No. 8 Iowa vs. No. 2 UCLA women’s basketball glance: Time, TV, game notes (Feb. 1, 2026)

What: No. 8 Iowa (18-3, 9-1) at No. 2 UCLA (20-1, 10-0), Big Ten women’s basketball

When/where: 3 p.m. (CT) Thursday, Pauley Pavilion, Los Angeles

TV: Fox

Radio: Hawkeye Radio Network affiliates

Iowa’s next game: Minnesota (home), 6 p.m. Thursday.

What to know: Iowa suffered its first Big Ten loss Thursday, an 81-69 setback at USC which wasn’t as close as the final score indicated (the Hawkeyes scored the final nine points after the issue had been long decided).

The Hawkeyes gave up USC runs of 13-0 and 21-3 in their first full game without Taylor McCabe, who suffered a torn ACL last Sunday. Addie Deal was held scoreless in her first career start.

Thursday’s defeat moved Iowa a game back of UCLA in the Big Ten race. The Hawkeyes are tied for second with Michigan.

This will be Iowa’s fourth test against a ranked opponent in the last five games. The Hawkeyes have wins over Michigan State, Maryland and Ohio State in this span.

A Final Four team last year, UCLA is coming off an 80-67 win at Illinois. The Bruins have won 14 consecutive games since a loss to Texas (Nov. 26 in Las Vegas).

Led by 6-foot-7 All-America center Lauren Betts (16.5 points, 8.3 rebounds per game), seven Bruins are scoring at least 7.4 points per game.

In conference games, the Bruins are averaging 85.1 points per game, allowing 58.8.

UCLA escaped Iowa City with a 67-65 victory last year.

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com