nebraska vs iowa: Iowa women roll Cornhuskers 80-67 in Lincoln
LINCOLN — No. 13 Iowa delivered a statement win in Pinnacle Bank Arena Monday afternoon (ET), beating Nebraska 80-67 to maintain control of its Big Ten season. The Hawkeyes improved to 20-5 overall and 11-3 in conference play, while the Cornhuskers fell to 16-10, 5-10.
Heiden leads a balanced assault
Sophomore Ava Heiden put together a dominant performance, finishing with 27 points on 12-of-15 shooting and 11 rebounds. Her 27-point, 11-rebound double-double included three assists and three blocks, and it was Heiden’s sixth career double-double. She hit key buckets in the paint and closed the scoring gap whenever Nebraska pushed back, tying her career high in points and extending a streak of double-figure scoring against all Big Ten opponents this season.
Complementing Heiden’s night, sophomore Taylor Stremlow erupted for a career-high 17 points while knocking down three 3-pointers, and Chit-Chat Wright added 14 points with seven assists. Journey Houston contributed 10 points, and Hannah Stuelke chipped in seven points, five rebounds, four assists and three steals. The depth and efficiency on display allowed Iowa to sustain pressure and build leads at multiple junctures.
Key stretches decided the game
Iowa opened the game with a 10-0 run and shot 71. 4 percent from the field early, racing to a 25-13 advantage after the first quarter and a 45-27 lead at halftime. Nebraska fought back out of the break, trimming the margin to 11 midway through the third, but an 11-1 Iowa run — sparked by a clutch jumper from Chit-Chat Wright — restored a commanding gap and set the tone for the closing period.
The Hawkeyes started the fourth quarter with a 7-0 spurt that effectively sealed the game; Heiden scored five of those seven points and finished the afternoon having tied her career high with 27. Iowa forced 18 turnovers and converted those takeaways into 27 points, a season-best output off turnovers against a conference foe. That defensive disruption, combined with a high-efficiency offense, made the difference.
What this means moving forward
The win continues Iowa’s strong run in the series — the Hawkeyes have won 13 of the last 15 meetings and lead the all-time series 27-17. The victory also pushed the program to a notable milestone: 10 consecutive seasons with 20 or more wins, an achievement reached for the second time in school history. Head coach Jan Jensen has now recorded 20-plus wins in both seasons at the helm, joining a storied company in program annals.
Nebraska will regroup after a tough afternoon marked by turnovers and cold stretches, while Iowa will look to build on the balance and defensive intensity displayed in Lincoln. With a near-perfect mark when leading at halftime (16-0 this season), the Hawkeyes demonstrated once again that strong starts and consistent defensive pressure remain the foundation of their Big Ten push.
Up next for both teams are conference matchups that will shape bracket positioning and seeding conversations as the regular season winds toward March. For Iowa, the performance offered reassurance that the team can lean on inside scoring and guard play when it matters most.
