IOWA CITY, Iowa — On Friday night, the 22nd-ranked Iowa team triumphed over Northern Iowa with a close score of 92-86, led by standout performances from Lucy Olsen and Addison O’Grady. Olsen contributed 21 points while O’Grady added 18 as the Hawkeyes managed to fend off a challenge from the Panthers. They entered halftime enjoying a comfortable 16-point advantage, but the final quarter saw them needing to convert 11 of 12 free throws to secure the win, as Northern Iowa displayed an impressive shooting performance of 55% in the second half.
Northern Iowa’s efforts brought them within striking distance several times during the final quarter. The closest they came was when Elise Jaeger scored a layup, narrowing Iowa’s lead to 85-83 with just over a minute left. Hannah Stuelke quickly responded for Iowa with a sturdy move in the lane during a critical moment in the shot clock. Shortly thereafter, she blocked a shot attempt, leading to teammate Sydney Affolter picking up the loose ball. Affolter was fouled, and her successful free throws increased Iowa’s lead to 89-83 with only 20.2 seconds on the clock.
In the closing moments, Shateah Westering hit a three-pointer for Northern Iowa, but Olsen sealed the game for Iowa at the free-throw line. This victory marked Iowa’s 12th time since 2000 sweeping their in-state rivals, including Drake, Iowa State, and Northern Iowa. Alongside Olsen and O’Grady, both Stuelke and reserve player Taylor McCabe added to the score, both contributing 15 points; McCabe sank five shots from beyond the arc. Iowa’s proficiency at the charity stripe was notable, finishing the game with 20 successful attempts out of 22.
On the opposing side, Maya McDermott led Northern Iowa with an impressive 30 points, including 17 in the second half. Key contributions also came from Kayba Laube, who scored 20 points, as well as Ryley Goebel and Westering, who each tallied 11 points. The first quarter ended with Iowa leading 23-12, having made 8 of 17 shots and connected on three three-pointers, while Northern Iowa struggled, hitting only 5 of 17 and missing from beyond the arc.
In the second quarter, both teams significantly improved their shooting. They combined for a total of 55 points, with Iowa extending their lead to 53-37 by halftime. After the intermission, Northern Iowa maintained their momentum, starting the third quarter with a 12-3 run that brought them within 60-52. By the end of the third, Iowa held a narrow lead of 70-62, as Northern Iowa exhibited a strong performance, making 8 of 15 shots and hitting 7 of 10 free throws.
Midway through the fourth quarter, McDermott hit a crucial three-pointer to reduce Iowa’s lead to just 76-75. Now at 0-1 in the Big Ten Conference, Iowa will look to rebound when they host Purdue on December 29th to continue league play, while Northern Iowa prepares to face Indiana State on the same day.