On Monday, Iowa beat #2 Ohio State in Columbus. It was one of the biggest victories in program history. Next Thursday, Iowa will play #10 Maryland at home in another huge game for the Big Ten Title race.
In between those two monster games, Iowa faced Nebraska at home today. Nebraska is a good team. The Huskers are projected to make the NCAA Tournament and have wins over a couple NCAA Tournament teams including Maryland. But even though Nebraska is a good team and this is a rivalry game, it also felt like a trap game of sorts. Most of Iowa’s media this week has been about the Ohio State win. The upcoming Maryland game is certainly on everyone’s mind.
That’s just a reality of the tough Big Ten schedule this year. It’s possible to play an NCAA Tournament team and have games before and after that are much bigger in magnitude.
Would Iowa fall for the trap game, or take care of business at home?
In the early second quarter, Iowa finally woke up. The Hawkeye defense turned Nebraska over a few times, and that defense led to offense. A Caitlin Clark three tied the game at 23 with 7:56 to play in the quarter when Nebraska called timeout.
The timeout didn’t help. Iowa kept rolling offensively, and its defense clamped down. Over the next five minutes and change, Iowa continued its huge run and built the lead to 33-23. The teams went back and forth to end the quarter, but Clark found Monika Czinano for a late bucket, and Iowa led 41-30 at the half.
MORE HERE: https://iowa.rivals.com/news/no-10-iowa-80-nebraska-76-hanging-on
In between those two monster games, Iowa faced Nebraska at home today. Nebraska is a good team. The Huskers are projected to make the NCAA Tournament and have wins over a couple NCAA Tournament teams including Maryland. But even though Nebraska is a good team and this is a rivalry game, it also felt like a trap game of sorts. Most of Iowa’s media this week has been about the Ohio State win. The upcoming Maryland game is certainly on everyone’s mind.
That’s just a reality of the tough Big Ten schedule this year. It’s possible to play an NCAA Tournament team and have games before and after that are much bigger in magnitude.
Would Iowa fall for the trap game, or take care of business at home?
RECAP
The first few minutes couldn’t have started much worse for Iowa. The Hawks started 0/7 from the floor, turned the ball over four times, and found themselves in an 8-0 hole. Iowa finally hit a few threes to narrow the lead, but Nebraska kept getting good shots, and the Huskers lead hit double-digits at 21-11 with 1:20 to play. Iowa closed the quarter on a 4-0 run, but Nebraska still led 21-15 heading to the second.In the early second quarter, Iowa finally woke up. The Hawkeye defense turned Nebraska over a few times, and that defense led to offense. A Caitlin Clark three tied the game at 23 with 7:56 to play in the quarter when Nebraska called timeout.
The timeout didn’t help. Iowa kept rolling offensively, and its defense clamped down. Over the next five minutes and change, Iowa continued its huge run and built the lead to 33-23. The teams went back and forth to end the quarter, but Clark found Monika Czinano for a late bucket, and Iowa led 41-30 at the half.
MORE HERE: https://iowa.rivals.com/news/no-10-iowa-80-nebraska-76-hanging-on
