Hawkeye women defeat Northern Iowa, 92-86, after Panthers cut 18-point deficit to 1

IOWA CITY — It was a good sweat on a December night for the Iowa women’s basketball team. Almost too much of one.

The Hawkeyes’ saw an 18-point third-quarter lead chopped all the way down to 78-77 with 4:38 left before they holding off the Panthers, 92-86.

The 22nd-ranked Hawkeyes improved to 10-2. The Panthers are 5-6.

Iowa led 85-83 with a minute left, but Hannah Stuelke scored on a spin move and Sydney Affolter made two free throws for some comfort. Shafeah Wetering’s 3-pointer cut it to 89-86, but Iowa’s Lucy Olsen made three free throws in the final 12.5 seconds to extend the margin.

Senior guard Maya McDermott scored 30 points for UNI. Teammate Kayla Laube of Marion made 5 of 7 three-pointers and had 20 points.

Iowa got 21 points from Olsen, 18 from Addi O’Grady, and 15 apiece from Taylor McCabe and Stuelke, who also had seven assists.

Iowa had a 55-37 lead early in the third quarter, but the Panthers shaved the difference to seven points before the period was five minutes old thanks largely to eight of Laube’s points.

And now, a break for Christmas. The Hawkeyes resume play Dec. 29 with a 2 p.m. home game against Purdue (6-5). UNI’s next game is the same day, at Indiana State in its Missouri Valley Conference-opener.

Comments: (319) 398-8440; mike.hlas@thegazette.com