IOWA CITY -- It started with an unremarkable eight points and two rebounds in 15 minutes of action.
Addison O'Grady has not looked backed since getting the start for the Iowa women's basketball team in its exhibition win over Missouri Western last month.
The senior forward followed up the exhibition performance with her first official start, playing 13 minutes against Northern Illinois and contributing 12 points and three rebounds in a 93-71 win.
Then, she scored a career-high 18 points on 9-of-9 shooting and played a career-high 25 minutes in a 71-52 win over Virginia Tech.
Following a quiet 10 points in 19 minutes against Toledo, the Aurora, Colorado, product arrived with a 27-point, 10-rebound double-double, the second double-double of her career, in the Hawkeyes' 86-73 win over Drake while playing a career-high 33 minutes.
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Following her career performance, O'Grady said her confidence had grown "tremendously" since her first season at Iowa in 2021-22.
"I feel like just getting the reps in practice and now in the games," O'Grady said. "... Getting a bunch of minutes and just kind of getting into a rhythm early in the season has been really good for my confidence so far."
In her three previous seasons, O'Grady reached double-digit points just four times. With four double-digit scoring performances in four games this season, Iowa head coach Jan Jensen said her expectations for O'Grady rose to match the expectations Jensen previously had for Megan Gustafson and Monika Czinano.
"That means the expectations are growing," Jensen said following Sunday's win. "But I know they are growing because I know she can do it."
On Monday, Jensen described O'Grady's evolution as a player as an "old-fashioned progression" -- a type of progression mostly made extinct by the genesis of the transfer portal.
"You do not get to see that sometimes," Jensen said. "You go where it can be better real quick. It has not been an easy road for Addy. This summer, she went with it, and then she got her shot and she just really picked up on that confidence and embraced being a go-to player.
"That is the best part. She is much more aggressive ... I am really, really happy for her."
Jensen added that the mental part of O'Grady's game finally reached a point where the 6-foot-4 forward could take full advantage of her skillset.
"She is like an engineer," Jensen said. "'I want to know X, Y, Z before I act.' We had to meet in the middle with like, 'OK, here are a few facts and figures, but you have to just play with this sometimes.' ... She started to really go with it."
A chance to take every rep at the center position, due to a minor illness to freshman Ava Heiden during a hotly contested position battle, also unlocked O'Grady ahead of the 2024-25 season.
"It was so close, and they were both going to play," Jensen said. "We were talking about maybe who had the edge, but Addy's summer was different. I just thought she was much more confident. Then Ava has a lot of athleticism coming in with a naivete. Sometimes the naivete can win before you are thinking so much.
"When Ava missed some practice, Addy was getting every rep with that starter squad. And, it was so close, but ... Addy did not get sad or down."
Junior guard Taylor McCabe said she felt like O'Grady came into her own after earning the starting job.
"She had this in there, the skill set is in there, waiting for this opportunity," McCabe said. "Now, she finally has that confidence and that mentality, that attack mentality, where she is just going to go get everything that she wants, everything that she worked at. Nobody has really had an answer for her yet. We will see what people have going forward."
Equally as unsurprised by O'Grady's growth, senior guard Sydney Affolter said the Hawkeyes' only concern with O'Grady now is making sure she remains at this level.
"I have known that she has had that skill set since her freshman year," Affolter said. "Coming in and having that starting role and really performing well out of the jump, we all are pouring into her. I think she is playing to the best of her potential. I am super excited for her. Maintaining that confidence is really important. That is a big piece to her game."
Iowa freshman a 'beautiful type of shooter,' Hawkeyes continue winning with defense
3 Takeaways as Iowa women overcome Dinnebier, Drake to win fourth straight
'My teammates did a really good job of getting me the ball' | Teagan Mallegni & Addison O'Grady Press Conference | Nov. 17
'I am excited to be a full go at practice today and from now on.' | Sydney Affolter Press Conference | Nov. 18
'Their crowd showed out yesterday.' | Taylor McCabe Press Conference | Nov. 18
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