MADISON — The UW-Madison women’s basketball team opened Big Ten play with a 87-65 loss to No. 4-ranked Iowa in front of a sold-out crowd at the Kohl Center on Sunday, Dec. 10. It was the largest crowd the Badger women’s team has garnered since 2006. 

Although many may have come to watch the Hawkeyes and 2023 Player of the Year Caitlin Clark, Wisconsin lead Iowa through three minutes into the second quarter. With a minute left to halftime, the Badgers trailed by four, 37-34, before the Hawkeyes drained back-to-back 3s.

Despite the loss, 2020 Black Hawk graduate Natalie Leuzinger was pleased with her team’s performance. 

“People should not take us lightly,” she said. “We set the tone in the first half, and I don’t think Iowa was expecting that. We just need to find a way to repeat the first half in the second half.”

Leuzinger began her Badger basketball career as a preferred walk-on and earned a full-ride scholarship on Aug. 25, 2022. In Wisconsin’s exhibition game against Whitewater on Oct. 29, Leuzinger got her first start.

“Her dream was to be a Badger,” Wisconsin women’s basketball head coach Marisa Moseley said. “She bleeds red. She is the ultimate Badger. This is what we are building. She’s a great culture kid.”

Leuzinger was heavily relied upon defensively, as she guarded Clark. On the Badgers’ offensive end, Clark also guarded Leuzinger.

Last season, Clark was named the 2023 Player of the Year, leading Iowa to a NCAA national runner-up title. She is a leading contender for the No. 1 overall draft pick for the WMBA and Indiana Fever.

“Caitlin is obviously a phenomenal player but the plan was to stop her in transition with the closest person,” Leuzinger said. “She was always guarding me, so I was the closest person. I had trust in my defense that if she did get by me, there was help-side.”

Wisconsin built up a six-point lead four minutes into the game. Iowa responded with seven straight points, only for the first frame to end in a 21-21 tie. 

The Badgers took a lead in the second quarter and held it for the first three minutes. The Hawkeyes took over with a bucket from Clark, but never led by more than one possession. Clark and teammate Gabbie Marshall hit back-to-back 3s to close out the half with a 43-33 advantage.

Iowa gradually pulled away as the second half progressed with its largest a minute left in regulation.

Wisconsin had three players in double figures — Ronnie Porter (17), Serah Williams (15) and Sania Copeland (13). Leuzinger tallied two points with three rebounds and a steal.

Clark paced Iowa with 28 points and nine rebounds. Hannah Stuelke tallied 21 points.