Five Things: Iowa Women's Basketball 2023-24

The Iowa Women’s Basketball team just finished up a 31-7 season, where they made their first Final Four since 1993 and advanced to the program’s first ever national championship game.

It was a historic season for the Hawkeyes and although the well known starting five does not return fully intact, the roster has plenty of talent to make another deep run next season. Of course, it helps that Caitlin Clark will be back to lead the way.

Here are our first five thoughts on the Hawkeyes, as the page turns from the 2022-23 season to the seven month offseason…

1. Caitlin Clark returns, as well as Gabbie Marshall and Kate Martin

After 93 starts together, the 14, 20, 22, 24, 25 starting lineup will be a thing of the past when the season tips off in November. However, three starters from that group still return, starting with the best player in women’s college basketball, Caitlin Clark.

She will continue to lead the offense and have the ball in her hands all the time after putting up 27.2 points, 7.2 rebounds and 8.6 assists for the Hawkeyes this past season. Despite, shooting a career-high 360 three-pointers, Clark saw her three-point percentage rise 6% this past season, while her overall shooting percentage was up 2%. Caitlin will continue to do Caitlin things.

At the time of her announcement to return, fans had mixed feelings about Gabbie Marshall being on the team next season. Down the stretch she was a catalyst for the time with her three-point shooting and her defense. At one point, Marshall was shooting under 20% from behind the arc, but 39 three-point makes in her last 11 games got her up to 38% for the year. On the defensive end, Gabbie had 62 steals and helped lock down many guards all season. Her most notable performance was holding Louisville’s Hailey Van Lith to 2/9 shooting in second half of the Hawkeyes Elite Eight victory.

The third returning starter is the level-headed, calm and cool, glue player Kate Martin. She doesn’t always stand out in the points column, as she averaged just 7.7 points per game, but she does the little things for the Hawkeyes. Kate registered double figures in scoring 11 times, had 5+ rebounds 17 times, and 5+ assists 11 times. She also knocked down 3+ three-pointers in five games.

While the veteran starting five that fans have grown accustomed to seeing is no longer intact, the Hawkeyes have three really good starters to build around.

2. The impact of losing Monika Czinano and McKenna Warnock

There is no way over exaggerating the holes left by the departure of Monika Czinano and McKenna Warnock. They combined to start 222 games and scored 3,690 points. That’s a lot of experience and baskets made.

Monika was in the top five in field goal percentage in all four seasons that she was a starter for the Hawkeyes and led the country twice. Czinano was a four-time All-Big Ten selection and is not player that can be easily replaced because there aren’t many that can do what she did.

McKenna Warnock was a three-point shooter and a rebounder in her time with the Hawkeyes. Over the past three seasons, Warnock knocked down 3+ three-pointers in 21 games, while she pulled down 8+ rebounds in 36 games.

The loss of Czinano and Warnock is tough, but the Hawkeyes have Addison O’Grady and Hannah Stuelke waiting to step in.

3. Can some bench players take a step forward?

The two players that will see their roles increase the most next season are in the Hawkeyes frontcourt. True freshman Hannah Stuelke had a successful season coming off the bench and averaged 13.0 minutes per game. She flashed moments of play, on the boards and running the floor, that showed just how good she can be. There were also moments where she committed some fouls and turned the ball over. All part of the freshman experience, but Hannah will be in the starting lineup next season, so how she develops over the offseason will be important.

Addison O’Grady will see her role increase with the departure of Monika Czinano. She saw more minutes down the stretch in the NCAA Tournament, but still averaged just 5.6 minutes per game. If Bluder is not able to go to the transfer portal, O’Grady will be the full-time starter. The biggest thing that is needed with O’Grady’s game is the addition of using her size and being physical in the post. Her development over the offseason might be the most important of anyone on the roster.

Sydney Affolter, Molly Davis, Taylor McCabe and Kylie Feuerbach will all be vying for minutes next season. Affolter and Davis saw the minutes this season, but Feuerbach was a main piece off the bench before she tore her ACL in the fall. With McCabe, the question is, how long can you continue to leave a 40%+ three-point shooter out of the rotation. In the postseason, Bluder turned to her starters to play 35 minutes per game, but if this group can become more reliable scorers, then they will be a deeper squad.

4. Does anyone enter the transfer portal?

This is the biggest question to keep an eye on over the first couple months of the offseason. Czinano and Warnock depart, but true freshman Kennise Johnson-Etienne and Ava Jones fill their scholarships. The Hawkeyes cannot make any moves in the transfer portal unless someone decides to move on from the current team. That brings up the million dollar question. Does someone enter the transfer portal?

Probably the most interesting group heading into next season is the guard position. Caitlin Clark, Gabbie Marshall and Kate Martin return, which means everyone else will be fighting for time off the bench. Molly Davis and Sydney Affolter saw the bulk of the minutes this season, but as sharp shooter Taylor McCabe gets bigger and stronger, she will push for time. Finally, Kylie Feuerbach will be back in the rotation after missing this year with a knee injury. That’s seven players that will deserve minutes on the floor.

Addison O’Grady figures to see her minutes rise a significant with the graduation of Monika Czinano. However, AJ Ediger is set to enter her junior season having played just 105 minutes over 31 games. Could she decide to transfer? Possibly.

Sharon Goodman and Shateah Wetering both sustained knee injuries ahead of the 2021-22 season and fell way down the depth chart this season. Are they content with sitting on the bench or do they look to transfer to a smaller school to get some playing time?

It will be interesting to see what shakes out with the current roster because it will determine whether or not Bluder can go shopping in the portal.

5. What does Lisa Bluder need to do in the transfer portal?

Over the past three seasons, just 16 different post players have finished the season with over a 60.0% field goal percentage. Monika Czinano did it all three seasons and led the country in FG% twice. That’s not easy to replace.

Addison O’Grady has shown flashes of good play over her first two seasons and will get more time next season. However, if the Hawkeyes want a shot at a repeat tournament run next season, going into the portal and getting a proven post player that can score, as well as rebound would be a huge boost.

It’s pretty in early in the portal season, but the top name that fits that mold so far is 6’1 DePaul C Aneesah Morrow (25.7 ppg, 12.2 rpg). She has two remaining years of eligibility and was a two-time AP All-American with the Blue Demons.