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A terrific Iowa women's basketball (27-7, 15-3 Big Ten) season ended in shocking fashion on Monday afternoon.
After earning the right to host the NCAA Tournament's first two rounds, 10th-seeded Virginia (22-11, 11-7 ACC) invaded Carver-Hawkeye Arena and stunned the Hawkeyes on their home floor with an 83-75 double overtime win.
Iowa had chances to advance to a fifth Sweet 16 in seven seasons, but the Hoos just wouldn't go away. And some critical Iowa mistakes kept the door open for a Virginia team that becomes the first team in women's NCAA Tournament history to begin in the First Four and advance to the Sweet 16.
As the season closes, here's takeaways from the loss to Virginia:
Iowa closed its 2025-26 season failing to score more than 28 points in the first half of its final four games. Slow offensive starts became a troubling trend down the stretch, and the Hawkeyes' slow start on Monday proved to be one of the reasons its season ended prematurely.
Iowa didn't shoot it well enough to advance. The Hawkeyes finished just 5-of-29 from 3-point range, while Virginia knocked down 9-of-27 from beyond the arc.
In the end, that was one of the main determining factors.
Sophomore guard Chit-Chat Wright had a golden opportunity to help Iowa sneak into the Sweet 16 at the end of the first overtime, but Wright was just 2-of-4 at the free-throw line. It was uncharacteristic for Wright, who entered Monday as an 85.9% free-throw shooter on the season.
Maybe it was tired legs. Maybe some of it was the moment. Maybe it was just unfortunate at the end of overtime and the definition of an upset.
But, Iowa also lost this game at the free-throw line. Senior forward Hannah Stuelke was just 1-of-6 at the free-throw line and the Hawkeyes finished 8-of-16 as a team.
Jan Jensen will have to look in the mirror this offseason. Iowa's offensive execution to end regulation wasn't good enough.
The Hawkeyes had a chance for a buzzer-beating bucket, but Iowa's final possession to end the fourth quarter wound up discombobulated and resulted in sophomore Chit-Chat Wright taking a desperation 17-foot turnaround jumper.
Iowa has to be able to draw up better than that if it wants to contend for and win championships. And maybe Iowa did draw up better than that, but the execution didn't match it. More on this in a moment.
Kylie Feuerbach chose to return for this 2025-26 season. Feuerbach's presence provided another steady, veteran hand to go along with fellow seniors Stuelke, Taylor McCabe and Jada Gyamfi.
On several occasions down the stretch, Feuerbach's defense nearly sent Iowa off to the Sweet 16. Feuerbach drew the tough assignment of trying to slow down Virginia junior guard Kymora Johnson.
Johnson still got hers with 28 points on 7-of-20 shooting, but Feuerbach made life difficult for Johnson and blocked Johnson's shot as the fourth quarter approached its final minute to give the Hawkeyes a chance to escape.
Ultimately, just not quite enough.
Back to that final possession of the fourth quarter where Iowa could have won it at the buzzer.
It seemed like the end of regulation snuck up on Wright. For someone who finished with 21 points, Wright didn't appear to be in attack mode. Instead, it seemed like Wright was ready to defer to a post-entry feed.
Iowa's bigs were sensational all season long. Sophomore center Ava Heiden and Stuelke were both named WBCA All-America team finalists. It's been the backbone of this team and a defining characteristic.
On Monday, it felt like one of the problems, though, too. Iowa became overly reliant on that duo, taxing its bigs with consistently needing to deliver without enough help from its backcourt.
It's OK and will be expected for Heiden and for incoming five-star freshman McKenna Woliczko to continue to be a big part of the bedrock of the Hawkeyes' program. But, they can't be counted upon to do it alone.
Iowa needs to get better in its backcourt. The program needs to become more balanced across the board. And the coaching staff needs to demand and expect that from its backcourt.
McCabe and Feuerbach played a lot of great basketball for the Hawkeyes. Gyamfi was an emotional leader for this program over a number of years and it's disappointing she, like McCabe, couldn't stay healthy to close her career.
Stuelke goes down as an all-time great Hawkeye. What a career for Stuelke.
It always stings when a season ends, whether that's inside Carver in the second round, or, if it's in a pair of national championship games like this group was a part of.
We can dissect this loss and the end of the season and what's next, but it's worth just saying thanks for a fun season and for all the memories to a great group of Hawkeyes.
Contact/Follow us @HawkeyesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Iowa news, notes and opinions. Follow Josh on X: @JoshOnHawks
This article originally appeared on Hawkeyes Wire: Takeaways as Virginia upsets Iowa women's basketball, denies Sweet 16
Continue reading...
After earning the right to host the NCAA Tournament's first two rounds, 10th-seeded Virginia (22-11, 11-7 ACC) invaded Carver-Hawkeye Arena and stunned the Hawkeyes on their home floor with an 83-75 double overtime win.
Iowa had chances to advance to a fifth Sweet 16 in seven seasons, but the Hoos just wouldn't go away. And some critical Iowa mistakes kept the door open for a Virginia team that becomes the first team in women's NCAA Tournament history to begin in the First Four and advance to the Sweet 16.
As the season closes, here's takeaways from the loss to Virginia:
Another slow start doomed Iowa women's basketball
Iowa closed its 2025-26 season failing to score more than 28 points in the first half of its final four games. Slow offensive starts became a troubling trend down the stretch, and the Hawkeyes' slow start on Monday proved to be one of the reasons its season ended prematurely.
Iowa couldn't connect from 3-point range
Iowa didn't shoot it well enough to advance. The Hawkeyes finished just 5-of-29 from 3-point range, while Virginia knocked down 9-of-27 from beyond the arc.
In the end, that was one of the main determining factors.
The free-throw line
Sophomore guard Chit-Chat Wright had a golden opportunity to help Iowa sneak into the Sweet 16 at the end of the first overtime, but Wright was just 2-of-4 at the free-throw line. It was uncharacteristic for Wright, who entered Monday as an 85.9% free-throw shooter on the season.
Maybe it was tired legs. Maybe some of it was the moment. Maybe it was just unfortunate at the end of overtime and the definition of an upset.
But, Iowa also lost this game at the free-throw line. Senior forward Hannah Stuelke was just 1-of-6 at the free-throw line and the Hawkeyes finished 8-of-16 as a team.
Late-game execution was lacking
Jan Jensen will have to look in the mirror this offseason. Iowa's offensive execution to end regulation wasn't good enough.
The Hawkeyes had a chance for a buzzer-beating bucket, but Iowa's final possession to end the fourth quarter wound up discombobulated and resulted in sophomore Chit-Chat Wright taking a desperation 17-foot turnaround jumper.
Iowa has to be able to draw up better than that if it wants to contend for and win championships. And maybe Iowa did draw up better than that, but the execution didn't match it. More on this in a moment.
Kylie Feuerbach's defense gave Iowa a chance
Kylie Feuerbach chose to return for this 2025-26 season. Feuerbach's presence provided another steady, veteran hand to go along with fellow seniors Stuelke, Taylor McCabe and Jada Gyamfi.
On several occasions down the stretch, Feuerbach's defense nearly sent Iowa off to the Sweet 16. Feuerbach drew the tough assignment of trying to slow down Virginia junior guard Kymora Johnson.
Johnson still got hers with 28 points on 7-of-20 shooting, but Feuerbach made life difficult for Johnson and blocked Johnson's shot as the fourth quarter approached its final minute to give the Hawkeyes a chance to escape.
Ultimately, just not quite enough.
Iowa needs to become more balanced as a program
Back to that final possession of the fourth quarter where Iowa could have won it at the buzzer.
It seemed like the end of regulation snuck up on Wright. For someone who finished with 21 points, Wright didn't appear to be in attack mode. Instead, it seemed like Wright was ready to defer to a post-entry feed.
Iowa's bigs were sensational all season long. Sophomore center Ava Heiden and Stuelke were both named WBCA All-America team finalists. It's been the backbone of this team and a defining characteristic.
On Monday, it felt like one of the problems, though, too. Iowa became overly reliant on that duo, taxing its bigs with consistently needing to deliver without enough help from its backcourt.
It's OK and will be expected for Heiden and for incoming five-star freshman McKenna Woliczko to continue to be a big part of the bedrock of the Hawkeyes' program. But, they can't be counted upon to do it alone.
Iowa needs to get better in its backcourt. The program needs to become more balanced across the board. And the coaching staff needs to demand and expect that from its backcourt.
Hats off to the seniors, thanks for a fun season
McCabe and Feuerbach played a lot of great basketball for the Hawkeyes. Gyamfi was an emotional leader for this program over a number of years and it's disappointing she, like McCabe, couldn't stay healthy to close her career.
Stuelke goes down as an all-time great Hawkeye. What a career for Stuelke.
It always stings when a season ends, whether that's inside Carver in the second round, or, if it's in a pair of national championship games like this group was a part of.
We can dissect this loss and the end of the season and what's next, but it's worth just saying thanks for a fun season and for all the memories to a great group of Hawkeyes.
Contact/Follow us @HawkeyesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Iowa news, notes and opinions. Follow Josh on X: @JoshOnHawks
This article originally appeared on Hawkeyes Wire: Takeaways as Virginia upsets Iowa women's basketball, denies Sweet 16
Continue reading...
