Just a single quarter proved to be the difference in Iowa City Saturday afternoon.
Nebraska women’s basketball won the combination of the first, third, and fourth quarters 67-54, but a disastrous second quarter saw No. 10 Iowa come out on top 80-76.
The Huskers ran out the gate on fire, scoring the first eight points of the game. The lead extended to 21-11 before the Hawkeyes got a pair of buckets to close the frame.
Then the second quarter hit.
Including those four points to end the first quarter, Iowa put together a 22-2 run. The Hawkeyes led 41-30 at the half.
The difference stretched to 17 points through three quarters, but Nebraska wasn’t completely out of it yet.
Jaz Shelley and Sam Haiby combined to score the first nine points of the quarter. An Anni Stewart triple made it a 12-0 run.
That five point difference remained with 59 seconds to go. That’s when Alexis Markowski missed an open three-pointer and Shelley turned the ball over on the next possession.
Despite Haiby and Maddie Krull each hitting a 3 in the final 20 seconds, Iowa’s Caitlin Clark converted enough free throws to take the victory.
Nebraska shot 45 percent from the floor, including 9-of-30 from 3. Iowa managed to shoot 42 percent, including 8-of-22 from 3. Both teams took 64 shots.
The difference came down to free throws. Nebraska made 9-of-11; Iowa made 18-of-22.
Clark led all scorers with 33 points, adding 12 rebounds and nine assists.
All five Husker scorers reached double-digits. Haiby led the way with 16 points, followed by Issie Bourne with 14, Krull with 13, Markowski with 12, and Shelley with 10.
Shelley added 11 assists and Markowoski 11 rebounds as the pair notched double-doubles.
Nebraska is now 12-9 on the year and 4-6 in Big Ten Conference play.
The Huskers and Hawkeyes will meet again Feb. 18 in Lincoln, but first Nebraska returns home to host Michigan State on Groundhog Day.