CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The lights did not shine too brightly for the Iowa women as they topped Virginia Tech 71-52 in a primetime matchup as part of the Ally Tipoff on ESPN2 Sunday.
Jan Jensen told the Hawkeye Radio Network she felt thankful to pick up her first road win as Iowa’s head coach in convincing fashion. Iowa forward Addison O'Grady (44) celebrates as she is introduced ahead of an exhibition between the Hawkeyes and Missouri Western at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City on Wednesday, Oct. 30.
“It really was not in doubt, but it was never certain,” Jensen said. “We have not really practiced that playing with a lead thing yet ..
. . We got so herky jerky that whole last six minutes.
It was not really the prettiest of basketball, but wins are always a beautiful thing. “Those are things we are going to really improve on and, hopefully, we will be playing with a lead a lot.” Iowa opened up a 14-9 lead through the first five minutes.
Villanova transfer guard Lucy Olsen started hot from the field, scoring seven of the Hawkeyes’ points during the early stretch. After Virginia Tech trimmed the Iowa lead to 14-13, Iowa erupted for a 10-0 run to take a 26-16 lead into the second quarter. Forward Hannah Stuelke took the scoring baton from Olsen with six points during the run.
The offense for both teams ground to a halt in the second quarter. Virginia Tech outscored the Hawkeyes in the frame 14-8 as the teams combined to go 9-of-28 from the field and 2-of-10 from three-.
