INDIANAPOLIS – Cearah Parchment never made it to the block, her path stopped by one Journey Houston. The first-year Hawkeye got two hands on the ball and snatched it from the taller Parchment, then turned upcourt to start the Hawkeye offense. Teammate Taylor Stremlow rose to her feet on the Iowa bench, snapping her towel against the hardwood.
“The aggressive towel wave,” she said with a smile in the postgame locker room. “You can see it if you’re on the court. Just feeling in the moment. I guess I didn’t even notice.”
The Hawkeyes wouldn’t score on the ensuing possession, but no one paid much notice, because neither would the Illini, who were held without a basket for more than five minutes down the stretch of the third quarter and into the fourth. A young team playing its third game in as many days flashed its inexperience while a rested Iowa squad led a defensive clinic in a 64-58 win in the Big Ten Tournament Quarterfinals on Friday night at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
Iowa didn’t have a shootaround before the game due to timing issues, but offensive firepower came secondary on Friday. The Hawkeyes held the Illini to their lowest point total of the season and a 33 percent mark from the floor. The Hawkeyes scored 18 points off turnovers. Second-year Ava Heiden delivered a career-high five blocks and a team-high 16 points. Hannah Stuelke trailed with 13 points, shooting 6-of-11 from the floor in her return from injury. She was followed by Chit-Chat Wright with 12 points.
The Hawkeyes led by as many as 22 in the second half before a late run from the Illini cut the contest to single digits.
Guard Jasmine Brown-Hagger led Illinois with 22 points, but the Illini’s top forward pairing of Berry Wallace and Parchment combined for just 15 points on 6-of-24 shooting. The duo scored 41 in the teams’ last meeting, an 82-78 Iowa victory.
Iowa head coach Jan Jensen said the Hawkeyes forgot their scouting back then, failing to identify Illinois’ drivers and shooters. Parchment and Wallace can shoot from outside, each registering at least 37 percent from deep, and gave Iowa’s bigs problems along the perimeter. On Friday, the Hawkeyes utilized a different strategy, switching on ball screens to keep pace with the opposition rather than staying with their assignments as they previously do, Houston explained.
“They’re just so versatile that we had to switch,” Houston said. “Ava was able to guard the four, and we handled the five pretty well.”
Houston led Iowa with 12 rebounds. She said she hasn’t been up to her rebounding standards, but tonight showcased her aggressiveness despite her undersized 6-foot frame.
“Get every loose ball,” she said. “I know I’m not gonna get every loose ball, but that’s my mindset.”
Stuelke returned to action for the first time since Feb. 26, when she hurt her right shooting elbow in the first half against Illinois. She didn’t play or practice through March 4. Teammates found out she would play this morning.
“When I’m not playing, I think [the elbow] is more uncomfortable,” Stuelke said. “But once you get out there, everything just goes away. Adrenaline takes over.”
Stuelke’s jumper from the top of the key started a 7-0 Iowa run after the opening tip. Illinois scored the next five points before Heiden checked back into the game and reset the tone for the Hawkeyes, scoring in the post and sank a pair of free throws. She took on a double team from Parchment and Wallace on the right block and still converted as the Hawkeyes went on a 12-2 run.
Sixth-year senior Kylie Feuerbach added a pair of layups on the fast break as Iowa led by 10 after the first quarter. She would finish with 10 points, a career-high in the Big Ten Tournament.
“Seeking whatever is open,” she said. “That’s one of the main things that I always try to do, if it’s shooting, or it’s defense. Whatever it is. So today, a lot of the lane was open.”
The Hawkeyes would remain ahead by double-digits the entire second quarter, utilizing defense and the pick-and-roll to lead by as many as 17. Iowa scored 10 points off turnovers, highlighted by a layup from Wright on the fast break. She attempted a no-look, between-the-legs pass to Stremlow on the three-point line, but the toss went wide and Stremlow chased the ball down, only to find Wright streaking to the basket for the layup.
“We had a fun little play,” Stremlow said. “But I could’ve launched it if I was in a better spot.”
Illinois entered the evening averaging 12.5 turnovers per game, but committed seven in the first half. Heiden recorded three blocks while Addie Deal added another on the fast break.
Up Next
Iowa advances to the semifinals, where it will face the winner of Michigan and Oregon, which begin play later tonight. The Hawkeyes have played the Wolverines and Ducks at home this season, earning wins of 62-44, and 74-66, respectively.
Iowa’s semifinal game will be on Saturday, March 7, at 3:30 p.m. Central Time on Big Ten Network.