Wisconsin women’s basketball team dropped an 84-70 game to Iowa on Sunday afternoon.

MADISON, Wis. — Hosting at the Kohl Center for the final time this season, the Wisconsin women’s basketball team dropped an 84-70 game to Iowa on Sunday afternoon.

Credit Source: University of Wisconsin Athletics

After the Badgers (5-17, 2-17 B1G) led 18-17 at the end of the first quarter, Iowa (14-7, 10-7) outscored Wisconsin 23-12 in the second quarter to lead 40-30 at the half. Iowa’s Big Ten-leading 3-point offense heated up, netting five triple  in the second quarter alone. Julie Pospisilova scored 10 of her game-high 21 points in the period, shooting a perfect 5-5 from the field.

 

Wisconsin cut the lead to four (47-43) with 6:32 to play in the third quarter but Iowa went on an 11-2 run to lead 58-45 with 3:57 on the clock. The Badgers attempted a fourth-quarter comeback, outscoring Iowa 20-16 but would get no closer than 11 points.

 

Pospisilova was one of three Badgers to score in double figures as Imani Lewis added 16 points and Sydney Hilliard chipped in 12. The Hawkeyes had four players in double figures behind 19 points from Gabbie Marshall. Wisconsin held the Big Ten’s leading scorer Caitlin Clark to nine points below her season average as the guard finished with 18 points.

Iowa shot 55.8% (29-52) from the field, including 45.8% (11-24) from 3-point range and 75% (15-20) from the free-throw line. The Badgers shot 25-72 (34.7%) from field-goal range but just 5-19 (26.3%) from 3-point range. UW also shot 15-20 (75%) from the free-throw line.

 

Wisconsin handled the ball at a high level, forcing 14 Iowa turnovers while only giving up eight themselves, posting its second lowest total this season. The Badgers scored 15 points off turnovers while tallying seven steals, including three takeaways from Pospisilova.

 

The Badgers outrebounded Iowa, 39-36, including 17 offensive rebounds,,scoring 14 second-chance points. Lewis and Hilliard led the Badgers with six rebounds apiece.

 

Straight from the Court

 

Head coach Jonathan Tsipis:

“I thought our team did a really good job starting the game and was able to get out and attack their zone, making them have to play more man to man than I think they wanted to play. I thought Julie (Pospisilova) played extremely well for us on both ends of the floor and attacked similarly to Wednesday night against Indiana and did a good job getting to the rim and knocked down some threes as well.

“I thought in the first half we did a good job on transition defense. They got some easy baskets in transition and I think that obviously helps push the momentum and allows for them to play a little bit better defense.”

Imani Lewis

“We all played hard, we didn’t give up and like I said before the game give everything you have and go out and make a memory.  And like I told everyone, you never know when your last game is going to be so you do not want to have your last game as  ‘Oh I wish I could have done this’ or ‘Oh I wish I could have done that.’ You want to come out of your last game saying ‘I am glad I did this’ or ‘I ended it well.’  After each game I want them to feel that they gave their best, I don’t want them to have any regrets.”

Julie Pospisilova on her guarding Caitlin Clark

“I knew she was going to hit a lot of crazy shots and mentally I was saying  ‘Move forward and do not think about it too much.’  She is pretty shifty and really strong, and her step-back is also really good, so I knew that sometimes I needed to give more space than I wanted to, but I also knew that I could rely on my teammates and they will help me when I need it.”

 

Up next

 

The Badgers wrap up regular season play when they travel to East Lansing to take on Michigan State Friday at 1 p.m. from the Breslin Center. Fans looking to tune in can find the game on Big Ten Network+ and via a radio stream at U-100.9 FM.