SEATTLE — The Hawkeyes are as healthy as possible heading into the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 on Friday afternoon.

Iowa was slightly shorthanded in its second-round win over Georgia as freshman Hannah Stuelke and senior Molly Davis both went down with injuries.

Stuelke twisted her ankle, something she said happens frequently, in practice the day before the game. 

“I used to sprain my ankles a lot,” Stuelke said. “So, this being the first time this year is actually really good.”

Davis went down early in the first quarter, falling to the ground hard and getting escorted off the floor by athletic trainers. While she eventually returned to the bench, she only played two minutes total against Georgia.

Now, both Stuelke and Davis are fully available against sixth-seeded Colorado.

“Both I feel are as close to 100 percent as you can be this time of year,” head coach Lisa Bluder said Thursday.

Hawkeyes enjoy Seattle attractions ahead of practices, games

Iowa women’s basketball flew into Seattle on Wednesday afternoon, and the Hawkeyes had some time to explore ahead of Thursday’s press conferences and practice.

“It’s a beautiful city,” senior center Monika Czinano said. “We got to go to the gum wall last night, which was kind of fun.”

The disgust quickly took over, Czinano added, after she put her piece of gum on the infamous wall.

“It was really disgusting,” she said. “Honestly, it really grossed me out. It was cool to see in person, I had seen it in movies. … I did stick a piece of gum on the wall. And then I was immediately like, hand sanitizer.”

Iowa also visited the Seattle fish market and some other attractions, which Bluder said was good for the Hawkeyes to stretch their legs after the flight.

“The bubble gum wall, which sounds completely disgusting,” Bluder said. “I’m sorry, Seattle, but it does to me. I did not go. They did. They went to the public market, I believe. So, they had a really nice time. It was good for them to get out and walk around and see Seattle. It really is a beautiful city. This morning, I went for a walk along the waterfront there. It’s a beautiful city, and we’re glad to be here.”

Colorado’s Quay Miller returns to hometown Seattle for Sweet 16

When Colorado senior center Quay Miller visited her high school on Thursday morning, she felt like time had flown.

“I felt old,” Miller said. “Because I saw my state stuff in the hallways and it was just, like, surreal because I feel like I was just in high school, just playing state. And now I’m here in the Sweet 16.”

Miller was part of Kentridge High School’s first girls basketball title in 2017. She graduated from the Seattle-area high school in 2019 and originally stayed in-state to play for the University of Washington before transferring to Colorado ahead of the 2021-22 season.

“I think I was a little bit ready to just get out and you know, be grown on my own and not have my mom up the street from me,” Miller said.

Now, she’s back in her hometown to play for a spot in the NCAA Tournament Final Four. While Miller said she’s not sure how many friends or relatives in the area will cheer her on, she knows her mom and sister will be in the stands.

Second-seeded Iowa and sixth-seeded Colorado will face off at 6:30 on Friday at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle. The game will air on ESPN.