CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — This one was lost at the line.

Free-throw woes — 8 makes in 17 attempts — were costly for 23rd-ranked Iowa, and Illinois was a happy beneficiary in a 62-57 Big Ten women’s basketball victory before a crowd of 4,231 Thursday night at State Farm Center.

“Missed free throws down the stretch were a big part of the loss,” Iowa’s Hannah Stuelke said.

She was spot-on.

The Hawkeyes (12-4, 2-3) missed seven of 10 in the fourth quarter, and the result was a second straight conference loss for the first time since February 2021 (Ohio State and Indiana).

“We just didn’t shoot the ball well,” Iowa Coach Jan Jensen said. “Free throws, man, that was an unfortunate situation.”

Iowa also shot 5 of 20 from 3-point range, and put up its lowest point total since an 85-53 loss to Baylor in the 2019 NCAA Elite Eight game.

“I don’t know if we’ve figured it out (offensively) yet,” Lucy Olsen said. “Hopefully, we can soon, and it will be smooth sailing.

“I think everyone will be in the gym practicing free throws tomorrow. This won’t happen again.”

Down seven points late in the third quarter, Iowa drew even at 50-50 on Taylor McCabe’s 3-pointer with 8:27 remaining. But Illinois’ Genesis Bryant scored on the next possession, and the Illini (12-4, 2-3) led the rest of the way.

Stuelke led Iowa with 18 points and 13 rebounds. Olsen added 16 points.

Jensen made a tweak to the starting lineup, inserting freshman guard Aaliyah Guyton in place of senior post Addison O’Grady, creating a smaller, faster quintet.

“I thought she deserved it,” Jensen said of Guyton, a native of nearby Peoria. “This was a good game to try that.

“We started the game well. We just weren’t able to withstand when they came back.”

Iowa was just fine early. The Hawkeyes scored the first six points and built an 11-4 lead.

Two lengthy droughts were Iowa’s undoing.

The first came after that 11-4 lead, a stretch of 4 minutes, 13 seconds that pushed Illinois right back into it at 16-all by the end of the first quarter.

Iowa reasserted itself and owned its largest lead at 29-20 with 4:09 left in the half.

But the Hawkeyes didn’t score for the rest of the half, nor did they tally in the first 3:26 after intermission.

That stretch — 7 minutes, 35 seconds — spurred Illinois to a 12-0 run and a 32-29 lead. The Illini never trailed again.

Kendall Bostic paced Illinois with 17 points and 14 rebounds. Bryant and Adalia McKenzie added 12 points apiece.

Illinois’ largest lead was 44-37 with 4:05 left in the third quarter.

After McCabe’s trey tied it at 50-50, Iowa was within 52-51, then 55-53, then 57-54. But those botched free throws stunted any comeback hopes.

“If we make free throws, we win the game,” Stuelke said.

Illinois, meanwhile, was 8 of 8 from the line.

Sydney Affolter missed a pair of foul shots with 21 seconds left, then McCabe misfired from 3.

Bryant’s free throws with 0:11 remaining clinched it for Illinois.

Tied for 11th in the Big Ten, the Hawkeyes host Indiana at 2 p.m. Sunday.

Illinois 62, Iowa 57

At Champaign, Ill.

IOWA (57): Hannah Stuelke 7-14 4-5 18, Sydney Affolter 1-4 1-4 4, Kylie Feuerbach 1-4 2-6 4, Aaliyah Guyton 1-4 0-0 2, Lucy Olsen 7-16 0-0 16, Teagan Mallegni 0-1 0-0 0, Taylor McCabe 2-6 0-0 6, Addison O’Grady 1-3 1-2 3, Taylor Stremlow 2-3 0-0 4, Ava Heiden 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 22-55 8-17 57.

ILLINOIS (62): Brynn Shoup-Hill 1-4 2-2 4, Kendall Bostic 8-12 1-1 17, Genesis Bryant 3-14 4-4 12, Jasmine Brown-Hagger 5-11 0-0 10, Adalie McKenzie 5-17 1-1 12, Berry Wallace 3-5 0-0 7, Cori Allen 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 25-63 8-8 62.

Iowa 16 13 16 12 — 57

Illinois 16 11 19 16 — 62

3-point goals: Iowa 5-20 (Stuelke 0-1, Affolter 1-2, Feuerbach 0-1, Guyton 0-3, Olsen 2-5, Mallegni 0-1, McCabe 2-6, Stremlow 0-1), Illinois 4-13 (Shoup-Hill 0-2, Bryant 2-5, Brown-Hagger 0-2, McKenzie 1-2, Wallace 1-2). Team fouls: Iowa 14, Illinois 16. Fouled out: Shoup-Hill. Rebounds: Iowa 42 (Stuelke 13), Illinois 31 (Bostic 14). Assists: Iowa 14 (Olsen 5), Illinois 14 (Bostic, Brown-Hagger, McKenzie 3). Steals: Iowa 4 (Olsen 2), Illinois 8 (Bryant 4). Turnovers: Iowa 18, Illinois 10.

Attendance: 4,231.

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com

DES MOINES, Iowa (Gray Media Iowa State Capitol Bureau) – Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds returns to Mara-a-Lago for the second time in two months. Reynolds will have dinner Thursday night with President-elect Donald Trump and several other Republican governors at his Florida Resort.

One of those dinner guests with be the former presidential candidate that Reynolds endorsed before the Iowa Caucuses instead of Trump, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, as first reported by Politico.

Governors could be a necessary ally for Trump if he moves forward with plans for mass deportations of people living in the United States without legal status.

Reynolds announced her visit to Florida late Thursday morning before she flew to meet with the returning president.

This will be Reynolds’ second trip in two months to visit Trump’s resort near Palm Beach. She and Iowa’s U.S. Senator Joni Ernst, her fellow Republican, attended Trump’s victory party on election night.

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The Cyclones’ head coach football Matt Campbell is expected to take an interview with the Chicago Bears nearly a month after agreeing to a contract extension with Iowa State University.

Both The Athletic and the Chicago Tribune reported that Campbell is among various coaches in talks for the vacant position. The Bears look to interview Pete Carroll of the Seattle Seahawks, former Stanford coach David Shaw and more, according to ESPN.

Who is Matt Campbell?

Campbell has served as Iowa State’s head football coach since the 2016 season. Before coming to Ames, Campbell served as the head coach of Toledo Rockets in Ohio. He is the third-longest tenured coach in Iowa State’s history.

Iowa State saw a historic season in 2024, making it to the team’s seventh bowl game since Campbell became head coach. The Cyclones finished 11-3, the program’s first season with double-digit victories.

When did Matt Campbell sign a contract extension with Iowa State?

Campbell signed a contract extension with the Cyclones through 2032 in December.

“Coach Campbell has built a special football program at Iowa State; one that all Cyclone fans can take great pride in,” university president Wendy Wintersteen said in a statement. “His continued commitment to both academic and athletic excellence, combined with his strong character and integrity, make him the ideal individual to lead Iowa State’s football program. He is very deserving of this new contract.”

More: Iowa State football, Matt Campbell agree to contract extension through 2032

What’s Matt Campbell’s record at Iowa State?

Campbell has a 64-51 record and is the all-time coaching wins leader at Iowa State.

He is 99-66 in 14 years as a FBS head coach.

Want the inside scoop? Join Travis Hines’ Cyclone Insider text-messaging group for behind-the-scenes access

Where is Matt Campbell from?

Campbell was born in Massillon, Ohio, according to ESPN. He graduated from Mount Union in 2002 with a bachelor’s degree in history. Campbell and his wife, Erica, have four children, according to Iowa State.

Has Matt Campbell interviewed for the NFL before?

Reports from 2021 said that Campbell turned down an 8-year, $68.5 million deal to become the Detroit Lions’ head coach. That job ultimately went to Dan Campbell, who has turned the team into the No. 1 seed in the NFC for the first time in franchise history.

Back in 2019 six NFL teams reached out to Campbell, a source told the Register. It’s not clear if he actually accepted any interviews.

Kate Kealey is a general assignment reporter for the Des Moines Register. Reach her at kkealey@registermedia.com or follow her on Twitter at @Kkealey17.