This Iowa Hawkeyes center is closer than ever to taking home a prestigious award.

Jensen said that Heiden has been working a lot on her timing, but her athleticism and speed are what are guiding her to be truly great.

Iowa Hawkeyes (20-5, 11-3 Big Ten) at Purdue Boilermakers (12-13, 4-10 Big Ten) West Lafayette, Indiana; Thursday, 7 p.m. EST BOTTOM LINE: No. 13 Iowa visits Purdue after Ava Heiden scored 27 points in Iowa's 80-67 victory against the Nebraska Cornhuskers.

Looking to build off of its previous win, the Iowa women’s basketball team took down rival Nebraska with ease, 80-67, Monday afternoon at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Shooting an elite 60 percent from the field,

Chad Leistikow's 5 thoughts column from Iowa's 80-67 win at Nebraska centers around career-high performances from two impressive sophomores.

REVAMPED? Iowa Women DISCOVER Roles, Ava Heiden & Taylor Stremlow SPARK Nebraska BEATDOWN, Can Men Pull Off the Husker Sweep?

Ava Heiden led Iowa with her first double-double since Nov. 30, pouring in 27 points and 11 rebounds. The Hawkeyes also got double-digit scoring assistance from Taylor Stremlow (17 points), Chit-Chat Wright (14 points) and Journey Houston (10 points). On the other end, Iowa limited Nebraska star Britt Prince to just 13 points on 4-for-8 shooting.

Nebraska's Jessica Petrie (12) tips a ball away from Iowa’s Ava Heiden (5) under the rim during the first half on Monday, Feb. 16, 2026, at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Iowa’s Ava Heiden (5) defends Nebraska's Jessica Petrie (12) as she looks to score two during the first half on Monday,

Jen Jensen referred to a former Hawkeyes star when talking about Ava Heiden’s development.