Iowa pulls away from Wisconsin in second half of regular-season finale

Iowa defeated Wisconsin 81-52 after a 25-point second-half swing, handing the Badgers their ninth straight loss; Wisconsin still secured the 15th seed in the Big Ten tournament, with its first opponent undetermined as of late Sunday.

Iowa defeated Wisconsin 81-52 Sunday at the Kohl Center, pulling away with a decisive second-half run. The loss was Wisconsin's ninth straight to finish the regular season. The Badgers secured the 15th and final seed for the Big Ten tournament in Indianapolis. As of late Sunday the Badgers' first-round opponent had not been determined. Key details: - Final score: Iowa 81, Wisconsin 52, at the Kohl Center before a season-high crowd of 8,520. - Iowa outscored Wisconsin by 25 points in the second half and shot 53% overall and 45% (9 of 20) from three-point range. - Wisconsin finished the regular season on a nine-game losing streak but clinched the No. 15 seed in the Big Ten tournament. - Destiny Howell led Wisconsin with 23 points on 8-for-16 shooting; Kyrah Daniels had eight points and eight rebounds. - Iowa's Ava Heiden finished with 16 points and 14 rebounds, and Taylor Stremlow added 12 points, nine assists and five rebounds. Summary: Iowa's second-half performance turned a four-point halftime edge into a decisive win, while Wisconsin will enter the Big Ten tournament needing to regroup after the loss. Wisconsin's first opponent in the conference tournament is undetermined at this time.