PISCATAWAY, N.J. — Ava Heiden scored 17 points on 8-of-13 shooting, Taylor McCabe and Journey Houston added 14 points apiece, and No. 12 Iowa beat Rutgers 79-36 on Saturday night in the Big Ten Conference opener for both teams.

Heiden finished with five assists, four rebounds, three blocks and two steals. McCabe made 5 of 7 from the field, 4 of 6 from 3-point range and Houston had eight rebounds for Iowa (9-0).

The Hawkeyes have won seven straight against Rutgers and are 15-3 in the series.

Rutgers made 2 of 20 from the field in the first quarter and missed its first two shots in the second as Iowa opened a 27-6 lead. The Hawkeyes went 19 of 38 from the field, outrebounded the Scarlet Knights 28-18 and outscored Rutgers 30-6 in the paint on the way to a 42-14 lead at the intermission.

Zachara Perkins led Rutgers (7-2) with 11 points.

Iowa’s Chit-Chat Wright returned from a three-game absence due to an upper-body injury and was scoreless on 0-for-3 shooting in eight minutes.

Up next

Iowa: The Hawkeyes play Wednesday at No. 10 Iowa State.

Rutgers: The Scarlet Knights visit Princeton on Wednesday.

No. 12 Iowa 79, Rutgers 36

IOWA (9-0) — Stuelke 0-3 3-6 3, Heiden 8-13 1-2 17, Feuerbach 0-4 0-0 0, McCabe 5-7 0-0 14, Wright 0-3 0-0 0, Hays 4-11 1-6 9, Deal 3-6 2-2 8, Houston 6-9 2-2 14, Johnson 0-0 0-0 0, Levin 2-4 0-0 5, Stremlow 4-5 0-0 9. TOTALS 32-65 9-18 79.

RUTGERS (7-3) — Nene Ndiaye 2-8 0-0 4, Perkins 4-11 3-3 11, Walker 0-3 0-2 0, Lester 1-2 0-0 2, Ivey 1-8 0-0 2, Yacine Ndiaye 1-7 1-4 3, Wheeler 0-2 0-0 0, Bates 0-3 0-0 0, Blackstone 2-10 2-2 6, Moore 1-1 0-0 2, Swann 2-9 1-2 6. TOTALS 14-64 7-13 36.

Iowa 22 20 23 14 — 79

Rutgers 6 8 4 18 — 36

3-Point Goals–Iowa 6-13 (Feuerbach 0-2, McCabe 4-6, Wright 0-1, Deal 0-1, Houston 0-1, Levin 1-1, Stremlow 1-1), Rutgers 1-12 (N.Ndiaye 0-2, Ivey 0-2, Y.Ndiaye 0-1, Blackstone 0-3, Swann 1-4). Assists–Iowa 26 (Feuerbach 7), Rutgers 6 (Blackstone 2, Ivey 2). Fouled Out–None. Rebounds–Iowa 49 (Houston 8, Stuelke 8), Rutgers 36 (Y.Ndiaye 8). Total Fouls–Iowa 12, Rutgers 17. A–3,457.