In the wake of a dismal Big Ten losing streak, the Iowa women’s basketball team has flipped its season around, winning six straight games before a tough loss to then – No. 8 Ohio State on Feb. 17.
Many players have stepped up their games, but arguably the primary factor for the turnaround has been the strong play of fourth-year guard Lucy Olsen. Olsen averaged just 12.2 points per game during a previous five-game skid in January.
The point guard netted 20 points in the Hawkeyes’ 85-61 road win against Washington on Jan. 22, kicking off the thrilling six-game win streak. That game proved to be the spark Olsen needed, as she totaled 22.8 points per game during the surge, including a 28-point performance in an upset victory over then-No. 4 USC on Feb. 2.
“I’ve been struggling just because we’ve been losing,” the fourth-year said after the USC game in a press conference. “I feel like I haven’t helped a lot with helping my team get the win. I’m glad today, the shots were falling.”
Olsen also credited her newfound momentum change to a more fluid practice routine.
“I think in practice, we’ve all been clicking a lot better,” Olsen said. “I think it just takes time sometimes.”
As if the showing against USC wasn’t impressive enough, Olsen followed it up with a spectacular 32-point, six rebound outing in an 81-66 road triumph at Nebraska on Feb. 10.
“I think we all really poured into her, how good she was, as soon as she stepped on campus and the type of shots she can make,” fourth-year Sydney Affolter said after Iowa’s 55-43 conquest of Rutgers on Feb. 13. “I think we’re sharing the ball a lot better, running our offense better, giving her more opportunities. I think our offense is flowing much better.”
While Olsen’s mid-season slump was surprising, her recent hot streak has been the exact opposite.
The senior entered Iowa City as one of the nation’s most touted transfers after a stellar 2023-24 campaign at Villanova, where she posted 23.3 points per game, a number that slotted behind only Caitlin Clark and JuJu Watkins.
Those accolades followed her to the Midwest, where she was named to the Nancy Lieberman Point Guard of the Year and John R. Wooden Award Top-50 preseason award watch lists.
“She’s such a great kid,” first-year head coach Jan Jensen said after the USC game. “I think what’s harder to understand from the outside is when you transfer in as a senior, and you’re a point guard, you’re still very new, and you’re trying to learn it and run it, and there’s a lot that happens in your head.”
While Iowa’s winning ways have left the team in a good situation, Olsen knows the Hawkeyes still need to take things one game at a time.
“The Big Ten season’s a long season,” the fourth-year said after a loss to Illinois on Jan. 9, 2024. “There’s a lot of teams in there. Got to take every game one by one, and hopefully, we can knock off some other teams along the way.”