By Hawk Fanatic

IOWA CITY, Iowa – One way to make up for losing five straight games is to win five straight games, and the surging Iowa women’s basketball team will have that opportunity when it faces Nebraska on Monday in Lincoln, Neb.

Since losing five-straight games from Jan. 5 to Jan. 19, the Hawkeyes have responded with four wins in row, including most recently a 68-60 victory at Minnesota this past Thursday.

Iowa has now climbed back to .500 in Big Ten play at 6-6.

Nebraska dealt Iowa one of its five straight loses, winning 87-84 in overtime on Jan. 16 in Iowa City.

The Cornhuskers made 13 3-point baskets and 18 of 22 free throws, while Iowa missed 13 of 29 free throws in the first game.

But now it’s Nebraska, which has lost two consecutive home games and three out of the last four overall, that is moving in the wrong direction.

This past Thursday, Michigan held Nebraska to its lowest point total inside Pinnacle bank Arena this season (60).

Iowa also has relied heavily on its defense during its current five-game winning streak, which is far different than how the Hawkeyes played with record-breaking scorer Caitlin Clark as the starting point guard over the past four seasons.

First-year head coach Jan Jensen has made defense a priority to help compensate for some offensive deficiencies.

“Because our offense, it goes a little quiet,” Jensen said after the win over Minnesota. “But our defense can be there.”

The defense was not there in the first game against Nebraska, especially behind the 3-point arc where Iowa was shredded.

And while the Cornhuskers are struggling right now, they still pose a major threat to the Hawkeyes, especially at home.

All seven of Nebraska’s losses this season have come to teams inside the NET Top 40 teams.

If recent history in the series means anything, then Monday’s game could be close as four of the last six meetings between Iowa and Nebraska have been decided by five points or fewer, including the last two matchups that have gone to overtime.

The Cornhuskers will have to contend with Iowa senior guard Lucy Olsen, who has scored at least 14 points in four straight games, including a Hawkeye high 28 in the 76-69 victory over USC.

Olsen transferred from Villanova were she ranked third nationally in scoring last season, averaging 23.3 points per game.

During Iowa’s five-game losing streak, she had two games in which she scored just four and eight points.

Following Monday’s game in Lincoln, Iowa will return home to face Rutgers Thursday at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

Iowa won at Minnesota this past Thursday despite arriving in Minneapolis the day of the game due to travel delays caused by icy weather conditions.

“The biggest thing is control what we can control, and obviously, that was an unfortunate situation,” said Iowa senior guard Syd Affolter. “But we made the most of it and had some fun.

“And we came here to do one thing and that was win the basketball game.”

Iowa (16-7, 6-6) vs. Nebraska (16-7, 7-5)

When: Monday, 7 p.m.

Where: Lincoln, Nebraska, Pinnacle Bank Arena

TV: Big Ten Network

Radio: Hawkeye Radio Network

Series history: Iowa leads the all-time series, 26-15 and has won nine out of the last 11 matchups. The last two matchups in this series have gone to overtime. Four of the last six meetings between Iowa and Nebraska have now been decided by five points or fewer.