Winning surge in 4th quarter sends Iowa to 3-0 in the Big Ten

IOWA CITY — Hannah Stuelke’s parting words in the postgame press conference were holiday wishes for the media.

Then:

“New year, new me.”

If she continues to deliver on that resolution, the Iowa Hawkeyes could be more than mere traffic in the Big Ten women’s basketball race.

Stuelke’s double-double was one of numerous high points in 14th-ranked Iowa’s 86-76 victory over No. 20 Nebraska before a crowd of 14,988 Thursday afternoon at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

“She’s starting to show she’s one of the best in the Big Ten,” Iowa Coach Jan Jensen said after the Hawkeyes (12-2 overall) moved to 3-0 in league play for the third time in four seasons.

Chit-Chat Wright scored 24 points, Stuelke added 21 points and 10 rebounds, and Ava Heiden tacked on 18 points.

“Nobody says much about Ava, and she’s 8 of 10 (from the floor),” Jensen said.

The Hawkeyes’ winning stretch came midway through the fourth quarter, after the Huskers (12-2, 1-2) knotted the game at 70-70 on Emily Fisher’s three-point play with 5:44 to go.

Heiden made the second of two free throws to put Iowa back in front, then Taylor McCabe drained a 3-pointer to make it 74-70 at the 4:25 mark.

Then came, arguably, the play of the game.

Taylor Stremlow missed a 3-pointer from the left corner. As the Huskers began in transition, Stremlow stole an outlet pass and converted a layup for a 76-70 Iowa lead.

“We always talk about ‘next play,’” Jensen said. “That wasn’t the best shot (by Stremlow), but she hustled and made something happen.”

Wright hit a pair of free throws to make it an eight-point margin, then it was Journey Houston getting a second chance off of a Stuelke miss, hitting two free throws for an 80-70 advantage with 1:57 to go.

  Buy Photo

“Second chances ... steals are a big part of it,” Wright said. “Taylor got one, I got one. The team with the most steals and rebounds is usually going to win.”

Nebraska ruled the early stages of the game, jumping to a 12-2 lead behind Britt Prince, who led all scorers with 27 points.

The Huskers shot 60.6 percent from the floor in the first half and led 45-44 at intermission.

Iowa was without defensive ace Kylie Feuerbach for the second straight game (ankle injury), and it showed.

“She’s our sticker, our stopper,” Jensen said. “(In the first half), we wanted to ice the rail ball screens.

“In the second half, we changed it. We just wanted to flood the rails.”

McCabe opened the second half with a steal and a three-point play, and the Hawkeyes didn’t trail again. McCabe added nine points. Stremlow had eight points and eight assists.

As for Stuelke ... she entered the game shooting an even 50 percent from the line (27 of 54). Thursday, she was 7 of 7.

New year, new her.

“We’re on break, so I’ve been staying extra,” she said. “It’s been great.”

Nebraska will host the rematch Feb. 16 in Lincoln.

Iowa will be heavily favored to keep things rolling in the league play Monday, when it plays at Northwestern.

Iowa 86, Nebraska 76

At Iowa City

NEBRASKA (76): Jessica Petrie 7-15 0-0 17, Eliza Maupin 4-7 3-4 12, Logan Nissley 0-3 0-0 0, Callin Hake 3-4 1-2 7, Britt Prince 10-18 5-5 27, Hailey Weaver 0-0 0-0 0, Petra Bozan 3-4 0-1 6, Kennadi Williams 0-4 0-0 0, Emily Fisher 1-1 3-3 5, Claire Johnson 1-2 0-0 2. Totals 29-58 12-15 76.

IOWA (86): Hannah Stuelke 7-11 7-7 21, Ava Heiden 8-10 2-3 18, Taylor Stremlow 3-8 0-2 8, Taylor McCabe 3-8 1-1 9, Chit-Chat Wright 5-12 11-12 24, Addie Deal 0-1 0-0 0, Journey Houston 0-3 2-2 2, Teagan Mallegni 0-0 0-0 0, Layla Hays 2-3 0-1 4, Callie Levin 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 28-57 23-28 86.

Nebraska 21 24 16 15 — 76

Iowa 18 26 20 22 — 86

3-point goals: Nebraska 6-20 (Petrie 3-8, Maupin 1-3, Nissley 0-2, Prince 2-4, Williams 0-3), Iowa 7-20 (Stremlow 2-6, McCabe 2-5, Wright 3-5, Deal 0-1, Houston 0-2, Levin 0-1). Team fouls: Nebraska 22, Iowa 15. Fouled out: none. Rebounds: Nebraska 31 (Maupin 11), Iowa 30 (Stuelke 10). Assists: Nebraska 11 (five with 2), Iowa 18 (Stremlow 8). Steals: Nebraska 8 (Prince 4), Iowa 8 (Stremlow 3). Turnovers: Nebraska 18, Iowa 14.

Attendance: 14,988.

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com