When senior Samantha McComb made a 3-pointer with 15:58 left against Iowa, it expanded Northwestern’s lead against the No. 21 Hawkeyes to 17 points.
But 15 second-half turnovers ruined the Wildcats’ hopes of an upset.
In the next six minutes, Iowa went on a 21-4 run to tie the game at 54-54 en route to an 81-76 victory in Iowa City, Iowa, on Sunday.
It was the third straight loss for the Cats (4-15, 1-5 Big Ten) and the first win in four games for Iowa (14-3, 3-3).
“We started to play not to lose,” said NU coach Beth Combs of the second-half collapse.
NU began the second half with a 14-point advantage. The Cats had a 22-6 run to notch 41 first half points — the most the Cats have scored in a first half this season.
The Cats and Hawkeyes traded baskets for the first five minutes of the second half until Iowa’s run. NU junior Ifeoma Okonkwo scored four of her career-high 30 points during the 21-4 Iowa run.
“(Okonkwo) played like one of the best players in our league,” Combs said.
Iowa held a six-point lead with 1:40 left in the game. Behind four points by Okonkwo, NU cut the lead to 78-76 with 23 seconds left.
The Cats could not get any closer, as Iowa made 3-of-4 free throws and NU was unable to get a shot off.
“We are a really good basketball team when we come out and compete for 40 minutes,” senior center Sarah Kwasinski said. “We now know our potential.”
NU came out strong in the first half, making more than 57 percent of its shots.
After playing it close for 14 minutes, NU pulled away behind a 22-6 run to end the first half.
“Their players played with great confidence for a team that only had four wins,” Iowa coach Lisa Bluder said. “You’re a little embarrassed being on your home floor and you’re doubting yourself a little bit.”
NU was coming off a 53-42 loss at Indiana where the Cats led at halftime, but shot 21 percent in the second half and scored 18 points.
In the second half Sunday, NU shot 41 percent. But turnovers led to the loss this time.
In the first half, the Wildcats forced 15 Iowa turnovers while only committing four. NU lost the ball 15 times in the second half to only seven Iowa turnovers.
“In the second half Iowa showed why they are the 21st-ranked team in the country,” Combs said.
Okonkwo, Kwasinski and freshman guard Sara Stutz all scored in double figures.
Kwasinksi had 17 points to go with a team-high seven rebounds while Stutz scored 13 points.
Okonwko’s 30 points was the fifth-most scored by any Big Ten player all season. Only seven players in the conference have broken the 30-point mark this year.
“We came out hitting our shots and our defense was on point,” Okonkwo said. “Iowa stepped it up in the second half and we started playing like we were behind, instead of ahead.”
Iowa’s Jamie Cavey was only one off the 30-point mark, and scored the first 10 points for the Hawkeyes when their offense was struggling to begin the game.
The Cats continued a season-long rebounding struggle, grabbing 11 fewer than Iowa’s 36.
“We had problems boxing out,” Kwasinski said. “They were very strong and could push us around.”
Reach Abe Rakov at [email protected].
