EUGENE, Ore. − Without one of its best players, Hannah Stuelke, Iowa women’s basketball was going to need a Pacific Northwest team-wide effort to earn its first victory since the New Year’s Day.
But the Hawkeyes faced a familiar obstacle — late-game struggles — and ultimately blew an 11-point second-half lead for the second straight game in a 50-49 loss to Oregon at Matthew Knight Arena.
The Hawkeyes went more than nine minutes without a point during a second-half drought, allowing the host Ducks to recover from the 39-28 deficit they faced with 4½ minutes left in the third quarter.
More:Jan Jensen provides post-match update on Hannah Stuelke’s concussion
Iowa lost its fifth straight game, falling to 12-7 overall and 2-6 in Big Ten Conference play. Oregon improved to 14-5, 5-3.
Iowa had a chance.
Sydney Affolter’s left-handed shot with 42 seconds left cut Iowa’s deficit to one point, 50-49. Tough defense from Addison O’Grady forced a miss from 6-foot-8 center Phillipina Kyei, and Aaliyah Guyton rebounded with 9.5 seconds left to give Iowa a chance to win.
On the other end, O’Grady had a clean look at a jumper from the free throw line, but it bounced off the rim and Oregon rebounded with 2 seconds left.
Iowa was using its fourth starting lineup in its last four games, with Stuelke’s absence due to concussion pushing O’Grady back into the starting five, alongside Lucy Olsen, Taylor McCabe, Kylie Feuerbach and Affolter . This lack of continuity is part of the Hawkeyes’ recent struggles, emblematic of the answers they seek.
Still, the Hawkeyes’ start was exactly what coach Jan Jensen and the staff would have prepared for, especially on the defensive end. Iowa held Oregon scoreless through the first seven minutes, using that strong defense to take an 11-0 lead. The Ducks failed to score or get an offensive rebound on their first 11 possessions – 0 of 7 shooting, four turnovers.
Oregon finally got on the scoreboard on a 3-pointer with 2:55 left in the first quarter. Feuerbach answered at the other end of the court with a 3 to give Iowa back a 14-3 lead.
While the Ducks scuffled, Iowa got off to a hot start with its shots, hitting 11 of its first 16 attempts that forced Oregon coach Kelly Graves to burn two timeouts in the process. Iowa owned a 27-12 lead after Olsen’s quick mid-range jumper with 7:39 left in the second quarter. Iowa led 32-22 at halftime.
The Hawkeyes’ biggest problem during this four-game losing streak was their ability to finish games. They squandered an 11-point fourth-quarter lead against Nebraska on Thursday amid a combination of hot shooting from the Huskers (10-for-10 field goals) and cold free throws from Iowa (5-for-12). in the fourth quarter), then lost in overtime.
A stagnant third quarter from the Hawkeyes set the stage for a heartbreaking fourth quarter on Sunday. Iowa scored just nine points and committed eight turnovers in the third quarter, allowing Oregon to pull within 41-35.
Iowa went 9:09 from points from the middle of the third quarter to the middle of the fourth. Elisa Mevius’ 3-point basket with 5:59 gave Oregon its first lead, at 44-41, sending a silently started Matthew Knight Arena crowd into a loud roar.
Behind a late charge from Affolter (10 points, a career-high 15 rebounds), the Hawkeyes nearly pulled out the win at the last second. But Oregon dribbled down the clock as Iowa tried to foul to prolong the Hawkeyes’ pain. They will then travel to Washington on Wednesday for a tip-off at 8 p.m. CT; Stuelke, who has not traveled, is not expected to play.
Hawkeyes columnist Chad Leistikow has worked at the Des Moines Register and USA TODAY Sports Network for 30 years. Chad is the 2023 INA Iowa Sportswriter of the Year and the NSMA Iowa Co-Sports Writer of the Year. Join Chad’s text messaging group (free for subscribers) at HawkCentral.com/HawkeyesTexts. Follow @ChadLeistikow on.
