WHO: 11-seed Murray State Racers (25-7, 16-4 Missouri Valley)

WHEN: 11:00 AM CT (Saturday, March 22, 2025)

WHERE: Lloyd Noble Center (Norman, OK)

TV: ESPN (Kevin Fitzgerald, Kim Adams)

RADIO: Hawkeye Radio Network (Rob Brooks, Kathryn Reynolds)

MOBILE: espn.com/app

ONLINE: espn.com/watch

FOLLOW: @HawkeyeBeacon | @IowaWBB | @espnW | @IowaonBTN |

LINE: Iowa -9.5 (total of 165.5)

For the first time since 2021, Iowa women's basketball will open up the NCAA Tournament outside the friendly confines of Carver-Hawkeye Arena for the opening rounds of the Big Dance. The Hawkeyes are headed on the road to Norman, Oklahoma for the opening rounds this season, starting with a first-round clash with 11-seed Murray State on Saturday morning (11 AM CT, ESPN).

The Racers clinched their second-ever NCAA Tournament berth (and first since 2008) with after winning three straight games in the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament, topped off with a dominant 83-62 win over Belmont in the title game. Murray State 25-7 overall this year and 16-4 in MVC play. In non-conference action, the Racers dropped games to Southern Indiana, LSU, and Alabama.

G Lucy Olsen (5'10"; 18.0 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 4.9 apg, 44.1 FG%, 36.0 3FG%)

G Kylie Feuerbach (6'0"; 6.4 ppg, 2.1 rpg, 2.3 apg; 37.0 FG%, 27.4 3FG%)

G Taylor McCabe (5'9"; 6.8 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 1.2 apg, 40.7 FG%, 39.8 3FG%)

F Sydney Affolter (5'11"; 8.6 ppg, 7.7 rpg, 2.7 apg, 48.6 FG%, 47.4 3FG%)

F Hannah Stuelke (6'2"; 12.8 ppg, 7.9 rpg, 2.2 apg, 49.3 FG%, 11.8 3FG%)

G Haven Ford (5'6", 15.2 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 5.3 apg, 44.1 FG%, 38.1 3FG%)

G Halli Poock (5'6", 17.1 ppg, 2.2 rpg, 4.4 apg, 43.0 FG%, 33.8 3FG%)

G Trinity White (5'9", 4.3 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 1.1 apg, 35.7 FG%, 34.7 3FG%)

G Ava Learn (6'1", 13.9 ppg, 9.7 rpg, 1.0 apg, 50.9 FG%, 39.5 3FG%)

F Katelyn Young (6'1", 22.2 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 3.3 apg, 55.6 FG%, 37.4 3FG%)

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Let there be points. Murray State led the nation in scoring at 87.9 ppg and went over 90 points in 13 games this season; the Racers also topped 100 points in six of those games. This is an offense that can score a lot of points and quickly -- Murray State ranked 7th nationally in adjusted tempo (75 possessions per game) and really embodied their "Racers" nickname.

Murray State had an efficient offense this season, though not necessarily a hyper-efficient one -- the Racers were 26th in offensive efficiency in Bart Torvik's ratings. (By comparison, Iowa ranked 29th in offensive efficiency in those same ratings this season.) The Racers' strength is making buckets -- they ranked 18th nationally in effective FG% (53.4%), which was fueled by strong shooting inside the arc (53.4% on 2-point attempts, 20th nationally) and beyond the arc (35.6% on 3-point attempts, 31st nationally).

Given their strong outside shooting, it's no surprise that the Racers also take a lot of 3s -- they ranked 29th nationally in 3-point rate at 42.8%. Murray State has four players who have attempted at least 115 triples this season and three of the four are shooting 37% or better from deep, including leading scorer Katelyn Young (37.4% from 3-point range). The only one of the four not shooting 37% or better from long range is the player who has attempted the most triples, guard Halli Poock -- she made "only" 33.8% (71) of her 210 attempts (7 per game) this year.

The Racers don't prioritize getting offensive rebounds -- they rank just 196th in offensive rebound rate (30.3%). They do prioritize keeping opponents off the offensive glass, though, as they rank 6th nationally in defending offensive rebounds (opponents grabbed just 23.8% of their misses against Murray State this season). The Racers also don't turn the ball over often -- they ranked 11th nationally in turnover rate (17% of possessions).

Murray State's focus on a go-go offense comes at the expense of its defense, unsurprisingly. The Racers allowed 72.1 ppg this year, 35th worst in Division I. Murray State ranked just 174th in defensive efficiency this year and outside of their strong work on the defensive glass, they weren't standout at any other aspect of defense, though they don't foul a lot (59th in opponent free throw rate)

The Racers were particularly poor at contesting shots. They ranked 320th in effective FG%, allowing opponents to make 49.3% of their shots. Opponents were especially effective inside the 3-point line, converting 49.3% of their 2-point shots (Murray State was 309th nationally in 2-point defense). Opponents also made 32.7% of their shots (260th) from 3-point range against the Racers. Teams can -- and did -- score on the Racers.

Alabama put up 90 on Murray State earlier this season, while LSU scored 74 in their win over the Racers. Both of those teams also managed to significantly slow down Murray State's high-powered scoring attack -- the Racers had just 60 points against LSU and 63 against Alabama. This is not a team built to win many games in the 60s.

Murray State's shooting was dismal in both games -- the Racers went 34.5% from the field against LSU (including 21.4% from 3-point range), with star player Katelyn Young being held to 8 points on 3-of-12 shooting) and just 33.3% from the field against Alabama (24.1% from deep), with Young managing just 10 points on 3-of-11 shooting.

Despite her struggles in those games, Young was the offensive focal point for Murray State this season. Her 22.2 points per game led the team (and ranked 11th nationally) and she shot 61% on shots inside the arc in addition to being a very capable 3-point shooter as well (37.4% on 115 attempts). She was also second on the team with 6.4 rebounds per game.

Haven Ford is diminutive (5'6"), but a surprisingly potent rebounder -- her 6.1 boards per game ranked third on the team. Her ability to corral missed shots was key to Murray State being able to play at the tempo they did and get into transition. She's a very able passer (5.3 assists per game) and a dangerous scorer at 15.2 ppg. Ford is another good 3-point shooter (38.1% on 139 attempts), though she also gets to the free throw line often -- her 154 attempts led the team and when she got to the stripe, she made it count (85.7% on free throws).

Ava Learn is the tallest starter (6'1") on the Racers outside of Young and she uses that size to lead the team in rebounds at 9.7 boards per game. She's the one that Iowa will need to be sure to box out around the basket. Learn also averaged double figures in scoring this year at 13.9 ppg and she was yet another solid 3-point shooter (39.5% on 86 attempts).

The final Racer to average double figures in scoring was guard Halli Poock, who was second on the team with 17.1 ppg. As previously noted, Poock is a bit of a volume shooter from distance, averaging seven attempts per game from beyond the arc (and making 33.8% of those efforts). That said, almost half of her attempts were inside the arc as well and she made 55% of those shots.

Murray State's starters play pretty heavy minutes -- four players average at least 28 minutes per game -- but guard Briley Pena is a key player off the bench for the Racers. She averaged 6.5 ppg, 2.1 rpg, and 1.6 apg this season while converting 38.3% of her efforts from deep. Her 141 3-point attempts was second-most on the team as well.