Iowa Women’s Basketball Seeks Redemption Against Nebraska

IOWA CITY, Iowa — The Iowa women’s basketball team faces a critical test Thursday night as they host Nebraska at Carver-Hawkeye Arena, aiming to snap a three-game losing streak. The game, set for 6 p.m. CT, will be televised on the Big Ten Network.

The Hawkeyes (12-5 overall, 2-4 Big Ten) are experiencing their first three-game skid since 2018 and are at risk of their first four-game losing streak since 2016. A loss would also mark the first time since 2013 that Iowa has dropped three consecutive home games.

Nebraska (13-4, 4-2) enters the matchup on a three-game winning streak, having recently defeated Penn State, Michigan State, and Rutgers. The Huskers are looking to solidify their position in the conference standings.

“I really do believe I’m pushing the right buttons,” said Iowa head coach Jan Jensen, who took over the program this season after serving as Lisa Bluder‘s top assistant for decades. “I’m tweaking different places, and I believe I’m going to hit it.”

Iowa’s recent struggles have dropped them to 13th in the Big Ten standings, with ESPN bracketologist Charlie Creme projecting them as a 10-seed in the NCAA tournament. The Hawkeyes have 12 regular-season games remaining, including a challenging road trip to Oregon and Washington after Thursday’s game.

“I don’t think we’ve figured it out yet, but I know it’s going to make us stronger in the future,” said Lucy Olsen, a transfer from Villanova. “We all want to win. We’re all in this together.”

Jensen emphasized the importance of balancing analytics and intuition in her coaching decisions. “I’m a gut person, when it’s clear,” she said. “This year, I’m probably leaning 60-40 toward analytics.”

Nebraska presents a formidable challenge, led by standout post player Alexis Markowski. “They have a lot of weapons,” Jensen said. “We’ve got to rebound. I want to play with that rhythm … if we do that, I think we’ll be in position to win.”

The game will be broadcast on the Big Ten Network, with streaming available on FUBO, which offers a free trial. Sloane Martin and Shimmy Miller will provide commentary.