On Wednesday, during the #25-ranked Washington Huskies (18-7, 8-6 Big Ten) 56-65 defeat by #15-ranked Iowa Hawkeyes (19-5, 10-3 Big Ten), it looked for a quarter like the signature UW road win they have been chasing was coming to fruition.
Washington opened with poise, pace, and a polished offensive rhythm that stunned the hostile home crowd and hinted at a major upset brewing.
However, as the game unfolded, the narrative shifted from promise to frustration, as the Huskies’ loss was defined less by defensive lapses and more by self-inflicted wounds.
Once again, turnovers—and the scoring droughts they triggered—overwhelmed an otherwise competitive performance in several key areas.
Interestingly, Iowa recorded only six steals total for the night, which suggests that many of the Huskies’ miscues were unforced: travels, bad passes, and rushed decisions in the half court.
STARTING FIVE
1st Quarter – Huskies Firepower Sets the Tone Early
1st Quarter – Huskies Firepower Sets the Tone EarlyThe Huskies blitzed the Hawkeyes in the first quarter, pouring in 25 points and shooting a blistering 70.6% from the field. Their ball movement created quality looks; six different players scored, underscoring a balanced and confident attack.
Elle Ladine spearheaded the effort with eight points, attacking off the bounce and finishing efficiently.
Sellers had ample help: Avery Howell added five points; Sayvia Sellers and Hannah Stines chipped in four apiece; while Devon Coppinger and Chloe Briggs joined the scoring column with two points each, reinforcing the depth of Washington’s early surge.
On the other side, Iowa kept pace offensively, shooting 57.1% from the floor and a perfect 100% from three.
Yet, Washington still controlled the quarter, thanks to their shotmaking and composure.
Hannah Stines’ midrange jumper at the horn gave Washington a 25-19 lead and all the momentum.
2nd Quarter – Huskies Collapse Under Turnovers, Iowa Warms Up
Then, everything unraveled for the Dawgs. The second quarter turned what had been a flowing Huskies offense into a grinding, turnover‑ridden struggle.
Washington went scoreless for roughly the first six minutes of the period, and that drought proved to be the game’s turning point.
Statistically, the contrast was stark. After shooting over 70% in the first quarter, Washington managed just 22.2% from the field in the second, including 25% from three, for a meager 5 points in the entire period.
Avery Howell provided three of those points, while Ladine contributed the remaining two. No other Husky could break through Iowa’s increasingly active defense.
Most damaging, though, were the eight turnovers Washington committed in that quarter alone—nearly half of their 19 for the game.
The Hawkeyes capitalized with an 11‑0 run early in the quarter and outscored Washington 17-5 in the period, seizing a 36-30 halftime lead and full control of the game’s tempo.
3rd Quarter – Washington Fights Back
Coming out of the locker room, Washington steadied itself and tried to claw back into the contest, as they rediscovered some of the offensive balance that defined their opening frame.
Washington shot 46.7% in the third quarter, though only 16.7% from beyond the arc.
Elle Ladine again led the way with six points, reaffirming her role as the Huskies’ primary scoring engine that night. Hannah Stines added five points, including a timely three‑pointer, while Sellers and Brynn McGaughy each contributed two points to keep the margin manageable.
Defensively, Washington performed well overall, Iowa shot just 31.3% from the field; yet the Huskies perimeter defense failed them as the Hawkeyes connected on 50% of their three point attempts in the period.
Still, Washington cut into the deficit and narrowed the gap to 49-45 heading into the final quarter, setting up a tense finish.
4th Quarter – Sellers Surges, But Iowa Closes
The fourth quarter evolved into a defensive battle, with every possession magnified.
The Dawgs defended at a high level, but offensive inconsistency and key Iowa shotmaking kept the Huskies from fully closing the gap.
Washington shot just 30.8% from the field in the final period and a mere 12.5% from three-point range.
However, Sayvia Sellers refused to let the game slip quietly away. Sellers scored eight points in the quarter, attacking the rim and creating pressure on the Hawkeyes’ defense.
Elle Ladine added three more points, including a late three off a Sellers assist, as the Huskies tried to piece together one last push.
Yet every Washington surge met an Iowa answer.
Less than a minute into the fourth, Sellers cut the deficit to 51-47 at the free throw line, but Hawkeye point guard Chit‑Chat Wright immediately responded with a four‑point play, restoring breathing room for the Hawkeyes.
Later, with the Huskies still lurking within two possessions, Hawkeye Kylie Feuerbach drilled a deep three-pointer with under 30 seconds remaining, effectively sealing Iowa’s 65-56 win.
Washington’s Turnover Trend: A Costly, Familiar Pattern
The most troubling element of this loss for Washington is not isolated to a single night.
Their 19 turnovers against Iowa marked the third straight game in which the Huskies have given the ball away 19 times—matching their totals against Ohio State (Feb. 5) and Wisconsin (Feb. 8). That three‑game average of 19.0 turnovers per contest has become a defining, and damaging, trend.
Against the Hawkeyes, the impact of those miscues was severe. Washington finished with 56 points on 65 possessions, averaging just 0.862 points per possession—well below what their shooting numbers might suggest.
Both teams shot 46.3% from the field (25-of-54), yet the Huskies’ extra 10 turnovers compared to Iowa’s 9 were the hidden factor that tilted the game away from them.
Compounding the frustration is the fact that Iowa’s defense did not overwhelm the Huskies with defensive pressure; the Hawkeyes recorded only 6 steals. This indicates that many of Washington’s turnovers came from miscommunication, poor spacing, and rushed execution rather than simply being outmatched.
In a game where the Huskies controlled the glass and the paint, their inability to value possessions was decisive.
UW Winning the Metrics, Losing the Game
Beyond the turnover column, many of the numbers favored Washington.
The Huskies outrebounded Iowa 35-26, limiting the Hawkeyes to their second‑lowest rebound total of the season and their lowest offensive rebound output.
Iowa managed only 6 offensive boards, while Washington dominated the glass on both ends, particularly through Howell’s 10 rebounds and strong team effort.
The Huskies also owned the interior, outscoring Iowa 38-28 in points-in-the-paint.
Washington’s defensive discipline showed as well: Iowa finished with just 12 assists, one of its lowest totals of the season, as the Huskies effectively disrupted Iowa’s ball movement and limited easy shot creation.
UW WBB Players of the Game: Elle Ladine and Sayvia Sellers
Individually, Elle Ladine’s 19 points on 56.3% shooting (9 for 16) shooting extended her run of strong road performances, as she has now scored in double figures in six of nine away games this season.
Sayvia Sellers added 14 points on 85.7% efficiency on two-point attempts ( to offset zero made threes), five rebounds, and three assists, impacting the game on multiple fronts.
