In a back-and-forth battle, Iowa edged out MSU with a 74-61 upset. Hawkeyes senior guard Lucy Olsen led all scorers with 21 points, while MSU graduate forward Julia Ayrault paced the Spartans with 17 points.

The game opened sluggishly, with both teams struggling with turnovers — combining for 13 in the first quarter. Uncharacteristically for MSU, turnovers worked against them, but they found their rhythm inside and took a 16-12 lead after one.

Iowa took control in the second quarter, opening with a 10-0 run fueled by stifling defense, forcing five MSU turnovers in under four minutes. Though the Spartans chipped away late, Iowa’s 20-9 quarter put MSU in a hole heading into halftime.

Just when they seemed down, the Spartans roared back in the third quarter.

Back-to-back three-pointers from senior forward Jocelyn Tate and junior guard Theryn Hallock cut the Iowa lead to one. The momentum skyrocketed when Iowa head coach Jan Jensen received a technical foul.

Freshman center Inés Sotelo provided a huge spark off the bench, leading all scorers in the quarter with seven points. Her length in the Spartan trap defense played a key role in MSU’s comeback push.

Despite the rough third quarter, however, the Hawkeyes used a dominant final period of play to ultimately pull away with the win. The quarter was fueled by freshman center Ava Heiden, who scored five of her 11 total points in the final minutes of play. The Hawkeyes also utilized an effective zone against the Spartans, shutting down Fralick’s offense when it mattered most.

With the win, the Hawkeyes will go on to face the No. 3 Ohio State Buckeyes in the quarterfinals on Friday.

The Spartans will conclude the season in the NCAA tournament, beginning on March 19. In the meantime, MSU will await for their postseason seeding to be determined during the selection Sunday show on March 16.