The 8th-ranked Lady Lions (21-3 overall, 11-1 Big Ten) pulled away from a close first half — a move that is becoming routine — to beat Big Ten opponent Iowa (16-10, 5-7) 81-69, in a Valentine’s Day match-up in Iowa City.

After a string of slow starts in recent games, the Lady Lions went into Iowa knowing that they needed to prove they could dominate in the first twenty minutes. With just a three-point lead at the intermission, they didn’t quite do that.

Early in the second half, the Lady Lions actually trailed 37-38 before turning the momentum around. Not that it mattered. Outscoring Iowa, 44-35, in second half was more than enough to secure another win for the Lady Lions in the season’s final stretch.

Maggie Lucas led the team in scoring again, dropping 21 points despite struggling with efficiency from the floor. Ariel Edwards had a particularly hot night off the bench, going 5-7 in both field goals and free throws to add 15 to the scoreboard.

Though it was a solid win, the first half proved that the Lady Lions still need to address their problem of playing down to lesser opponents if they want to compete with the elite teams in the upcoming NCAA tournament.

With just four games left before the Big Ten tournament, the Lady Lions will return to the Bryce Jordan Center next Wednesday to take on Illinois with tip-off set for 7 p.m.