Women’s College Basketball: Iowa crushed by UCLA in BIG10 Championship game, 96-45

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — The No. 2 seed Iowa Hawkeyes saw their eight-game winning streak come to a decisive end on Sunday afternoon as the top-seeded UCLA Bruins claimed the Big Ten Tournament Championship with a 96-45 victory. The loss inside Gainbridge Fieldhouse halted Iowa’s late-season momentum and marked a rare lopsided defeat for a program that has appeared in six of the last eight conference title games. Despite the setback, the Hawkeyes (26-6, 15-3) finish the tournament with a strong resume heading into the postseason, having maintained a 18-4 record in Big Ten Tournament play since the 2018-19 season.

Sophomore center Ava Heiden provided the primary offensive spark for Iowa, leading the team with 15 points on an efficient 7-of-11 shooting performance. Heiden’s consistency remained a bright spot, as she extended her streak of reaching double figures to 20 consecutive games, including all 17 Big Ten opponents faced this season. Her performance also marked her fifth straight Big Ten Tournament game in double figures dating back to last year. Freshman Addie Deal contributed nine points off the bench, tying her career-best with three 3-pointers in her first double-figure scoring outing since late January.

The Hawkeyes struggled to find a rhythm against the Bruins’ top-tier defense, as starting guard Taylor Stremlow was limited to six points and two assists in her 16th start of the year. Fellow guard Chit-Chat Wright added nine points and a team-high five assists, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the Bruins’ surge. Following the championship loss, head coach Jan Jensen moves to 4-2 all-time in Big Ten Tournament play. Iowa will now turn its attention to the national stage as they await their seeding for the NCAA Tournament.

The Hawkeyes will learn their postseason path during the NCAA Tournament Selection Sunday Show, which airs on March 15 at 7 p.m. (CT) on ESPN.