Hawkeyes Roll Cornhuskers

LINCOLN, Neb. - No. 13 Iowa (20-5, 11-3) defeated Nebraska (16-10, 5-10) inside Pinnacle Bank Arena on Monday afternoon, 80-67. The Hawkeyes have earned 10 consecutive seasons of 20+ wins for the second time in school history. 
 
Sophomore Ava Heiden had a monstrous day for the Hawkeyes. Heiden had 27 points (12-for-15), 11 rebounds, three assists, and three blocks. This was Heiden’s sixth double-double of her career.  

The Hawkeyes kicked off their first quarter scoring with a 10-0 run. Iowa continued to dominate notching 10 points on five forced Nebraska turnovers. Sophomore Taylor Stremlow went 3-for-3 knocking down all three baskets from beyond the arc. The Hawkeyes shot 71.4 percent from the field, with a 25-13 lead headed into the second quarter.  

Heiden took the second quarter by storm. Heiden went 6-for-6 in the paint and scored a total 14 of Iowa’s 20 quarter points with four rebounds. The Hawkeye defense limited Nebraska to just 50 percent shooting from the field. Iowa finished their second quarter dominance, up 45-27 at half.   

Out of halftime, the Huskers brought some heat, forcing a back-and-forth scoring battle. Nebraska was able to cut the lead down to 11 around the four-and-a-half-minute mark. Sophomore Chit-Chat Wright hit a crucial jumper in the paint to respond with an 11-1 Iowa run to give the Hawkeyes their largest lead of the day. The Hawkeyes closed out the third quarter, 69-49.   

Iowa came out with a 7-0 run to start the fourth quarter. Heiden had five of those seven points, tying her career-high points in a game at 27. The Hawkeyes remained resilient taking a hard fought 80-67 victory over the Huskers. Iowa notched 27 points on 18 forced Nebraska turnovers in the gam which was a season-best against a Big Ten foe.   

INDIVIDUAL NOTES
- Ava Heiden registered her sixth career double-double with 27 points (12-15 FG) and 11 rebounds. 
- Heiden tied her career-high with 27 points.
- Heiden has reached double figures in 13 straight games and against all 13 Big Ten opponents played this season.
- It was Heiden’s second career 20-point double-double. 
- Heiden has scored 20+ points eight times this season. 
- Taylor Stremlow notched a career-high 17 points on 6-of-7 field goals and two assists. 
- Stremlow tied her career-high with three 3-pointers. (3-4) 
- Stremlow made her second consecutive start and ninth of the year. 
- The Hawkeyes are 9-0 in such games when Stremlow is in the starting lineup this season. 
- Hannah Stuelke recorded seven points, five rebounds, four assists and three steals.  
- Chit-Chat Wright netted 14 points (2-3 3FG), seven assists, and four rebounds.   
- It was Wright’s third game of the last four with 10+ points and 5+ assists. 
- Journey Houston added 10 points (5-7 FG), four rebounds and two steals.
- All of Houston’s six career games in double figures have come against Big Ten competition.  

TEAM NOTES
- Jan Jensen is the first coach in Iowa women’s basketball history to eclipse the 20-win mark in her first two seasons.  
- Jensen joins C. Vivian Stringer as the only other coach in program history to win 20 games in their second season as head coach.
- The Hawkeyes have won 13 of the last 15 meetings.
- Iowa leads the all-time series, 27-17.
- Iowa improved to 16-0 when leading at halftime this season.
- The Hawkeyes scored 27 points off of 18 Nebraska turnovers which was a season-best against a Big Ten team.
- The Hawkeyes improved to 22-2 when scoring 80+ points in the Jensen era.
 
UP NEXT
The nationally ranked Hawkeyes will hit the road to face Purdue on Thursday, Feb. 19 at 6 p.m. (CT) in West Lafayette. The contest will air on B1G+ and the Hawkeye Radio Network.