ALBANY, N.Y. — When Molly Davis went down with a knee injury at the beginning of March, it was considered a huge blow for the Hawkeyes.
Junior guard Sydney Affolter was called upon to replace Davis in the starting lineup and she's fit into that role seamlessly.
"I think we've always had that mentality of next player up," Affolter saidd. "We have the utmost confidence in anyone on this team to take on that role and I've been working so hard and I'm glad I can execute for this team in March."
Since Davis went down, Affolter has helped bolster Iowa's already high-powered offense. Since she stepped into the starting lineup, she's shot 25-43 from the floor, 7-12 from three and 21-22 from the free throw line.
"Syd had been unbelievable," said Iowa Head Coach Lisa Bluder. "All year long I kept telling her she's the sixth player of the year in our conference because she could've been starting for most teams and you know, she didn't get down about it. She just came in off the bench and kept doing her job and now she went seamlessly in that starting lineup so I'm so proud of her."
Affolter's teammates are proud of her as well, because they've seen the work she's put in that prepared her for the opportunity.
"She's always been the type of player to just put her head down and work so hard and getting in the gym every single off day, doing extra conditioning, extra lifting," said Iowa senior guard Gabbie Marshall. "She's always been that way and that's what people don't see."
The belief Affolter's teammates have in her helped her confidence grow even more, especially now that she's had the chance to show what she's really capable of.
"I've played behind a lot of great players and I've worked so hard," Affolter said. "I was going to be ready when my time was here. I had all the confidence in the world that my time was coming."
Bluder gave an update on Molly Davis' status Sunday, saying she doesn't expect Davis to play on Monday against LSU in the Elite Eight. Affolter will remain in the starting lineup going forward.