Iowa Women’s Basketball Faces Washington in Crucial Big Ten Matchup

SEATTLE, Wash. — The Iowa Hawkeyes women’s basketball team, desperate to snap a five-game losing streak, faced off against the Washington Huskies on Wednesday night at Alaska Airlines Arena. The game, streamed on Peacock at 8 p.m. CT, marked a critical moment for Iowa (12-7, 2-6 Big Ten) as they aimed to avoid their first six-game skid since 1999.

Washington (13-6, 4-3), riding high after retiring Kelsey Plum‘s jersey and a dominant win over Purdue, entered the contest with a strong 10-2 home record this season. The Huskies’ offensive prowess, ranking second in the Big Ten in field-goal percentage (.469) and first in 3-point percentage (.366), posed a significant challenge for Iowa.

Iowa’s recent struggles have been marked by narrow losses, with their last five defeats coming by a combined 24 points. The Hawkeyes’ offense sputtered in their previous game against Oregon, scoring just 17 second-half points in a 50-49 loss. Compounding their woes, standout player Hannah Stuelke remained sidelined for the second consecutive game due to a concussion.

Washington’s backcourt duo of Sayvia Sellers and Elle Ladine, averaging 16.8 and 16.0 points per game respectively, led the charge for the Huskies. Meanwhile, Iowa relied on Kylie Feuerbach and O'Grady, who combined for early points in the paint to establish an early lead.

The game marked only the second meeting between the two programs since the 1998-99 season. Washington previously defeated Iowa 70-63 in the Puerto Rico Clasico on Nov. 30, 2019.

Iowa’s next game is against Northwestern at 7 p.m. Tuesday, as they continue their quest to turn around a challenging season.