The loss concludes a disappointing 0-2 Los Angeles roadtrip for the Hawkeyes, who drop to third place in the Big Ten standings.
No. 2 UCLA has been destroying teams all season long, and No. 8 Iowa women's basketball was just another unfortunate obstacle in the Bruins' road to the national championship.
The Hawkeyes kept it close in the first half, but couldn't recover from an early third quarter scoring spurt from UCLA, falling 88-65 at Pauley Pavilion on Sunday.
Sophomore Ava Heiden posted a team-high 19 points to go with three rebounds and one assist, while senior Hannah Stuelke followed close behind with 13 points, a team-best eight rebounds, and four assists.
Iowa (18-4, 9-2) came to California perfect in Big Ten play, but it leaves with two losses and now sits in third place in the league standings after Michigan's win at Michigan State earlier today. UCLA (21-1, 11-0) maintains a 1.5-game lead on the leaderboard.
First Half
The headline of this game was the post matchup between Iowa's Heiden and national player of the year candidate Lauren Betts for UCLA, and it did not disappoint. The 6-foot-4 Heiden rarely has to look up at her opponents, but facing the 6-foot-7 Betts presented a new challenge.
Heiden wasn't afraid to attack Betts, which was a perfect description of Iowa's energy. The Hawkeyes looked sluggish in Thursday's loss to USC, but came out with much more fight early in this one. The Bruins' length proved to be a challenge right from the start, as they netted their first 12 points down low - not hitting their first jump shot until the 4:00 mark of the first quarter.
UCLA made just one of its final eight field goals of the opening frame, but five Iowa turnovers contributed to a 17-13 Bruin lead after one. Betts was held to four points in the period, but it was senior Angela Dugalic that carried the load for UCLA, netting seven points. Chit-Chat Wright led the Hawkeyes with five.
The Bruins' scoring drought reached four minutes, but Iowa wasn't able to capitalize because of some sloppy turnovers. A great example of this came early in the second, when the Hawkeyes picked Betts' pocket - only to throw it away on the ensuing fast break.
UCLA took advantage by racing out to a 6-0 run. That, combined with a flagrant 1 foul call on Hannah Stuelke, really seemed to undo the Hawkeyes. Iowa was forced to play an underclassmen-heavy lineup for most of the frame due to foul trouble, and though they fought hard, the Bruins led 39-28 at the break.
Second Half
After being held scoreless in the first half, Heiden decided to join the party. The sophomore tallied 10 quick points to begin the second half, but it didn't help Iowa get back into the ballgame.
The Hawkeyes made plays, but UCLA showed it was the stronger team throughout the third quarter. After sitting for the final six minutes of the first, a rested Betts overpowered Iowa, which suddenly had a tough time registering defensive stops. The Bruins had a 14-minute stretch (dating back to the first half) where they converted at a 15/20 (75%) clip from the floor, dooming the Hawkeyes' chances.
The fourth quarter was slightly better, but Iowa simply dug itself into too big of a hole.
Up Next
The Hawkeyes will return to action on Thursday, Feb. 5 for a rivalry matchup against Minnesota in Iowa City. The Gophers, 16-6 overall and 7-4 in Big Ten play, are coming off a dominant home win over Purdue earlier today.
Tip off from Carver-Hawkeye Arena is set for 6 p.m. on Big Ten Network.