Hawkeyes 15-game winning streak snapped in overtime at Ohio State

The Iowa women’s basketball team brought a 15-game winning streak to a sold out Value City Arena on Sunday to face the 18th-ranked Ohio State. After the Hawkeyes ended the Buckeyes undefeated season in Columbus last season, OSU flipped the script and handed Iowa their second loss of the season by a final score of 100-92 in overtime.

Caitlin Clark finished one point short of a career-high, with 45 points, three rebounds and seven assists, but it was not enough to pull the Hawkeyes to a win. Ohio State forward Cotie McMahon put up a career-high 33 points and 12 rebounds to lead the way for the Buckeyes.

In the first half, both teams were forced to go to Plan B early in the contest. The Buckeyes vaunted press did not last long, as Iowa was able to get looks in transition. As for the Hawkeyes, they switched to a zone defense after Cotie McMahon put up 11 points in the opening quarter. The Hawkeyes were able to keep the lead, but offensive rebounds and three-pointers, two areas that OSU does not usually excel in, kept them in it.

A 9-3 run capped by a three-pointer from Kate Martin put Iowa up 38-32, but a Jacy Sheldon three-pointer cut the Iowa lead to 45-43 at the half. Despite averaging just 6.8 made threes per game, OSU was 7/14 from long distance in the opening half.

Foul trouble hurt both teams throughout the game, including Kate Martin and Hannah Stuelke for Iowa. However, the Hawkeyes were able to build a comfortable lead late in the third quarter and into the fourth. Addi O’Grady put up seven points in the third quarter, while a basket, plus the foul from Syd Affolter gave Iowa a 65-58 lead heading into the final ten minutes.

Then right out of the gates in the fourth, a three-pointer from Caitlin Clark and a running hook shot in the lane from Molly Davis made it 70-58, forcing OSU HC Kevin McGuff to take a timeout. At that point, it looked like Iowa was on their way to a 16th straight win. The Buckeyes got right back in it with Cotie McMahon leading the way.

An 8-0 OSU run cut the Iowa lead to one possession, but a three-pointer from Molly Davis silenced the crowd, but only for a moment. Six straight points from Cotie McMahon and a layup from Celeste Taylor gave Ohio State a 77-76 lead. Caitlin Clark answered with a couple of baskets to give Iowa a three-point lead, but with 16 seconds to play, an off balance shot from Celeste Taylor gave OSU the lead. Hannah Stuelke was able to get to the line with ten seconds left and the game went to OT tied at 83.

Late in the game it felt like Cotie McMahon was unstoppable in the paint and that continued into OT. Back-to-back three-point plays gave the Buckeyes an 89-85 lead. Caitlin Clark answered with a three-pointer, but after an OSU basket and an empty Iowa possession, the odds were against the Hawkeyes. Celeste Taylor found center Rebeka Mikulasikova for an open look from three-point range in the shot clock and she knocked it down to make it 94-88. The six-point deficit was too much to overcome in the final minute and Ohio State pulled off the upset win, 100-92.

Molly Davis finished with 14 points and a season-high eight assists, while Kate Martin added eight points and seven rebounds. Hannah Stuelke put up ten points and seven rebounds, but played just 22 minutes due to foul trouble. Addi O’Grady was solid off the bench with seven points and four rebounds in 18 minutes.

For the game, Iowa shot 30/65 (46.2%) from the floor and 10/28 (35.7%) from behind the arc. They turned it over 15 times, which led to 18 Ohio State points. The Buckeyes shot 35/72 (48.6%) from the floor and 11/22 (50.0%) from three-point range. The Hawkeyes were outrebound 41-37 and were outscored 12-9 in second chance points.

Up Next, the Hawkeyes will return home to face the Nebraska Cornhuskers on Saturday at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Tipoff is set 1:00pm CT on the Big Ten Network.