The Wisconsin Badgers (8-19, 3-12 Big Ten) could not keep up with the second-best team in their conference, the Iowa Hawkeyes (21-5, 13-2), in Wednesday night's Big Ten women’s basketball matchup.
The Badgers took an early 12-5 lead with Julie Pospisilova putting up the first five points. However, the Hawkeyes countered with a 14-0 run to grab the lead and held onto it for the rest of the game.
The first quarter ended with Iowa hanging on to their largest advantage to that point, 26-16.
In the second quarter, Wisconsin struggled to make shots, going 31% from the field. They tacked on an additional 12 points — their lowest of the game. On the other hand, Iowa connected on 10-of-12 field goals, their best of the night.
To end the first half, Iowa held a 20-point lead over Wisconsin, 48-28.
At the start of the third quarter, the Hawkeyes continued to build their lead, pulling further and further away. The Badgers never had a chance to keep up.
Wisconsin was slow to get back on defense, letting up 11 fastbreak points. Their bench continued to disappoint, as no one managed to record more than three rebounds and two assists.
Half way through the third quarter, Iowa took their largest lead yet of 29.
The Hawkeyes were able to play on cruise control for the rest of the game, soaring to a 91-61 victory.
Iowa capitalized on every Badger mistake and recorded every game-high statistic. Three Iowa players totaled double-digit points, led by junior guard Caitlin Clark.
Clark has played like one of the best players in the country. This season, she ranks second in the country in points scored per game (27.2) as well as first in assists per game (8.3). Her ability to move the ball with ease and be a reliable scorer makes her a great teammate and player.
The Iowa native leads the Big Ten in 3-pointers, free throws and total points. Not only is she a force on offense, but she leads the league in defensive rebounds — making her a multi-faceted weapon.
Her contributions have helped Iowa to maintain the number one offense in the Big Ten conference, averaging 88.6 points per game.
Wisconsin will head home to face Rutgers at the Kohl Center on Monday evening at 6 p.m., while Iowa will look to continue their win streak at Nebraska on Saturday.
