Women’s Big Ten Tournament Final: Iowa vs. UCLA – How to watch, Fan Discussion
· Yahoo Sports
Well folks, this is it. Another rematch we’ve been waiting for is here, and it’s another big challenge: Jan Jensen’s Iowa Hawkeyes squad will try to avenge their loss to the regular season champion UCLA Bruins for the Big Ten Tournament title.
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The last time these two teams met, Iowa was dominated in pretty much every aspect of the game, but particularly in the post by UCLA center Lauren Betts. To be fair, everyone else in the conference suffered the same fate to the Bruins this year.
But for Iowa, this matchup will be different. Not only will this game be on a neutral court with a definite Hawkeye crowd advantage instead of UCLA’s home court. But also, the previous matchup came two only two games into the team’s adjustment to losing senior Taylor McCabe to injury. Freshmen Addie Deal was starting in her second game of her Hawkeye career, and the Iowa offense was never able to get into a solid rhythm.
Now, with Taylor Stremlow replacing Deal in the starting lineup, the team has flourished, playing some of its best basketball of the season, particularly the last two days of tournament play. It will be the third game in three days for both teams, which also adds an element of unpredictability to the game.
That being said, the Hawkeyes still have their work cut out for them. UCLA didn’t lose a game in conference play all season for a reason. They have massive size, and doubling Betts can be risky, as fellow senior Kiki Rice is capable of going off from beyond the arc at any time.
This will certainly be an uphill battle for Iowa, but when has that stopped this team this season? Just making it to the BTT Final in Jensen’s second season, with one of the youngest squads in program history, is a huge feat. The team has already exceeded even the wildest expectations of most fans this year, so…
Who says they can’t do it again?
I expect there will be a lot of chatter for this one, so be respectful in the comments, don’t be stupid, and cheer this phenomenal team onto victory. There’s still a lot to play for no matter the result of today’s game, but a tournament championship would be another highlight in a season full of them.
How to watch:
Date: March 8, 2026
Time: 1:15 p.m. CST
Matchup: No. 2 seed Iowa Hawkeyes vs. No. 1 seed UCLA Bruins
Location: Gainbridge Fieldhouse — Indianapolis, Indiana
TV: CBS (Big time!!!)