The No. 17 ranked Iowa women’s basketball team suffered their first loss of the season, falling to Tennessee 78-68 at the Champions Classic on Saturday. Despite a strong performance from Lucy Olsen, who scored 23 points in her return from injury, the Hawkeyes were plagued by turnovers. Tennessee capitalized on Iowa’s 30 turnovers, scoring 42 points off of them.
The game featured 10 ties and 16 lead changes, with Tennessee closing with a 14-1 run in the final minutes. Despite Addi O’Grady’s 17 points and 11 rebounds, Iowa could not overcome the turnover issues.
Talaysia Cooper led Tennessee with 23 points, and the Lady Vols forced Iowa into numerous turnovers as they have done with their previous opponents. The loss marked the first defeat under coach Jan Jensen’s leadership.
The meeting between Iowa and Tennessee was their first since 1993, with the Hawkeyes looking to bounce back as they prepare to host Iowa State on Wednesday. Despite the loss, Iowa showed resilience and strength, with Olsen’s return giving them a spark. The team will look to shore up their turnovers and improve for future games.
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