IOWA CITY, Iowa — Much like the past two Cy-Hawk rivalry games played at Carver-Hawkeye Arena, the Hawkeyes team was able to prevail yet again.

In what looked like a lopsided, scrappy game of basketball ended up being a close, aggressive one instead.

The Hawkeyes (8-3) jumped out to an early lead, even jumping up 14-0 at one point. It wasn’t until 7:47 into the first half when Nikki Moody sank a 3-pointer to put the Cyclones (5-1) on the board.

“Our effort; we just continued to give effort and just started to play well,” Moody said.

Iowa was doing what all opponents dread: letting the opposition beat itself.

 “We came out kind of sluggish,” said forward Hallie Christofferson. “But they were hitting the shots and we had some mistakes that cost us.”

Without starting center Chelsea Poppens, a preseason unanimous All-Big 12 selection, it looked like it would be a grim game for the Cyclones. 

“When you don’t have your best player, it’s hard,” said ISU coach Bill Fennelly. “It’s hard not to play with her, but she’s a big part of our team obviously. But the other kids need to do the things they need to do.”

The game took a slight turn in the Cyclones’ favor, when they were able to make consecutive shots for the first time on the evening, cutting the lead to 18-15.

In the first half, the Cyclones were almost over their goal of turnovers for a game (14 turnovers), sitting at 12. 

Throughout most of the second half, the Cyclones and Hawkeyes battled back and forth. Grabbing their first lead of the night, the Cyclones went up by two points with 7:50 left in the game. 

“We have to come out from the beginning,” Christofferson said. “We started playing halfway through [the game], and that was the difference in the game.”

In the end, the Hawkeyes were able to come out on top, not only as victors of the basketball game, but the 12-round boxing match that is the Cy-Hawk rivalry.

“It’s Iowa; it’s an in-state game,” Christofferson said.