Iowa Wins Round Two vs Nebraska WBB 83-75

Good news! The Huskers should have Bella Cravens back tonight. She is a great defender and rebounder and Nebraska will need her inside.

First Quarter

The Hawkeyes opened the scoring with the first seven points. Ouch. Sam Haiby finally got the Huskers on the board a couple minutes into the game. Iowa got out to a 10-2 lead before the Huskers went on a five point run, including Nebraska’s first three pointer (Ruby Porter), to make the game 10-7 Iowa at the first media timeout.

Bella Cravens came into the game and immediately cleaned the glass for a defensive rebound. Nebraska continued to fight hard and score points. The Huskers were hot from the three point line and hit four of them, two by Sam Haiby and two by Ruby Porter.

Nebraska took their first lead (20-18) with 44 seconds left in the first quarter and that is where the score stayed.

End of first. Nebraska 20 Iowa 18

Second Quarter

The Huskers opened scoring in the second frame with five straight points (25-18 Neb) including a three by Annika Stewart and jumper by Issie Bourne. Freshman Kendall Coley is also in the game and already playing some good defense.

The Hawkeyes got a three point play and then a layup to close within two (25-23 Neb) at 7:52. The points continued to come fast and furious and Iowa fought back to take the lead (29-32 Iowa) at 5:05. The teams traded baskets with Iowa maintaining a narrow lead for the next two minutes.

MiCole Cayton entered the game for Nebraska and is shutting down the star Hawkeye freshman point guard, Caitlin Clark. The Huskers took the lead back (35-34 Neb) behind two free throws from Sam Haiby. That was followed by a Kate Cain basket to extend the lead (37-34 Neb). The Huskers held one of the top offenses in the country scoreless for the final four minutes of the half!

Nebraska 37 Iowa 34

Sam Haiby has 10 points and Kate Cain eight. Cain has five rebounds, Haiby and Cravens each have four. Ashley Scoggin has three assists.

Third Quarter

The teams traded baskets to open the quarter, but then the Huskers went on a tear opening up a six point lead (44-38 Neb) at 8:02. After some back and forth, the score was 46-43 (Neb) and it stayed there for about a minute until three Iowa free throws tied the game at 46. The Hawkeye run wasn’t done and they added another basket to take their first lead of the half (48-46 Iowa). That was answered by Bella Cravens and the game was tied at 48 at the media timeout.

MiCole Cayton made one of two free throws to retake the lead (49-48 Neb). After some back and forth, the Huskers went on a small run to take a 54-50 lead. The Huskers maintained between a two and four point lead for two minutes but then turnovers reared their ugly head and the game was tied at 56 at 1:10. Two Bourne layups sandwiched an Iowa basket to end the quarter.

Nebraska 60 Iowa 58

Fourth Quarter

Issie Bourne hit a three early in the quarter - she has scored the most recent nine Husker points. Iowa was hot early and retook the lead (67-63) at 7:36 and extended it to 69-63 before the Huskers could find the basket again.

Iowa extended their lead to eight and maintained that for a few minutes (76-68 Iowa) until a three pointer by Porter (76-71 Iowa) stopped the bleeding.

As the clock went under a minute, the score was 79-73 in favor of Iowa and the Huskers started to foul.

Garbage time.

Final. Iowa 83 Nebraska 75

Stats and Observations

AshleyScoggin led Nebraska with 17 points. Sam Haiby (14), Issie Bourne (13) and Kate Cain (12) also scored in double digits.

Kate Cain and Bella Cravens each pulled down six rebounds. Cain added three blocked shots.

The Huskers played well for three quarters, but once Iowa started to pull ahead in the fourth, their outstanding offense kept rolling. Nebraska will be the #8 seed in the Big Ten Tournament next week.