4 o'clock matchup with Iowa and Nebraska, the final scheduled regular season game in college basketball happening on Sunday. We got a big Sunday, certainly in front of us here in the state of Iowa. Also, speaking of Big Sundays, that's going to be the case for the Big Ten wrestling tournament.

However, only one Iowa wrestler will be in the finals. We'll take a look at some wrestling and some good things happening on the wrestling side with women's basketball. Women's wrestling will do that as we continue. This is Lockdown Hawkeyes. I'm Clea Butler, host of Lockdown Women's Basketball. And this is Mazda's Women's Basketball Snapshot, celebrating the work no highlight reel can ever capture. Number one ranked Yukon dominated St. John's 85 to 49 on Sunday at Madison Square Garden, extending its winning streak to 47 games. The Huskies kept a perfect 31 and 0 regular season,

including 20 and 0 in the Big East. Yukon is winning by nearly 38 points per game, the third largest average margin in Division I history. Since 1999 to 2000, Yukon has nine undefeated regular seasons, as many as all other programs combined and has turned six of those into national championships. These moments are earned off the clock, those long before the lights ever come on, the sweat, the fakes, the doubt, the scrapes, and coming back for more every time. Mazda puts that same drive into every detail. Wins defined the moment, putting in the work, that defines you. There's more to a Mazda because there's more to you. trying kind of back with you again here on the lockdown hawkeyes podcast thanks for being with us as always

and making lockdown hawkeyes your first listen every day we are your daily iowa hawkye podcast a couple other things here this is just a bonus episode here on saturday we're not going to go on the standard length of time a little bit shorter today but want to throw out a few things start with the wrestling team and uh on the men's side we'll talk about the good and the women's side because it wasn't good Dean Peterson doesn't finish in the top eight. Drake Iiella, though he's still alive on the backside of the bracket, he will wrestle Lucas Bird. Loses that one.

If he does, we'll wrestle for fifth or six. Top six for this year Bailey, I guess getting him back out there. That's one of the few positives you can take away at 141. Rider Block, not the top eight. Voidavichael for two, as he got the call at 57. at 65 there is the one finalist for Iowa. At least they got one. Mikey Calliendo is going to be there against Mitchell Messonbrink.

74, Patrick Kennedy fell, just had a couple of deep shots against Pinto, couldn't get over the hump. I'll watch it that one. AJ Ferrari in the ridiculous seating is seated eighth. He going up against Rocco Welsh had an opportunity. Got a single that pulled about a half dozen times. A lot of stalling on the opponent, but nothing called. And Ferrari then medical far fits to the backside in eighth. Gabe Arnold gave it a go, wrestling up at 197.

He goes one and two. Keeter's on the backside. He's still alive, I guess, in the consolation side as he got the 10th seed. Look, go Caliando. But as we've said before, this is incredibly frustrating to watch. watch it's Iowa style it doesn't work anymore the old school way of thinking and wrestling we've seen the evolution of the sport and just how behind Iowa feels currently and I know it's overstated in comparison but flipping it on a couple of times watching the semifinals after for a little bit

and just not see many Iowa guys out there it just it's disheartening but that is our reality currently as we talked about earlier in the week Tom Brands will be back as reported by Chad Lysdikow of the Des Moines Register. It's got to be more changes, though. I can't just be we're going to try harder. We need to see something tangible, I think, as Iowa wrestling fans. Women's wrestling team, again, currently still going on right now, three national champions for them.

Kennedy Blades, no surprise that she brings home yet another title. Her second title, also got to see Welker, and boy, she is incredible to watch Kylie Welker, what she was able to do with the pin, and Solorio, also with a national championship But again, that's going on. Team race is really coming down to the wire. We'll see exactly how that plays out. We'll have a little bit more on that front yesterday.

And then one final thing for you. And that is the bubble on the men's side. We'll wait for Iowa tomorrow 4 o'clock against Nebraska. And I know there's concern, frustration about the way the end of the season is gone. And this team doesn't deserve to be in the tournament. People saying that, which is idiotic. But that aside, when you stack up their resume, they're fine. we've talked about that.

And they're now locked into the number nine seed in the Big Ten tournament next week. They'll take on the winner of Maryland and Oregon, who'll play the day before. You don't want to have a loss there against one of those two teams. But, you know, in a crazy way, I'm almost happy that, A, you know, the seeding, there's nothing that matters with that. But secondly, now you get that extra game. Now, that extra game absolutely can hurt you. I get that. But what else has happened in here, just getting that.

some good vibes going. If Sunday goes the way that I think it's going to go, and Nebraska does win that game, just get another win, getting more of those positive feelings after how great the game was for so many different reasons against Michigan, outside of the most important, the actual result on the scoreboard. Get a win, getting that going. You'll get another shot then against Ohio State. If you win that game against either Oregon or Maryland, you win that, well, you get Michigan again. Good luck. But, You went toe to toe with them, right? You went toe to toe with them and you get another opportunity against the Wolverines.

But that's what's in front of Iowa on that one. Bubble teams all over the place falling. Good news for them as you're worried about maybe teams surpassing them or jumping up in front of them as it comes to seating in the NCAA tournament right now. And that's going to change here over the week. There's going to be highs and lows. And there's going to be, I'm sure, a couple of days where all these bubble teams are winning or maybe pulling a couple upsets and we start to freak out a little bit.

Hawks are going to be fine. Hawks are going to be fine. And certainly the Hawkeye women were just that with the win against Michigan, another great performance out of them. Back with you on Sunday evening. We will recap everything happening on Sunday from the Big Ten Wrestling Championship match, one of them, what happens on the backside of the bracket as well, Iowa Nebraska on the Hardwood and the Big Ten championship game with Iowa and UCLA

on the women's side, plus a full recap of what we saw with the Iowa women's wrestling team in a battle for a national championship. Thanks for being with us, as always. We are your daily Iowa Hawkeye podcast here. Lockdown Hawkeyes. If you're watching us on YouTube, hit subscribe. Just takes a moment and really helps us get in front of more Hawkeye fans. If you just listen on the podcast side,

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thanks for being with us and making Lockdown Hawkeyes your first listen every day. We'll talk to you again tomorrow. Until then, go Hawks.