IOWA CITY — Iowa women’s basketball has reached the end of its regular-season roadmap.
The No. 9 Hawkeyes (23-5, 14-3 Big Ten Conference) kick off this magical month of March with a trip to Wisconsin on Sunday, March 1 (2 p.m., BTN+), eyeing a 32nd consecutive win over the Badgers.
Wisconsin (13-15, 5-12) has been more competitive than usual this season under first-year coach Robin Pingeton, but this game shouldn’t be an issue for the Hawkeyes if they come dialed in like they have been on this five-game winning streak.
With that, here are three things to watch.
Back in her home state, can Taylor Stremlow continue her impressive run since joining the starting lineup?
With her 20th birthday right around the corner on March 5, all the ingridients are there for Taylor Stremlow to have a memorable homecoming.
The sophomore guard, who hails from the Madison suburb of Verona, Wisconsin, has been a revelation since joining the starting lineup following Taylor McCabe’s season-ending ACL tear. The Hawkeyes are 5-0 this season and 14-0 overall with Stremlow in the starting five.
Coming off her first-career double-double (11 points, 11 assists) against Illinois, the table is set for Stremlow to again deliver something special in an arena she’s been in numerous times.
“I’m so excited, got lots of friends and family who are going to be there,” Stremlow said. “My birthday is on the 5th, so I’m going to kind of get to celebrate my birthday with my family and friends. Great environment, I love the Kohl Center. I love downtown Madison, so I think it’ll be a great time going back home.”
How does Iowa counter a Wisconsin team that’s shown more sporadic flashes than usual this year?
Considering how dismal the Wisconsin program was under former head coach Marisa Moseley, even sitting just two game under .500 is a step up for the Badgers.
Wins over Michigan State, Oregon and Nebraska all came at home and showcased mild progress against teams destined for the NCAA Tournament. However, not much has gone right since Wisconsin toppled the Ducks and Cornhuskers back-to-back in late January.
The Badgers haven’t won since, meaning they’ll bring an eight-game losing streak into the Iowa matchup. Wisconsin doesn’t light it up on offense and has no one averaging more than 13.8 points per game as a result. After some spotty defensive moments against Illinois, particularly on the perimeter, the opportunity is there for Iowa’s defense to deliver a strong showing before the postseason arrives.
Can Chit-Chat Wright get going again amid this extended offensive slump?
From Iowa’s loss to UConn to Dec. 20 to its win over Nebrasak on Feb. 16 — a stretch that covered 14 games — Wright delivered double-digit scoring 12 times. She was exactly what the Hawkeyes needed running the offensive show.
Since then, though, Wright hasn’t reached double figures in Iowa’s previous three games. They’ve all been wins despite Wright producing just 14 total points, but she needs to find her rhythm again with the season’s most pivotal stretch upcoming.
Iowa coach Jan Jensen said after the Illinois win that Wright has been cramping more often than usual recently. Her usage hasn’t dipped as Wright played 37 minutes against Purdue, 38 minutes against Michigan and 36 minutes against Illinois. But it’s clear she needs some rejuvenation for Iowa’s offense to be able to operate at maximum capacity.
Perhaps Wisconsin will be the perfect remedy. Wright should have several chances to find her openings again, which could lead to key rest late if Iowa can properly pull away.
Iowa women’s basketball vs. Wisconsin prediction.
At some point, Wisconsin’s mind-blowing losing streak to Iowa will end. But it won’t be on this day. The Hawkeyes cruise into the postseason with a dominant road showing. Iowa 81, Wisconsin 63.
Dargan Southard is a sports trending reporter and covers Iowa athletics for the Des Moines Register and HawkCentral.com. Email him at msouthard@gannett.com or follow him on Twitter at @Dargan_Southard.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Iowa women’s basketball vs. Wisconsin prediction, 3 things to watch
Reporting by Dargan Southard, Des Moines Register / Des Moines Register
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