No. 9 Hawkeyes Defeat Wisconsin, Earn #2 Seed in Big Ten Tournament

Iowa women's basketball team secures double-bye in conference tournament with 81-52 win over Badgers

Published on Mar. 2, 2026

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The No. 9 Iowa Hawkeyes women's basketball team defeated the Wisconsin Badgers 81-52 on Sunday afternoon at the Kohl Center. Four Hawkeyes scored in double figures, led by sophomore Ava Heiden's double-double of 16 points and 14 rebounds. The win clinched a #2 seed and double-bye for Iowa in the upcoming Big Ten Tournament.

Why it matters

The Hawkeyes' dominant performance over Wisconsin secures them a favorable position heading into the Big Ten Tournament, where they will look to make a deep run and potentially earn an NCAA Tournament bid. Iowa has now won 15 or more conference games in three of the last four seasons, establishing themselves as one of the top programs in the Big Ten.

The details

Iowa jumped out to a 19-16 lead after the first quarter, then extended their advantage to 33-29 at halftime. The Hawkeyes then blew the game open in the third quarter, outscoring Wisconsin 26-9 to take a 59-38 lead. Iowa shot 63.6% from three-point range in the second half to pull away for the 81-52 victory.

  • The game was played on Sunday, March 2, 2026 inside the Kohl Center in Madison, Wisconsin.

The players

Ava Heiden

A sophomore forward for the Iowa Hawkeyes who led the team with 16 points and 14 rebounds, recording her ninth career double-double.

Chit-Chat Wright

A sophomore guard for the Iowa Hawkeyes who scored 14 points, going 4-for-7 from three-point range.

Taylor Stremlow

A sophomore guard for the Iowa Hawkeyes who had 12 points, nine assists, and five rebounds.

Layla Hays

A player for the Iowa Hawkeyes who registered 10 points and eight rebounds.

Teagan Mallegni

A player for the Iowa Hawkeyes who scored a season-high 10 points, with four assists and two rebounds.

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What’s next

The nationally ranked Hawkeyes clinched a 2-seed and double-bye in the Big Ten Tournament. Iowa will play on Friday, March 6 at 5:30 p.m. (CT) inside Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.

The takeaway

Iowa's dominant performance over Wisconsin, led by standout efforts from Ava Heiden, Chit-Chat Wright, and Taylor Stremlow, secures the Hawkeyes a favorable position heading into the Big Ten Tournament. The team's ability to share the scoring load and clamp down defensively has them poised for a deep postseason run.