Iowa Women’s Basketball Triumphs Over Penn State
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — In a thrilling matchup, the No. 23 Iowa women’s basketball team showcased their prowess by defeating Penn State 80-68 on Wednesday, despite a stellar performance by Gabby Elliott, who scored an impressive 32 points.
The Hawkeyes improved their record to 12-2 overall and 2-1 in the Big Ten, marking their 11th consecutive victory against the Nittany Lions, who now stand at 9-5 with a 0-3 conference record.
Strong Team Performance
Iowa entered halftime with a slim lead at 38-36. The game remained tightly contested with both teams tied at 55 at the end of the third quarter. However, the Hawkeyes pulled ahead decisively in the final quarter, hitting six consecutive shots and finishing the quarter with an impressive shooting percentage of 65%, going 11 for 17 from the field.
Taylor McCabe led the team with 17 points, including five critical 3-pointers. Hannah Stuelke contributed significantly with a double-double of 13 points, 10 rebounds, and four assists. Addison O’Grady also made her mark with 16 points, while Lucy Olsen added 11 points and five assists.
Struggles for Penn State
Despite Elliott’s remarkable performance, where she went 12 of 22 from the field and made 7 of 11 from beyond the arc, the rest of the Penn State team struggled in the fourth quarter, scoring only two points outside of Elliott and committing six turnovers. Gracie Merkle added a double-double for Penn State as well, contributing 13 points and 12 rebounds. Jayla Oden chipped in with 10 points as the Nittany Lions faced their fifth loss in their last six games.
In the first quarter, Penn State seized control by leading by as much as 10 points while Iowa struggled initially with their shooting, hitting only 37% of their attempts.
Looking Ahead
The Nittany Lions faced a tough challenge following their recent 90-54 loss to Minnesota, marking one of the program’s largest defeats since a 33-point loss to Iowa during the 2024 Big Ten Tournament.
