Hawkeyes Outlast 6-Seed Spartans to Advance in Big Ten Tournament

INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana – The 11-seeded University of Iowa women’s basketball team defeated 6-seed Michigan State, 74-61, inside Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Thursday night to advance to the quarterfinals of the Big Ten Tournament.

Senior Lucy Olsen led the Hawkeyes with 21 points, nine assists, five rebounds, and four steals. Junior Taylor McCabe followed with 12 points downing four from behind the arc, and Hannah Stuelke recorded her 10th career double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds. Freshman Ava Heiden recorded a career-high 11 points all coming in the second half.

McCabe opened the game with a three-pointer, and the Hawkeyes held Michigan State scoreless for the first three minutes. However, the Spartans responded with four straight baskets to take control. Iowa put a stop to Michigan State’s 9-0 run when Olsen knocked down a jumper with 4:15 to play to spark momentum. Out of the media timeout, Olsen hit another jumper to cut the deficit to two. Despite her nine-point effort in the quarter, Michigan State held a 16-12 lead after the first.

The Hawkeyes came out firing in the second quarter with a 16-0 run to take their largest lead of the night at 28-16. Iowa’s defense stifled the Spartans, holding them scoreless until the 3:17 mark after an eight-minute drought. Michigan State managed a late 5-0 run, but Addison O’Grady closed the quarter with a baseline jumper. The Hawkeyes forced 15 turnovers in the period and took a 32-25 lead into the locker room.

To start the second half, Michigan State downed back-to-back threes to bring the game back within one possession. The Hawkeyes held their lead until the Spartans went on a 6-0 to take back their first quarter lead. The Hawkeyes responded back with their own 8-0 run including six points from freshman Ava Heiden to cap the quarter and Iowa regained the advantage going into the final stretch up, 54-48.

Michigan State started the quarter with an and-1 layup; however, Iowa continued to push going on an 8-2 run in the midst of the quarter including a three from McCabe to go up as much as nine. The Hawkeyes finished the game with eight straight points to seal the 13-point victory.

POSTGAME NOTES
- Lucy Olsen led Iowa with 21 points, nine assists, and five rebounds.
- Ava Heiden netted a career-high 11 points going 4-of-4 from the field along with four rebounds.
- Hannah Stuelke notched her 10th career double-double.  
- Stuelke recorded her third game of the season with four steals which ties her career-best.
- Taylor McCabe made four 3-pointers for the 10th time in her career.
- Olsen has 42 career games with 20+ points and 12 as a Hawkeye which is a team-high this season.
- Olsen recorded six or more assists for the 12th time this season.
- Iowa is 10-2 when Olsen records six or more assists.
- Over the last 12 games, Olsen is shooting 29-of-60 from 3-point range.
- It was Iowa’s sixth Quad 1 win of the season.
- Iowa improved to 40-25 all-time in the Big Ten Tournament.
- Prior to this season, only four double digit seeds in BTT history have won at least two games. With Nebraska’s win over Illinois earlier in the day Iowa became the sixth team to do so in conference tournament history.
- A pair of double digit seeds advancing to the BTT Quarterfinals has happened on only one other occasion. (2019)
- The Hawkeyes are 17-2 in its last 19 games at the BTT.
- The Hawkeyes are 65-18 against Big Ten foes over the last four seasons.
- In the last 14 BTT games, Iowa has won 10 games by double digits.
- Iowa has won 11 consecutive Big Ten Tournament games. 
- Iowa is 6-1 on a neutral floor this year.
- Jan Jensen surpassed Lisa Bluder and now has second most wins by a head coach in their first season at the University of Iowa. (22)
- Jensen is the third coach in program history to notch 20+ victories in their first season.
- The Hawkeyes have won 20+ games in nine straight seasons which is the second longest streak in program history.
- Iowa leads the all-time series, 44-31.
- Iowa has won 10 out of the last 12 against the Spartans.
- The Hawkeyes improved to 18-4 when leading at half.
- Iowa forced 15 turnovers in the first half.
- Iowa has won 10 out of their last 12 games overall.
- Iowa is undefeated in games it has played for the second time. (Nebraska, Wisconsin, and #24 Michigan State)

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UP NEXT
The Hawkeyes are slated to face 3-Seed Ohio State in the Quarterfinals of the 2025 Big Ten Tournament on Friday at 8 p.m. (CT) in Indianapolis. The contest will air on the Big Ten Network and the Hawkeye Radio Network.