Defense no longer is a detriment to Iowa women’s basketball

IOWA CITY — For the Iowa women’s basketball program, defense no longer is simply something to do between fast forays to the opposite end of the floor.

Defense no longer is a detriment. In fact, it has become something in which the Hawkeyes have become — gasp — quite good.

It’s a strength, even.

Four years after ranking last — DEAD LAST — in the nation in scoring defense (80.3 points per game allowed), the Hawkeyes have buttoned it down greatly.

“Defense has become a calling card for us,” Coach Jan Jensen said.

Led by stoppers life Kylie Feuerbach and Sydney Affolter, the Hawkeyes (18-7 overall, 8-6 Big Ten) have decreased their opponents’ scoring rate to 65.0 points per game, their best rate in more than a decade.

Enemy teams are shooting 39.1 percent against the Hawkeyes, a rate that ranks in the top-third nationwide.

It’s been even better lately.

In the Hawkeyes’ current six-game win streak, they are allowing 63.2 points per contest. Thursday night, Iowa beat Rutgers, 55-43, a tally that would have resembled a halftime score in recent seasons.

“A win is a win but this was an ugly win,” Affolter said. “We held them to 40-something points. That’s pretty good.”

That’s really good.

Now, the trick is to find a way to stay hot by cooling a pair of top-10 teams.

First is No. 9 Ohio State (21-3, 10-3). Tipoff is 11 a.m. (CT) Monday at Schottenstein Center in Columbus, Ohio.

“We’ve done a lot of work. We’ve gotten to the point ... we’re not going into these two games with a lot of pressure,” Jensen said.

“Maybe we can steal one of these. It’s going to be difficult, but that’s what’s fun at this time of year. It’s not going to be easy. If we get our shooting back, we’re fierce and fearless ... we have a great opportunity.”

After the trip to Columbus, the Hawkeyes host No. 1 UCLA next Sunday.

An improved defense won’t be enough to keep the Hawkeyes competitive. They’ll need more pistons to fire offensively than just Lucy Olsen.

Against Rutgers, Olsen hit 11 of 19 shots from the floor. The rest of the crew was 9 of 35.

“I can’t remember more than three shots that we shot that I didn’t like,” Jensen said.

A transfer from Villanova, Olsen is 95 points away from the 2,000-point mark for her career

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com