TL;DR
Get sports gear delivered free with Prime
- Fast, free delivery on millions of items
- Prime Video, Amazon Music and more included
- Member-only deals all year
No. 10 Iowa defeated Eastern Illinois 80-39 on Nov. 5, with freshman McKenna Woliczko scoring 22 points. Iowa built its lead with a 27-8 second quarter, forced 27 turnovers and outrebounded the Panthers 44-25; the Hawkeyes made 9 of 28 three-pointers.
No. 10 Iowa defeated Eastern Illinois 80-39 on Thursday night in Iowa City, improving the Hawkeyes to 2-0 behind freshman McKenna Woliczko’s 22 points. Iowa pulled away with a 27-8 second quarter, while its defense forced 27 turnovers and held the Panthers to 32% shooting.
Woliczko, a freshman from San Bruno, California, made 9 of 12 shots from the field, including 4 of 6 from three-point range. Ava Heiden scored 15 points, and Dani Carnegie added 12 for Iowa. Heiden also collected eight rebounds, while Carnegie had seven.
The game’s decisive stretch came in the second quarter. Iowa outscored Eastern Illinois 27-8 in the period and went into halftime ahead 44-18. The Hawkeyes held the Panthers to five field-goal attempts in the quarter and forced 10 turnovers during that span, according to the game report.
Iowa finished with a 44-25 rebounding advantage and forced 27 turnovers overall. Eastern Illinois shot 32% from the field and 22% from three-point range. Ava Stoller led the Panthers with 10 points; Clara Glad scored nine. The loss left Eastern Illinois 0-2.
Iowa’s Defense Creates Separation
The scoreline reflects Iowa’s ability to turn defensive stops into a commanding lead, particularly in the second quarter. The 10 turnovers forced in that period and Eastern Illinois’ limited five shot attempts helped the Hawkeyes establish a 26-point halftime cushion. Iowa’s 27 turnovers forced across the game and 19-rebound edge also shaped the matchup beyond its top scorers.
The result moves Iowa to 2-0 early in the season, but the game report also identified an area still needing work: perimeter shooting. Iowa made 9 of 28 three-point attempts against Eastern Illinois. That percentage does not erase Woliczko’s strong shooting night, but it shows the team’s overall struggles from beyond the arc continued.
Products Worth Considering
Garmin vívoactive 5 GPS Smartwatch, 42 mm, Black
GoPro Fluid Pro AI 3-Axis Gimbal Stabilizer
GoPro HERO Compact Waterproof 4K Action Camera
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
A Second Slow Start, Then a Run
Iowa had a slow start for the second consecutive game, according to the recap, before taking control in the second quarter. The Hawkeyes had opened their season with a 73-45 win over Towson on Monday, making 8 of 29 three-point attempts in that game. Against Eastern Illinois, they missed 11 of their first 12 shots from deep before finishing 9 for 28.
Eastern Illinois was in the middle of a three-game opening-week stretch in Iowa. The Panthers opened at Drake on Tuesday, visited Iowa on Thursday and were scheduled to play at Iowa State on Sunday. Iowa’s next game was also set for Sunday, on the road against No. 2 UConn.
Shooting and Next Test Remain
The available recap does not provide a full play-by-play, individual turnover totals or details of Iowa’s early slow start, so those aspects cannot be described more specifically here. It also does not establish whether the Hawkeyes’ perimeter shooting will improve in their next game; the figures show only that Iowa made 9 of 28 three-point attempts against Eastern Illinois after going 8 of 29 against Towson.
The outcome of Iowa’s scheduled game at UConn and Eastern Illinois’ visit to Iowa State was not included in the source report. Those results, along with any later assessment from the teams, remain outside the confirmed information in this recap.
Sunday Road Games Ahead
Iowa is scheduled to play at No. 2 UConn on Sunday, a major early-season test after opening with two wins. The game will give the Hawkeyes another opportunity to measure their defense and rebounding against a highly ranked opponent, while their three-point shooting remains a point to watch based on the first two games.
Eastern Illinois is scheduled to visit Iowa State on Sunday as the Panthers continue their three-game run in the state. The source report lists both matchups as upcoming and does not provide a result or further team updates.
Key Questions
What was the final score of Iowa vs. Eastern Illinois?
Iowa won 80-39 on Thursday, Nov. 5, 2026.
Who led Iowa in scoring?
Freshman McKenna Woliczko scored 22 points, shooting 9 of 12 from the field and 4 of 6 from three-point range.
What decided the game?
Iowa outscored Eastern Illinois 27-8 in the second quarter, forced 27 turnovers overall and outrebounded the Panthers 44-25.
How did Iowa shoot from three-point range?
Iowa made 9 of 28 three-point attempts. The game recap said the Hawkeyes missed 11 of their first 12 shots from beyond the arc.
Who do Iowa and Eastern Illinois play next?
Iowa is scheduled to visit No. 2 UConn on Sunday, while Eastern Illinois is scheduled to play at Iowa State that day.
Source: espn.com
