By Michael McCurdy
After losing three out of its last four, games the Iowa women’s basketball team will try to turn things around before the Big Ten Tournament next week.
On Feb. 26, the Hawkeyes will get that opportunity when they take on Wisconsin in Carver-Hawkeye at 2 p.m.
Other than the Purdue game, when Iowa left West Lafayette after losing by 20 points, the Hawkeyes have played competitive basketball. Their main issue against Ohio State and Indiana was finding the strength and energy at the end to close out the games.
In both of those contests, Iowa had the lead or was within a couple of points in the closing minutes. Whether it’s the sore legs or the immaturity, the Hawkeyes have got to find a way to close out games, because the conference tournament is right around the corner.
Another reason Iowa has lost three out of its last four is that at times, the team gets away from its strengths. Against Indiana, the Hawkeyes didn’t get the ball inside enough, something that’s been at their core all season long.
“We shot too many 3s,” head coach Lisa Bluder said in a press conference. “We’re not a great 3-point shooting team right now, and we shot 68 percent from 2-point range. We took 23 3s out of 60 shots — that was way too many 3-point shots. We were not patient and working for the good shot.”
A chance to put the past aside before the postseason begins presents itself Feb. 26, as senior Ally Disterhoft prepares for not only Iowa’s last regular-season game but her last regular-season and possibly (depending on a possible NIT berth) home game as a Hawkeye.
Disterhoft will go down in the record books as one of the all-time greats at Iowa. She sits second overall on the all-time scoring list at 2,003 points, reaching that mark on Wednesday versus Indiana.
The Badgers come into Carver-Hawkeye with an overall record of 8-20, 3-12 in the conference. Although their record isn’t intimidating, they are riding a two-game winning streak, beating Rutgers and Illinois at home.
Because Wisconsin will try to play spoiler on the Hawkeyes’ Senior Day, Iowa must come out of the gates as the aggressor and forget that Wisconsin is last in the Big Ten standings.
Iowa must put the high emotions of this last regular-season game aside, because there is a lot at stake in regard to postseason tournaments.
Before the Indiana game, the Hawkeyes were sitting atop the bubble for the NCAA Tournament, but now after suffering that heartbreaking loss, Iowa cannot afford any more hiccups the rest of the season.
If Iowa loses to Wisconsin, its hope at a berth in the NCAA Tournament is out the window. So in order to better their résumé for the Big Dance, the Hawkeyes need to make some noise in the conference tournament next week.
“You can’t just play, you have to win,” Bluder said in a press conference. “Michigan State and James Madison were great wins. We have done everything we have needed to do at home during the conference season. We’re not a shoo-in for the NCAA Tournament, but we’re not a shoo-out.”
