Iowa Falls To No. 24 Wisconsin, 84-71

HawkeyeInsider's reaction to the Hawkeyes' loss to the Badgers

Published on Feb. 23, 2026

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The Iowa Hawkeyes couldn't follow up their recent quality win, falling to the No. 24 Wisconsin Badgers 84-71 on Sunday afternoon in Madison. Iowa is now 19-8 on the season and 9-7 in Big Ten play.

Why it matters

This loss is a setback for Iowa's NCAA Tournament hopes, as they had a chance to build momentum with a second straight quality win. Wisconsin, on the other hand, solidifies their position in the Top 25 with the home victory.

The details

In the game, Iowa was unable to slow down the Badgers' offense, which shot 54.4% from the field. Wisconsin also dominated the rebounding battle, out-rebounding Iowa 36-26. Iowa struggled to find consistent scoring outside of their top players.

  • The game took place on Sunday afternoon, February 23, 2026.

The players

Wisconsin Badgers

The No. 24 ranked college basketball team that defeated Iowa.

Iowa Hawkeyes

The college basketball team that lost to Wisconsin, dropping to 19-8 on the season and 9-7 in Big Ten play.

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What they’re saying

“HawkeyeInsider's reaction to Iowa's loss to Wisconsin live from Madison.”

— Sean Bock, HawkeyeInsider reporter (247sports.com)

The takeaway

This loss is a setback for Iowa's NCAA Tournament hopes, as they had a chance to build momentum with a second straight quality win. However, they were unable to slow down the Badgers' offense or control the glass, leading to the double-digit defeat.