Iowa arrives in the Big Apple with just one blemish on its resume, falling 74-69 in a back-and-forth Cy-Hawk rivalry showdown against Audi Crooks and No. 10 Iowa State last week. UConn, meanwhile, is undefeated and has been challenged just once by No. 6 Michigan, outlasting the Wolverines 72-69 at Mohegan Sun Arena back in November.

Kayleigh Heckel’s stat line didn’t jump off the page after the UConn women’s basketball team’s rout of St. John’s on Wednesday night, but coach Geno Auriemma went out of his way to praise the sophomore’s performance in the 88-43 win.

The top team in women’s college basketball returns to the court at PeoplesBank Arena in Hartford, Conn. on Wednesday, Jan. 7 as the No. 1 UConn Huskies host the St. John’s Red Storm for some Big East action.

The No. 16 Fighting Illini bring their four-game winning streak to Carver-Hawkeye Arena where the No. 19 Hawkeyes look to bounce back from a recent loss.