USC hands No. 8 Iowa its first Big Ten loss, 81-69

Note: This report was written in Iowa.

USC stung Iowa with a pair of double-digit surges, and the second was a killer for the Hawkeyes.

Kara Dunn scored 25 points, Jazzy Davidson added 21 and USC handed No. 8 Iowa its first Big Ten loss of the season, 81-69, Thursday night at Galen Center in Los Angeles.

“Credit them,” Iowa Coach Jan Jensen said postgame on the Iowa Radio Network. “They were a hungry team, a very desperate team.

“We got on our heels in the first quarter, and when you let a team get rolling, it’s tough sledding on the road.”

Down by as many as 18 points in the first half, Iowa (18-3 overall, 9-1 Big Ten) cut the deficit to 52-49 when Journey Houston scored on a behind-the-back transition feed from Taylor Stremlow at the 5:30 mark of the third period.

The Hawkeyes had an opportunity to get closer on their next possession, but couldn’t cash in. USC (12-9, 4-6) responded with 11 straight points as part of a 21-2 surge, and was never threatened again.

Thursday’s game was the Hawkeyes’ first without Taylor McCabe, who suffered a season-ending knee injury Sunday. It also marked Addie Deal’s first start, but the southern California native was scoreless.

A freshman from Davenport, Houston led the Hawkeyes with 16 points, and matched Ava Heiden’s team-high eight rebounds.

Heiden scored 13 points, Stremlow 11, Hannah Stuelke 10.

Stuelke picked up two fouls in the first 2:30 of the game.

USC led the whole way. The Trojans closed the first quarter with a 13-0 run for a 28-13 advantage.

It was 37-19 before the Hawkeyes closed within 43-37 at intermission.

Iowa concludes its Los Angeles swing Sunday against No. 2 UCLA (20-1, 10-0); tipoff is 3 p.m. (CT).

The Hawkeyes are tied for second with Michigan in the Big Ten race, a game behind the Bruins.

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com