Iowa center Ava Heiden (5) takes to the bench during a game against Minnesota on Feb. 5, 2026, at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Cody Scanlan/The Register / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Iowa Faces Must-Win Scenario vs. Washington

Originally posted on Iowa Hawkeyes on SI
By Jordon Lawrenz | Last updated Feb 11, 2026 11:00 AM ET

In a case like this, the Iowa Hawkeyes needed a full week off. After dropping games to USC, No. 2 UCLA, and Minnesota, there were some serious discussions to be had with this team before their next matchup.

Obviously losing Taylor McCabe for the season wasn't ideal, but their immediate downfall was unpredictable. Losing one game to the Bruins would've been fine, but dropping games to the Trojans and Golden Gophers showed there were plenty of flaws with what was once a Top 10 team.

With their last game on February 5, head coach Jan Jensen has basically had a full week to prepare for No. 25 Washington. This is an extremely confusing and inconsistent Huskies team as Iowa enters a must win scenario.

ESPN Analytics Gives Iowa a 78% Chance to Win

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Other than the Minnesota game, ESPN Analytics has usually been spot on with these projections. In fact, they even predicted USC to beat Iowa which is something Hawkeyes fans never saw coming.

Now, they return to Carver having just given up 91 points to the Golden Gophers. That was one of, if not their worst performances of the entire season, and everyone knows it. There's no need to sugarcoat that game, but a time like this is extremely important as the girls have had plenty of time to re-live that one.

All eyes are on Washington. This is a team that pulled out a massive road win over Wisconsin, in overtime, no less. Prior to that they had dropped two straight, both home games to Illinois and No. 9 Ohio State.

Had Maryland not taken down Wisconsin, there's no way they'd still be in the Top 25. While it wouldn't be the most impressive ranked win, this is yet another one that Iowa could add to their already stacked resume.

Six Final Chances To Get Back On Track

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Iowa currently sits at 18-5 (9-3) with six games remaining on their schedule. This is one of two ranked opponents left, and it just so happens that both of those games are at home. On February 22, No. 7 Michigan comes to CHA for a crucial showdown between two of the top teams in the conference.

None of Iowa's games down the stretch are going to be easy, but they absolutely cannot afford to head to Nebraska and Purdue having dropped their fourth straight. The three-game skid must end against Washington, if not, this team is in big trouble.

This article first appeared on Iowa Hawkeyes on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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