Iowa’s season is still perfect. The Hawkeyes faced a major test against their first Top 10 opponent, but it was No. 20 Iowa that made the winning plays down the stretch as the Hawkeyes toppled Baylor, 57-52, from State Farm Fieldhouse in Orlando, Fla.
Iowa finished shooting 34% from the field and 36% from the 3-point line, but the Hawkeyes relied on timely buckets and a matchup zone defense to turn the tide on the Bears. In what might be the most impressive feat of the night, Iowa won this game with sophomore guard Chit-Chat Wright exiting with an injury. Wright played just 19 minutes and scored only five points on 1-of-6 shooting. The 5-foot-4 guard’s presence in the backcourt was certainly missed, but Iowa found a way to the win column all the same.
Baylor’s Taliah Scott finished with a game-high 32 points on 10-of-25 shooting with six made 3-pointers. Three of those treys came in the fourth quarter when it looked like Scott might single-handedly will Baylor to a win. The Hawkeyes took control of the game to finish out the fourth quarter. Baylor came out with a three-point basket to start the quarter, before Stremlow responded with one of her own. Four consecutive back-and-forth baskets from both teams tied it up 48-48 with 6:20 left in the game. Iowa ended the game on a 9-4 run, leaving Baylor with zero field goals in the last 6:20 of play to close out a top-10 win for the Hawkeyes.
The nationally ranked Iowa women’s basketball team will take on Miami (FL) on Saturday at 7 p.m. on ESPN+.
