AP FILE PHOTO - Iowa forward Hannah Stuelke (45) looks to score during the first half of a Big Ten Conference basketball game against Maryland on Feb. 3, 2024, in College Park, Md. Stuelke had 12 points as the Hawkeyes held off the host Terrapins 85-78 on Thursday night.

COLLEGE PARK, Md. — The No. 10 Iowa women’s basketball team survived a late collapse and then a tense overtime to beat No. 15 Maryland 85-78 Thursday at the XFINITY Center, preserving a perfect 8-0 start in Big Ten play and extending its season-high win streak to seven games.

The victory marks Iowa’s first 8-0 start in Big Ten Conference play since 1995-96, when the Hawkeyes won their first 12 league games. But the way this one unfolded will give coach Jan Jensen plenty to dissect in practice this week.

Iowa looked unstoppable for most of regulation, building a commanding 17-point lead in the fourth quarter as Maryland seemed out of answers. Led by sophomore Ava Heiden, who scored a team-high 20 points and battled foul trouble throughout the night, the Hawkeyes appeared in firm control late.

Keyed by a furious scoring spurt and a barrage of 3-pointers, Maryland (17-4, 5-4) clawed all the way back. With just 9.3 seconds remaining, Terps guard Oluchi Okananwa buried a huge triple with 9.3 seconds left to knot the game at 73 and send it to overtime.  

“I think that just speaks to our maturity,” said Iowa guard Chazadi “Chit-Chat” Wright, who finished with 18 points and five assists. “We knew Maryland was going to make a run — they’ve got talent — but we had to stay composed and trust each other.”  

The extra period was a showcase of resilience from Iowa. Maryland got the first bucket, but Wright and Heiden responded in force, combining for the majority of Iowa’s points in overtime. Wright’s clutch free throws ultimately put the Hawkeyes ahead for good, while Iowa’s defense stiffened in the final minutes to quell the Terps’ late push.

Maryland mounted its rally behind strong play from Isimenme Ozzy-Momodu, who finished with a double-double, and Okananwa’s late heroics kept the Terrapins alive. But Maryland’s late foul trouble — including Okananwa fouling out in OT — limited their comeback bid.

“[Jensen] just kept preaching to us to stay focused and to calm ourselves down,” Wright added. “I wasn’t going to let anyone rush me at the line — it was about execution.”  

Jensen acknowledged both the positives and the concerns in her postgame comments.

“We played terrific for most of the game — our effort and focus were excellent early,” she said. “But we let them get back into it late, and that’s something we’ve got to address. We’ve got to be tougher in those moments to close games out.

“When you play a team like Maryland on their home court and they’ve got all that momentum, you’ve got to fight. Our kids did that tonight and found a way to win.”

Beyond Heiden and Wright, Hannah Stuelke and Taylor McCabe each added 12 points, while freshman Journey Houston provided a spark off the bench with 10 points — key contributions when the game threatened to slip away.

The win wasn’t without its lessons. Iowa’s late-game collapse highlighted some lingering issues with ball security and defensive intensity, but the Hawkeyes’ ability to bounce back in overtime showed a team with confidence and depth. For a young squad still growing under Jensen’s leadership, that combination could be vital once postseason play arrives.

Iowa and No. 3 UCLA are undefeated in Big Ten play this season, although the Hawkeyes will be tested again when they face No. 12 Ohio State this weekend. The Buckeyes and Hawkeyes tip off Saturday at 1 p.m. inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

No. 10 Iowa 85, No. 15 Maryland 78, OT

IOWA (17-2) — Stuelke 4-13 4-7 12, Heiden 9-13 2-2 20, Feuerbach 0-3 4-4 4, McCabe 4-8 0-0 12, Wright 4-12 7-8 18, Hays 0-1 0-0 0, Deal 1-4 0-0 2, Houston 5-8 0-1 10, Stremlow 3-4 0-0 7. TOTALS 30-66 17-22 85.

MARYLAND (17-4) — Ozzy-Momodu 8-15 2-2 18, Garzon 5-11 0-0 12, Mack 2-8 1-1 5, Okananwa 3-10 7-10 14, Poffenbarger 2-10 1-2 7, Boiko 1-2 2-2 4, McLean 1-2 1-2 3, Walker 6-16 3-3 15. TOTALS 28-74 17-22 78.

Iowa 16 17 15 25 12 — 85

Maryland 12 15 12 34 5 — 78

3-Point Goals–Iowa 8-18 (Feuerbach 0-1, McCabe 4-8, Wright 3-6, Deal 0-1, Stremlow 1-2), Maryland 5-21 (Garzon 2-6, Mack 0-2, Okananwa 1-3, Poffenbarger 2-7, Boiko 0-1, Walker 0-2). Assists–Iowa 21 (Stuelke 5, Wright 5), Maryland 12 (Mack 5). Fouled Out–Garzon, Okananwa. Rebounds–Iowa 40 (Stuelke 11), Maryland 45 (Okananwa 12, Ozzy-Momodu 12). Total Fouls–Iowa 22, Maryland 24. A–6,514.